Apr 23rd, 2024 - Researchers have described the optimal timing for COVID-19 patients to take the antiviral, Paxlovid, to get the most benefit from the treatment, according to a study published April 16 in eLife . The findings suggest that taking Paxlovid three to five days after COVID-19 symptoms emerge may maximize the drug's ability to reduce viral loads, minimize viral spread and reduce viral rebound. They also indicate that broader use of Paxlovid during this window might be a powerful tool to help curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 without the need for potential population-wide ... [Read More]

Apr 23rd, 2024 - Dear EarthTalk: Why are Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, among others, so bullish on developing nuclear fusion as a power source? -- Mark P., Newton, Massachusetts Answer: While nuclear fission is commonly used in nuclear power plants across the globe, nuclear fusion is a lesser-known process. Whereas fission is the process of releasing energy by splitting atoms apart, fusion is the opposite. During nuclear fusion light nuclei collide with each other to form heavier nuclei, a process that releases large amounts of energy. Producing fusion requires a combination of the hydrogen gasses deuterium and ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - A dentist was visiting his parents' newly renovated home in Europe when he noticed something odd: One of the floor tiles in a corridor leading to a terrace held what looked like a human mandible, sliced through at an angle, including a cross section of a few teeth. Not knowing exactly what steps to take, the dentist posted a photo of the discovery on Reddit . The internet exploded with enthusiasm, interest and ick. "It's not so much the teeth that I noticed but the shape of the mandible that is very recognizable," the dentist, known as Reddit user Kidipadeli75, wrote in an email. He spoke on ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - April 22 (UPI) -- NASA is gearing up for a launch this week that will test a new way to navigate the solar system, using a large sail to catch the sunlight. The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System is scheduled to lift off Wednesday in New Zealand aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from NASA's Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula. "We can sail, we can sail with solar sail tech, launching no earlier than April 24 from New Zealand. With new composite booms, it would transform how we explore our solar system," NASA wrote Monday on X. We can sail, we can sail with solar sail tech, launching no ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - Dragonfly will push the boundaries of engineering and science as it explores Titan. NASA has formally approved the robotic Dragonfly mission for full development, committing to a revolutionary project to explore Saturn's largest moon with a quadcopter drone. Agency officials announced the outcome of Dragonfly's confirmation review last week. This review is a checkpoint in the lifetime of most NASA projects and marks the moment when the agency formally commits to the final design, construction, and launch of a space mission. The outcome of each mission's confirmation review typically ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - Romans are known for having parties that were wild enough to make it into history books. That is thanks to the ancient historians who kept their pens, ink and papyrus ready at all times to record their impressions of Rome's celebrations such as the Bacchanalia and Dionysia. Festivals in honor of Bacchus, the Roman form of Greek Dionysus, the wine god, were celebrated with "dancing, song and revelry," says the Merriam-Webster dictionary.  One cannot help but wonder whether cannabis was used on such occasions. According to an published in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics in 2002, the ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - Archaeologists have discovered a set of human remains that they told Newsweek sheds light on the violent past of the Anglo-Scottish border region A team with local contractors Border Reivers Archaeology Unit (BRAU) uncovered the remains during monitoring of utilities work in the grounds of the parish church in Swinton village, Scotland, which today lies around three miles northwest of the border with England. In total, BRAU has recovered 124 bone fragments and two loose teeth representing a minimum of five individuals—two adults and three sub-adults. Expert analysis of the remains ... [Read More]

Apr 22nd, 2024 - Key Takeaways The JN.1 COVID variant emerged in the U.S. in November of 2023 and quickly started gaining steam in the country. Now, it's responsible for nearly 84% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.—and that dominance is coinciding with peak allergy season. Data currently suggest that COVID-19 severity indicators, including hospitalizations and deaths, are on the decline right now. But knowing if and how you can differentiate COVID from allergies is important to prevent further spread of the disease. Here's what infectious disease doctors want you to know. A Timeline of COVID-19 Variants ... [Read More]