Tag: Science News

Erupting Hawaii Volcano’s Alert Level Is Lowered to ‘Watch’

HONOLULU—U.S. Geological Survey officials have lowered the alert level for a Hawaii volcano, saying they expect its latest eruption to remain confined to the summit. The eruption began last week in Kilauea volcano’s Halemaumau crater at the summit on the Big Island. Officials with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory had raised Kilauea’s alert level to…


Chemistry Nobel Awarded to 2 Scientists for Building Molecular Construction Tool

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded on Wednesday to two professors for developing a new tool for molecular construction that has helped pharmaceutical research and is also more environmentally friendly. “Building molecules is a difficult art,” the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said in a statement announcing the winners. “Benjamin List and David MacMillan…


Google Wants to Use AI to Time Traffic Lights More Efficiently

Alphabet Inc.’s Google Inc. cut fuel use and traffic delays by 10 percent to 20 percent at four locations in Israel by using artificial intelligence to optimize signal lights and it next plans to test the software in Rio de Janeiro, the company said on Wednesday. The early-phase research project is among new software initiatives…


New Tick-Borne Virus Found in Japan

Researchers in Japan have discovered an infectious tick-borne virus in Hokkaido that can infect humans, according to a study published in Nature on Sept. 20. “At least seven people have been infected with this new virus in Japan since 2014, but, so far, no deaths have been confirmed,” said Keita Matsuno, a virologist at Hokkaido…


Babies Could Have at Least 10 Times More Microplastics in Their Bodies Than Adults: Study

Babies could have at least 10 times more microplastics in their bodies than adults, according to a recent study published in the American Chemical Society. The research, titled “Occurrence of Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polycarbonate Microplastics in Infant and Adult Feces,” was published on Sept. 22 and aimed to shed light on the magnitude of exposure humans…


2 Americans Win Medicine Nobel for Discovering Receptors for Heat and Touch

The 2021 Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine has been awarded to two U.S.-based scientists for the discovery of receptors for temperature and touch, the award-giving body announced on Oct. 4. The findings of California-based scientists David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian focused on the field of somatosensation, more commonly known as tactile sense, or the body’s ability…


Two Americans Win Medicine Nobel for Discovering Receptors for Heat and Touch

The 2021 Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine has been awarded to two U.S.-based scientists for the discovery of receptors for temperature and touch, the award-giving body announced on Monday. The findings of California-based scientists, David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, focused on the field of somatosensation, more commonly known as tactile sense, or the body’s ability to…


US Extends Environmental Review for SpaceX Program in Texas

WASHINGTON—The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday it would extend the public comment period for the draft environmental review of the proposed SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy program in Boca Chica, Texas, to Nov. 1. The extension comes after federal and state agencies participating in the review made the request to extend the period for public…


Erupting Spanish Volcano Turns ‘More Aggressive’: Officials

LOS LLANOS DE ARIDANE, Canary Islands—An erupting volcano on a Spanish island off northwest Africa blew open two more fissures on its cone Friday that belched forth lava, with authorities reporting “intense” activity in the area. The new fissures, about 15 meters (50 feet) apart, sent streaks of fiery red and orange molten rock down…


Mirum’s Oral Drug Becomes First U.S. Approved Alagille Syndrome Therapy

Mirum Pharmaceuticals Inc said its drug became the first U.S.-approved therapy for treating itching in patients with rare liver disorder Alagille syndrome (ALGS), and would be available for distribution immediately. Shares of the company were briefly halted before the approval and rose as much as 8.8% to $20.40 after resumption on Wednesday. “(Itching) is really…