188 articles from FRIDAY 9.7.2021

Australia Covid live news updates: NSW crisis widens amid fears of extended lockdown

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to update case numbers after new hotspots listed by NSW HealthWhat went wrong: how Delta exposed the NSW approach to Covid‘Stuffed’: how Australia’s ‘unconscionable’ gamble on Covid vaccines backfiredStronger restrictions for Sydney as Gladys Berejiklian flags lockdown extensionNSW restrictions; NSW hotspots; Qld restrictions; Qld hotspotsLatest Sydney...

The Jeff Bezos-Richard Branson Space Race Is About More Than Two Billionaires’ Egos

Nobody is selling Team Bezos or Team Branson t-shirts just yet. The competition between billionaires Jeff Bezos (founder of Blue Origin) and Richard Branson (co-founder of Virgin Galactic) to see who can be first to space may never have the historical cachet of Red Sox versus Yankees, Lincoln versus Douglas, Hamilton versus Burr, but it’s a hot contest all the same. This Sunday, July 11,...

Electric trucks can go the (short) distance

Whether you call them semis, tractor-trailers, or 18-wheelers, heavy-duty trucks keep the economy (literally) moving. And at least some of them might be ready to go electric. These workhorses have an outsize climate impact. Globally, heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses, make up about 10% of all motor vehicles but produce around half of all carbon dioxide emissions and over 70% of...

Remote control for plants

Plants have microscopically small pores on the surface of their leaves called stomata. These help plants regulate the influx of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They also prevent the loss of too much water and withering away during drought.

Anti-tumor agent from the intestine

Certain metabolites of bacteria from the intestine make immune cells more aggressive as a new study conducted by scientists reveals. The findings could help improve cancer therapies.

Non-Covid respiratory illnesses on rise in UK, medical experts say

Increase in cases of bronchitis and common colds attributed to people mixing after easing of lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNon-Covid respiratory illnesses and other conditions that were suppressed over the winter by lockdown are slowly “marching upwards” again, albeit at a level below what doctors expect for this time of year.The increase in conditions...

Seeing some cosmic X-ray emitters might be a matter of perspective

It's hard to miss a flashlight beam pointed straight at you. But that beam viewed from the side appears significantly dimmer. The same holds true for some cosmic objects: Like a flashlight, they radiate primarily in one direction, and they look dramatically different depending on whether the beam points away from Earth (and nearby space telescopes) or straight at it.

Dying cells protect their neighbors to maintain tissue integrity

To enable tissue renewal, human tissues constantly eliminate millions of cells, without jeopardizing tissue integrity, form and connectivity. The mechanisms involved in maintaining this integrity remain unknown. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS today revealed a new process which allows eliminated cells to temporarily protect their neighbors from cell death, thereby maintaining...

Biosynthesis pathway of a new DNA nucleobase elucidated

DNA is composed of nucleobases represented by the letters A, T, G and C. They form the basis of the genetic code and are present in all living beings. But in a bacteriophage, another base, represented by the letter Z, exists. This exception, the only one observed to date, has long remained a mystery. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, in collaboration with the CEA, have now...

Major revamp of SNAP could eliminate food insecurity in the U.S.

Food insecurity is a major problem in the U.S., and it worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides some relief, but millions of Americans still lack adequate access to healthy food. A new study from the University of Illinois proposes a potential solution.