Science

CAR-T gene therapy kept leukaemia in remission for 11 years in two people

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Two people who were among the first to get CAR-T cells as blood cancer treatment still have descendants of the cells in their bodies that are working well more than a decade later Health 2 February 2022 By Clare Wilson Illustration of a CAR-T cell KEITH CHAMBERS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY A high-tech gene therapy for treating … Read more

Earth’s Water Was in The Solar System Before Earth Itself, Meteorite Reveals

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We don’t know how life emerged on Earth, but one thing is certain: life as we know it on our planet wouldn’t exist without the water that wraps around the surface, runs in rivulets, and falls from the sky.   Our planet is the only one known to have life, and the only one on … Read more

Megaconstellations like SpaceX’s Starlink may interfere with search for life by world’s largest radio telescope

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The search for traces of life on distant planets will be more difficult for the world’s largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO), because of interference from SpaceX’s Starlink and other megaconstellation satellites.  Also affected will be the hunt for exoplanets and the study of the most distant galaxies, Federico di Vruno, radio … Read more

A driverless car that went rogue could be a taste of the robo uprising

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The recent case of a driverless car that tried to escape its handlers might make us laugh, but it also warns us about what could happen when AI is given a “body”, writes Annalee Newitz Technology | Columnist 2 February 2022 By Annalee Newitz MicroOne/Shutterstock DRIVING in San Francisco is like watching a robot uprising … Read more

Interoception: This ‘sixth sense’ could be key to better mental health

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How our brains interpret signals from within the body has a surprisingly big influence on the mind, an insight that is leading to new ways to tackle conditions like depression, anxiety and eating disorders Health 2 February 2022 By Caroline Williams Brett Ryder LYING in the dark, my senses are straining for inputs and finding … Read more

In the wild, robot vacuum cleaners have no natural predators

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Josie Ford Va va vacuum Like many people who have difficulty distinguishing science fact from fiction, Feedback is anticipating with trepidation the rise of the sentient machines. We see the story recently reported by the BBC, “Robot vacuum cleaner escapes from Cambridge Travelodge”, as a kind of low-budget prequel. “The automated cleaner failed to stop … Read more

Climate fiction has come of age – and these fabulous books show why

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As the climate crisis grows, “cli-fi” books are driving action by showing dark, all-too-possible futures, says climate researcher Bill McGuire. Here are some of his favourites Environment 2 February 2022 By Bill Mcguire Cli-fi provides visions of the future that aren’t yet too late to change Jorn Georg Tomter/Getty Images SCIENTIFIC papers, however well-written, rarely carry … Read more

Gas boilers: Ban for new homes in England should start in 2023, say MPs

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A committee of MPs says the UK government should update plans to ban gas boilers from new homes, introducing the move next year rather than in 2025 Environment 3 February 2022 By Adam Vaughan The control panel on a household gas boiler Shutterstock / KsanderDN A ban on gas boilers in new homes in England … Read more

Covid-19 news: US army discharges unvaccinated soldiers

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By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu, Layal Liverpool, Carissa Wong and Alex Wilkins Members of the National Guard, outside the U.S. Capitol Building, 14 January 2021 Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 11am on 3 February … Read more