Swab Your Throat First? Rapid Tests May Need Saliva to Detect Omicron, Early Data Find

Rapid COVID-19 tests that use nose swabs alone might not pick up Omicron in the early days of infection, a new study suggests – but experts don’t agree on whether you should also swab your throat.   A small study from a group of US researchers, published Tuesday, found that rapid tests with nasal swabs didn’t detect Omicron … Read more

mRNA technology: Vaccine biotech has helped repair broken hearts in mice

By Michael Le Page An illustration of a strand of mRNA MattLphotography / Alamy Stock Photo Immune cells in the bodies of mice have been temporarily reprogrammed to repair damaged hearts by removing scar tissue, thanks to the technology used in the mRNA coronavirus vaccines. “After you give the treatment, the scar goes away,” says … Read more

Satellite navigation: GPS software boost gives location to within 10 cm

The software that allows smartphones to locate themselves is generally accurate only to within a few metres, but UK start-up Naurt claims its software can locate a device to within 20 centimetres Technology 4 January 2022 By David Hambling Satellite navigation software allows smartphones to determine their location Radoslav Zilinsky/Getty Images It is possible to … Read more

Astronomers See Black Hole Jets Blaze 16x Wider Than The Full Moon in Our Sky

Astronomers have captured a breathtaking radio wave image, showing our closest radio active black hole spewing out massive jets of plasma that span more than 16 times the size of the full moon in our sky.   The supermassive black hole in question is located in the center of the galaxy Centaurus A around 12 … Read more

The James Webb Space Telescope Is on The Launchpad!

The science community is getting a very long-awaited Christmas gift this year – the much-delayed launch of the James Webb Space Telescope!  The successor to the much-loved Hubble, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, was originally scheduled to be launched in 2007. Now, 14 years later, all systems seem to finally be ready to … Read more

Cannabis Treatment Can Reduce Kids’ Epileptic Seizures by 86%, Early Results Show

The anti-seizure qualities of the cannabis plant can likely not be boiled down to a single compound, like cannabidiol (CBD), according to emerging research. Studies in Australia have recently revealed numerous other compounds in the cannabis plant that also show anticonvulsant effects. Some of them could even be more powerful than CBD.   A small … Read more

Gene-edited food: UK plans to embrace technology shouldn’t harm animal welfare, say ethicists

Gene-edited foods may one day be sold in UK shops, but ethicists warn that using the technology in livestock may exacerbate animal welfare issues if, for example, it leads to the creation of disease-resistant animals that can be housed together more densely Environment 1 December 2021 By Adam Vaughan Gene editing could exacerbate animal welfare … Read more