As new research finds, cancer cells can protect themselves by switching on so-called protective T cells. If a mechanism could be found to prevent that then this would make the cancer cells more vulnerable to cancer immunotherapy.
related: #cancer #T-cells #immunotherapy
An almost 2000 year old festive chariot has been discovered near Pompeii, Italy. It was first discovered on 7 January and took weeks to free it. It is in very good condition and a unique find.
related: #Pompeii #chariot
The noise produced by ships can harm sea animals. As a study of a propeller upgrade of five ships found, the noise can be reduced by 75 percent (or 6 to 8 decibels).
related: #propeller #noise_reduction
The oceans with their tides offer a seemingly unlimited supply of renewable energy. For two decades, tidal stream technologies power over 1700 homes in Scotland. Although there are technical problems, tidal energy could well supplement wind energy, since it is very consistent.
related: #tidal_energy #renewable_energy
While globally the amount of vaccination doses remains scarce, the WHO's Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access programme, COVAX for short, has started by a shipment of vaccines to Ghana, one of 92 low and medium income countries to benefit from the programme.
related: #COVAX #vaccination
Sleep seems to play an important role in consolidating the learning of connections between previous experiences. In a study it was found that sleep disruption prevents the mind from making connections between feeling fear and its cause.
related: #sleep #memory
In order to overcome the plastic waste crisis, different forms of biodegradable plastic is being developed. One of these is to use seafood shell waste to produce a thin plastic-like film.
related: #plastic_ban #biodegradable
As the Israeli health ministry announced, two jabs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduce the infection risk with Covid-19 by 95.8 percent. Severe illness resulting in hospitalization and death is reduced even by 98.9 percent.
related: #Covid19 #vaccination
New research indicates that there may be a blood test that can predict Alzheimer's disease decades before the first symptoms by measuring an increased presence of a certain protein, the so-called glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
related: #Alzheimer #diagnosis
NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has safely landed on Mars and sent a first picture. It is to search for signs of past (microbial) life on Mars.
related: #NASA #Mars #rover
Up to three years ago 18 different forms of ice were known, then a 19th form was detected. Now the structure of ice XIX has been determined using neutron diffraction
related: #ice #ice_XIX
A new study found that an answer is less believed if people pause before answering. The longer the hesitation the less sincere the response is perceived.
related: #belief #sincere #hesitation
Cancer cells and immune cells may compete for the sugar available. Trying to shift access to sugar away from cancer cells may be a good approach to supplement immunotherapy, a new study finds.
related: #immunotherapy #sugar
New research has found that observing others how they come to decisions helps people to reduce bias and to improve their own decision making.
related: #learning #cognition
Trees in a forest produce so-called terpenoids which stimulate the human immune system. As scientists have found, this is one reason why spending time in the woods is good for human health.
related: #terpenoid #forest #immune_system
US President Joe Biden tries to shut the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay before the end of his term, ending the legal limbo of 40 prisoners still there, including 5 prisoners who were cleared for release during Obama's presidency.
related: #Guantanamo #prison
Singing in a choir has potential cognitive benefits. In a study it has been found that the benefits are similar to playing an instrument. For instance, the verbal flexibility of elderly choir singers was better than that of a control group.
related: #singing #cognition #ageing
Originally when a 17,000 year old seashell was discovered in a hunter-gatherer cave in southern France some 80 years ago, it was thought to be a ceremonial drinking cup. Now markings have been discovered on the shell and the cave walls, establishing that it is actually an ancient music instrument, the oldest known of its kind.
related: #seashell #music_instrument
In Marburg, Germany, a new factory has taken up Covid-19 vaccine production. In the first half of 2021 up to 250 million doses are to be produced there.
related: #Covid19 #vaccine
According to an analysis of three studies, caffeinated coffee is linked to a decreased risk of heart failure. The opposite seems to be the case for decaffeinated coffee. More research is needed to see whether the effect is comparable to exercising, losing weight, or stopping smoking.
related: #coffee #heart
A new wearable sensor has been developed that can detect the stress hormone cortisol in human sweat. This way it is easier to detect and treat stress-related conditions such as burnout.
related: #stress #cortisol
In northern Sweden, a dozen of reindeer bridges, so-called renoducts, will be built so that the reindeer can cross busy roads and railways safely without endangering themselves or people.
related: #reindeer #bridge
IKEA's holding company has bought a big piece of wood with a size of some 45 square kilometres in Georgia, USA. It is to protect more than 350 plant and animal species. The forest is to be used in a sustainable way, that is, more trees will be planted than harvested.
related: #forest #sustainability
In Madagascar the smallest reptile, a so-called Brookesia nana or nano-chameleon, has been discovered. It is only 13.5 mm long.
related: #reptile #chameleon
In experiments with mice, it has been found that what children eat has an important influence on the composition of their gut bacteria, even at a time much later in life when they may have gone to a healthier diet. For this reason, a healthy diet is particularly important for children.
related: #diet #gut_bacteria #health
After Russia, the USA has signed an extension of New START, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, until 5 February 2026. The treaty limits the number of nuclear warheads of the two biggest nuclear powers, the USA and Russia, to 1550 each.
related: #New_START #nuclear_war #arms_control
Meat-based food has a big carbon footprint. Microalgae could be an environmentally friendly and protein rich alternative as a new study finds.
related: #algae #environmentally_friendly #protein
Two fishing sites of the UK, Dogger Bank and South Dorset, are to be protected against bottom trawling, a particularly destructive type of fishing that involves dragging nets across the sea floor.
related: #fish #marineProtection
