Science bytes

mRNA vaccines for HIV trigger strong immune response in people Results from early-stage trial show that 80% of participants who received one of two HIV vaccine candidates produced antibodies against viral proteins.

Results from an early-stage trial suggest mRNA HIV vaccine candidates triggered an immune response in 80% of participants #HIVVaccine #mRNA www.nature.com/articles/d41...

‘Congress has your back’: US senators tell scientists they want to protect NIH budget Senate budget bill includes small increase for the health-research agency — but faces a long road before being signed into law.

Big win for science: The US senate rejects 40% cuts to NIH funding and instead proposes $400M increase. A clear sign that Congresd is standing behind biomedical research www.nature.com/articles/d41...

A breathtaking view of NGC 6188, also known as the Firebird nebula, located about 4100 light-years away in the constellation Ara.

This gas cloud harbours a cluster of young stars called NGC 6193

(Credit: ESO/VVVX survey / video by Universal-Sci)

Scientists have successfully used allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 to remove the extra chromosome 21 in human trisomy 21 cells. This "trisomy rescue" reversed abnormal gene expression, even in non-dividing cells, offering new hope for future Down syndrome therapies pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39967679/

White spotted lagoon jellyfish #SealifeMelbourne

Grey crowned crane

China has built a $50 million inflatable dome over a construction site not for show, but to outsmart the weather. The massive bubble keeps out snow, wind, and dust, allowing construction to continue uninterrupted year-round.

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has launched a new messaging app called Bitchat that works without the internet. No Wi-Fi, no mobile data. Just Bluetooth.

WORLD RECORD
Beatrice Chebet from Kenya becomes the first woman in history to run the 5000m in under 14 minutes!
She clocked 13:58.06, a historic, record-breaking performance.

DNA metabarcoding of dung from rewilded cattle & horses in Denmark reveals dietary differences, suggesting potential for coexistence 🧬🧪

Winter feeding changed diet compositions, which might affect vegetation development in areas where feeding is supplied 🐎🌎

🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...

USAID officially shuts down. A new study estimates that it has helped save more than 90 million lives in the past two decades.

A 2022 study revealed over 2.6 BILLION native Australian animals are lost to invasive FOXES and CATS. These silent hunters are driving reptiles, birds and mammals toward extinction. Foxes dominate temperate regions while cats wreak havoc in arid and tropical zones.

There needs to be an international treaty on how many 😂s are socially acceptable. I’m tired of guessing if you’re chuckling or clinically unwell.

The U.S. is boiling.
Over 100 million people under heat alerts. Roads are buckling. Power grids are straining. Phoenix hit 116°F (46.7°C).

A recent study developed 125 eDNA-based qPCR assays (markers) to detect species of conservation relevance across North America from fish to frogs to birds using just traces of DNA in the air, water or soil. You can now study animals without even seeing them. doi.org/10.1002/edn3...

EXTINCT? THINK AGAIN!

Scientists just confirmed the Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, a spiky, egg-laying mammal from the age of dinosaurs is ALIVE! Lost for decades, now spotted in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains.

Pit vipers bury themselves in sand to stay hidden from predators, keep their bodies at a comfortable temperature, and ambush unsuspecting prey.

Rare footage captures dolphin giving birth

Genomics legend Dr. Kári Stefánsson was recently fired from the company he founded.
His response? “It was not easy to domesticate me.”
A rebel scientist. A corporate clash. A reminder that genius doesn’t always fit in a boardroom.

A recent study replicated landscape genetic analyses across 5 sites and found forest cover & topography influence gene flow in 4-toed salamanders but effects vary by landscape. Replication is key to robust insights in landscape genetics. doi.org/10.1111/mec....

Image:Predator Trapping Australia

Feral cats and foxes kill around 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs each year in Australia

A new study published in @nature.com finds the 2023 North Atlantic marine heatwave was driven by weak winds, shallow surface layers & stronger sunlight not ocean currents. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Builder.ai, once valued at $1.5B and backed by Microsoft, promised AI-powered app creation.
Turns out… it was mostly manual coding by outsourced engineers in India #AIbubble

The saola, one of the world’s rarest and most elusive mammals may be vanishing, but its DNA could help save it.
Scientists have mapped its genome for the first time, offering a lifeline for this “Asian unicorn.” doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

Carnivorous plants all snack on bugs but not in the same way!Turns out, it’s not the trap or habitat that matters-it's their family tree. doi.org/10.1111/nph....

No, sorry. The decision is final. The Holland Lop has already signed the acceptance speech😂