Science

Lego to launch NASA-inspired moon sets in time for Artemis I launch

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Lego is launching a new series of building toys themed around NASA’s Artemis program just in time to coincide with the first mission. The toy company recently revealed the first two of its NASA-inspired Lego City Space sets with hints of more to come. The new Rocket Launch Center and Lunar Research Base are scheduled … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope extends its tower assembly to make way for sunshield deployment

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The James Webb Space Telescope is one step closer to finishing the deployment of its massive sunshield.  On Wednesday (Dec. 29), the huge new space observatory successfully extended its deployable tower assembly (DTA), a 48-inch-long (1.2 meters) shaft that connects the telescope’s two halves, NASA officials said in a statement.  The James Webb Space Telescope‘s … Read more

Once a ‘crazy idea,’ patent-pooling nonprofit will help bring COVID-19 pills to world’s poor | Science

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In the United States, widespread hope greeted the decision by the Food and Drug Administration last week to authorize the emergency use of two different oral treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infection, which could mark a new era in which pills taken at home can prevent severe COVID-19. Global health advocates are also celebrating the preauthorization decision … Read more

SpaceX fires up Starship SN20 prototype again ahead of landmark test flight

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SpaceX’s latest Starship prototype has breathed fire again.  The Starship SN20 vehicle performed a “static fire” test on Wednesday (Dec. 29) at the company’s Starbase site in South Texas, briefly igniting its Raptor engines while remaining anchored to the ground. The trial continued the launch-prep campaign for SN20 (“Serial No. 20”), which is scheduled to … Read more

1st orbital test flight of SpaceX’s Starship Mars rocket pushed to March at the earliest

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We’ll have to wait a bit longer for the orbital debut of SpaceX’s Starship Mars rocket. SpaceX had been aiming to launch Starship on its first orbital test flight in January or February, provided that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wrapped up a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the company’s South Texas launch site … Read more

After COVID-19 Successes, Researchers Push to Develop mRNA Vaccines for Other Diseases

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When the broad range of vaccines against COVID-19 were being tested in clinical trials, only a few experts expected the unproven technology of mRNA to be the star. Within 10 months, mRNA vaccines were both the first to be approved and the most effective. Although these are the first mRNA vaccines to be approved, the … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope should have fuel for way more than 10 years of science

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NASA’s newest flagship space observatory should have enough fuel to more than double its minimum mission life peering into the history of the universe, according to an agency update. The long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration with the Canadian and European space agencies led by NASA, launched into space Saturday (Dec. 25) on an … Read more

Dark Horse reclaims publishing rights for more ‘Star Wars’ comics in 2022

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In a homecoming seven years in the making, Oregon-based Dark Horse Comics will once again be spinning tales of cosmic adventure in the Star Wars universe in a new agreement with Lucasfilm and Disney Worldwide Publishing.  Launching in the spring of 2022, this partnership will offer a fresh lineup of all-ages “Star Wars” comics and … Read more

Racism in Health Care Isn’t Always Obvious

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Editor’s Note (12/21/21): This article is being showcased in a special collection about equity in health care that was made possible by the support of Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The article was published independently and without sponsorship. As physicians from three distinct racial minorities, our lives are defined by an innate tension. On one hand, we experience … Read more