Science

Saturn is a magnificent planet. Its rings make it appear spectacular and have been a topic for scientific studies. Scientists have been able to send four missions to Saturn so far. They are Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and Cassini. While the first three were flybys, the Cassini entered its orbit and explored the planet and its moons for 14 years until it was declared dead in 2017. Scientists have now claimed to solve a puzzle involving the planet’s moon Rhea. Rhea is one of the 82 known moons of the gas giant. When Cassini flew past Rhea, it detected a mysterious compound on its surface. The compound is said to be a chemical. The chemical is hydrazine. Hydrazine is a colorless volatile alkaline liquid. It is a fuel used by space agencies mostly in rockets.

When Cassini flew past the moons of the second-largest planet, it noticed sunlight bouncing off their surfaces. It examined the sunlight to understand what the compounds on their surfaces are made of. The probe saw a similar compound on Rhea and other moons. It was noticed that some compounds on their surface absorbed a portion of sunlight in the UV range. Scientists initially speculated it to be water ice. But they were puzzled for a long time and continued with their researches. Experts at the Planetary Science Institute observed how the light bounced off during experiments in laboratories. They noticed that it matched what the Cassini spacecraft spotted on Rhea. They said that the compound could be hydrazine and chlorine.

Experts believe that hydrazine can be formed during chemical reactions that are present on Rhea. But it is hard to believe chlorine could be produced on the icy moon’s surface. According to NASA, the Cassini spacecraft used hydrazine as fuel for its thrusters. It was also speculated that the compound came from Cassini’s thrusters. But the thrusters were never fired when Cassini was near Rhea. Another theory suggests that the compound could have floated out from the atmosphere of the neighboring moon Titan and arrived on Rhea. Experts said that they have are still working to find out how the compound arrived at Saturn’s other moons.

The US-based space agency NASA has claimed that it detected FM radio signals from one of the moons of Jupiter. It said that signals were received from Ganymede which is the largest moon in our solar system. It is also the ninth-largest object. It doesn’t have a substantial atmosphere. Past studies determined that it has a diameter of 5,268 km. NASA said that it recently came to light that FM radio signals were emanating from Ganymede. This is for the first time such signals have been reported. The agency, however, clarified that signals are not a sign of extraterrestrial life. It termed the signals a result of a natural function on the moon.

NASA said that the signals were received by Juno spacecraft. Juno is an orbital probe launched by NASA to explore the gas giant. It was launched in 2011. It entered a polar orbit of the planet after five years of journey. It has unlocked many secrets hiding within the solar system’s largest planet. NASA said that Juno detected the signal and located its source from Ganymede. It said that the cyclotron maser instability process led to the creation of signals. The spacecraft observed the signal for just five seconds. Ganymede possesses a metallic core. It is estimated that the moon contains more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. It orbits Jupiter in seven Earth days.

Meanwhile, NASA has authorized a mission extension for its Juno spacecraft. Juno will continue to conduct scientific experiments around Jupiter till September 2025. The future targets for exploration include the ice-covered liquid ocean of Europa. Europa is also one of the 79 moons. Last year, astronomers claimed to observe the effect of volcanic activity on Io’s atmosphere. All the three Ganymede, Europa, and Io are three of the four Galilean moons. The fourth one is Callisto. All the four moons are visible from Earth with binoculars. The gas giant is too visible to the naked eye from Earth at night.

Identical twins more often resist being called a clone of their siblings; however, new research has proved they might not be genetically the same. Scientists from Iceland have analyzed DNA sequences from 372 identical twins and from their parents as well. Identical twins are born out of a single fertilized egg. The co-author of the study and geneticist at the University of Iceland and the company deCode, Kari Stefansson has said that the study has helped him to find out early mutations, which are responsible for separating identical twins. The findings of the study have been released in the journal called Nature Genetics. A mutation can be defined as an alteration in a sequence of DNA, a slight change, which is not inherently good or bad but can affect physical features and vulnerability to certain diseases in children. Such mutations take place when a cell divides and makes a tiny error in replicating DNA.

The study has found that around 5.2 of these initial genetic differences are found in identical twins. However, nearly 15 percent of identical twin pairs have been found with even more genetic differences. Some of them have been found with more than 100 genetic differences, said the experts. The co-author of the study has said that these differences show a tiny bit of the genetic code of each twin but they might explain why one twin is taller and why one twin is at a higher risk of chronic disease such as cancer. Earlier, many scientists have thought that physical differences between identical twins have been linked to environmental factors such as lifestyle and nutrition. A geneticist at Uppsala University in Sweden, Jan Dumanski has said that the findings of the study have made a great contribution to medical research. He has said that the only implication of this study is that scientists will have to be very attentive while using twins as models for testing the impacts of nature and nutrition. Past studies along with a paper, which has been published in 2018 in the American Journal of Human Genetics, have reported that there are some genetic differences between identical twins.

The new study has included the DNA of parents, children, and spouses of identical twins, unlike other past studies. These inclusions have helped experts to identify when these genetic differences take place in two different types of cells, which exist in just one individual and are inherited by the children of that person. They have been able to find mutations, which take place before the developing embryo splits into two, which sets the stage for twins. The team of experts has identified some pairs of identical twins where a mutation exists in all cells of the body of one twin but that mutation is not found in the other twin. However, at times the other twin might have this mutation in some of the cells, but not in all cells. Many experts have lauded the findings of the study and have said that it is a heroic success. They have said that the study has the potential to change people’s thinking about the effects of genetics and the environment.

Experts have said that there are 1.6 billion cattle in the world and their burps and farts pose a serious threat to the environment. A study has found that cows expel methane through farts and burps, a colorless and odorless gas, which is 84 times more toxic than carbon dioxide in terms of warming the planet. A study, which has been done by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has shown that joint greenhouse gas emissions of 13 largest dairy farms in the US are equal to those of top fossil fuel giants. Looking at the statistics, scientists have said that methane ousted from cattle contributes to the major amount of global warming. However, a UK based firm called Zelp has come up with a potential solution to this issue in the form of a burp-catching mask for cows, which has been made to inhibit the methane discharge from cattle by 60 percent. This firm has been founded by brothers Francisco and Patricio Norris. The family of founders has a livestock farming business in Argentina. The founders have said that they have found that methane emissions contribute to global warming majorly. They have said that methane reduction tools in agriculture are under research and are not as effective as they should be. Experts have said that there is a lack of innovation in the field of agriculture.

Experts have said that usually resolutions to the livestock industry’s methane emissions are available in the form of feed additives. These feed additives change animals’ digestive process and reduce methane production in the cattle’s stomach. Makers of the burp-catching mask have said that rather than changing the microbiology of the animals, Zelp allows cattle to digest their normal food without any obstruction. This unusual mask fits comfortably on the cows’ heads with a zip-tie-like method, which allows it to be adjusted according to different head sizes of the animals, which depends on the breed of the animal. It can be used on the animals after they are accustomed to different types of feed, typically at the age of 6 to 8 months, said the makers. This mask sits next to the nostrils, which allows the mask to absorb the methane from their breathing belches and burps. Experts have said that around 95 percent of methane emission from the cattle comes from their mouths and nostrils. The new technology identifies, absorbs, and oxidizes toxic methane gas when it is exhaled by the animals. There is a sensor attached to the mask, which detects methane gas exhaled by the animals. The sensor as well determines the percentage of methane emitted by the animals.

Scientists have said that when the level of methane is excessively high, the mask directs the gas towards an oxidation system attached inside. This oxidation system converts methane gas into carbon dioxide and water and releases it from the device. The makers of this new mask have said that it will reduce methane gas contribution to global warming by little less than 1.5 percent of its earlier value. They have done many behavioral trials in association with some institutions in the UK and Argentina. These trials have shown that these masks have no negative effect on the animals’ behavior and feeding. Experts have measured feeding activity, cattle location, and sexual receptivity in female cattle while designing the burp-catching mask. These details will help experts to track and monitor animals and early signs of any disease. It will also help experts to reduce costs on farms. The data collected by the new technology will help experts to determine how efficient animals are in polluting the environment. Eventually, it will allow experts to collect the data of animals’ activity across farms, which will help them understand the gas emission and cattle health at a local and national level. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has said that the consumption of beef and dairy products is going to shoot up in the next 30 years, which might create a global imbalance.

China’s Earthquake Networks Center has found that an alleged bolide has crashed near the border of Nangqian county and Yusu county; however, no one has been injured in the crash. Bolide is an extremely bright meteor, which crashes into the atmosphere. This suspected low flying meteor has brightened up the sky across northwestern Yushu city of China in the Qinghai province. This episode has left residents of the area stunned and surprised. This exceptional natural phenomenon has been recorded on camera, which shows bright fireball flashing and lighting the dark night. The video of this incident has been uploaded on social media platforms as well. In some videos, a bright fireball is passing through a region and some videos show the burning space object falling rapidly towards the hills and fields. Scientists have said that there has been no causality due to the meteor crash across the region.
After this unusual natural event, the officials from the Nangqian County have said that an unidentified and bright flying object has been spotted in the area, which has flown towards the direction of West lake Qamdo. The officials have found no debris or wreckage in the Nangqian County region. As per Chinese history, meteorites from the sky are commonly considered a precursor to major incidents or social turbulence among Chinese people. Most meteorites are forbidding as per the Chinese traditional culture. The videos of meteorite crash on social media platforms have created panic and fear among people. However, the officials have assured people that there is nothing to worry about.
Scientists from NASA as well have identified fireball impact across the region with the help of the agency’s Fireball and Bolide Data gathered by JPL’s Near-Earth Objects Website. As per the data reported on its official site, scientists have measured meteorite’s total impact energy has been 9.5 Kt. Scientists have said that the velocity of the flying object has been recorded by sensors, which has been around 13.6 km/second. A similar incident of a meteorite crash has been reported in Japan early this month, where a bright fireball has lightened up the sky.

Several missions have been launched by multiple space agencies to search for aliens. But no space agency has made a breakthrough. Even though no concrete evidence has been found about their existence, experts and space agencies have not ruled out completely their non-existence. Many believe that the Milky Way is home to aliens. According to the latest study, it is highly likely that most aliens are dead. The study noted that since humans have failed to contact them despite making several efforts, the probability of their being dead is high. The study said that they might have died. Researchers said that aliens’ progress in science and technology could be the result of their destruction.

The study said that aliens may have emerged nearly eight billion years ago after the formation of the Milky Way. The Milky Way is nothing but a galaxy that houses the Solar System of which Earth is a part. The galaxy is believed to be formed approximately 13.50 billion years ago. Researchers said that they looked at the theory of science and technology to arrive at a conclusion that aliens could have been destroyed by their own progress. Researchers, however, didn’t rule out their existence. They said that if aliens exist, they are too young and located too far from Earth to be observed by humans. The latest findings of the existence of extraterrestrial life are crucial in determining whether a civilization can ever travel deep in space to meet the other.

Researchers said that they updated the 1961 Drake Equation to conduct the latest study. According to them, the older version excluded the evolving stellar properties. The study comes at a time when a team of scientists claimed to receive a radio signal deep from space. The signal likely emanated from a planet located is beyond the solar system. The source of the signal was about 51 light-years ago. This is for the first time when such a signal is collected by the Earth scientists.

NASA has recently revealed that the internal composition of Mars looks like a three-layer cake. The Red Planet lander of the space agency has found that the planet has a formation like a three-layer cake under its crust. The probe has revealed that the Red Planet consists of different types of rocks heaped on top of each other just like a cosmic cake. This data from the Mars lander will help astronomers, geologists, and aerospace engineers to understand the history of murky origins and evolution of the Red Planet. The InSight Mars lander of the agency has sent the very first geological analysis of the Red Planet to scientists. The lander has faced difficulties in using its digging mole probe in the Martial soil and deployment. However, it has been able to extract details about the rocky layers under the crust of the Martian soil with the help of a domed seismometer. This domed seismometer has been provided by the French space agency Center National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES).
Scientists have been able to observe the thickness of each slice of Martian crust by capturing the nature of many storms of seismic waves. They have been able to identify the duration of waves and resistant path by these marsquakes. A short form for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, InSight has been launched in 2018. It is a Geodesy and Heart Transport Mission. It is a specific robotic lander, which aims to probe the mysteries of the formation of Mars. The main objective of this lander is to explore the deeper interior of nearby planets. It has landed in the Elysium Planitia region near the equator of the Red Planet in 2018. Since then, it continues to observe and gather data, which helps astronomers to understand the origin and structure of rocky planets of the inner solar system.
This year, InSight has been able to identify hundreds of small quakes. Most of them have not been higher than 3.7 magnitudes. It has collected the most inclusive weather data of any past surface mission, which has happened on Mars. The lead InSight scientist Bruce Banerdt from NASA has said that after probing around 480 marsquakes, they have been able to collect enough data to answer some of the unanswered questions. Preliminary data collected by InSight has shown that each of Mars’s planetary layers is around 12 to 23 miles thick. Scientists have said that it means it is thicker than the Earth’s oceanic layer. However, the planetary layer of Mars is thinner than the Earth’s continental crust. The authors of the study continue to study more data collected by InSight lander.

The number of planets in the solar system keeps fluctuating from 8 to 9 depending on whether astronomers find Pluto large enough to be a planet. However, another mysterious planet, the so-called Ninth Planet might be prowling in the periphery of the solar system. Scientists have found a massive exoplanet in a different solar system, which exhibits strange behavior, which is similar to a hypothesized ninth planet. They have found that exoplanet HD106906 b is almost 336 light-years far away from our planet earth. The data has found that the total mass of the exoplanet is equivalent to 11 Jupiter. The newly discovered planet orbits a double star system. Scientists found it in 2013 itself but they were unable to gather many details about it. However, NASA’s Hubble telescope has been able to gather 14 years worth of accurate data about the exoplanet. It has offered a treasure of new insight about the new mysterious planet.

Scientists have said that the exoplanet is quite far away from its host stars. It is 730 times more far from the Sun than it is far from the earth. The slow 15000 years long orbit of the new planet does not allow any conclusive observation in just 14 years, said the experts. As per the Hubble team, the orbit of the exoplanet stays on the outside of a debris disc adjoining the twin stars. Its orbit is very inclined, extreme, and extended. The lead author of the study Meiji Nguyen has said that in our solar system all the planets rest approximately on the same plane. It is bizarre to see how HD106906 b has been located so far out on a leaning orbit. He has said that it is uncertain how the planet has developed such an orbit. Experts have said that it has originated much closer to the host stars but due to the drag from the system’s gas disc, its orbit might have been affected. The drag from the system’s gas disc might have pushed the mysterious planet closer to twin stars.

The gravitation force of the twin stars might have bowled it into eccentric orbit. Experts have said that a passing start might have rectified the orbit of the exoplanet and then refrained it from leaving the home system. This process might have pushed the potential Planet Nine towards the edges of the solar system beyond the Kuiper belt. Scientists have said that Jupiter as well might have pushed the exoplanet out from the inner solar system, which might have impacted its orbit. Planet Nine would have surpassed Pluto but a passing star has refrained it by changing its orbit, said the experts. However further investigation is needed to substantiate the findings of this new research.

It is a well-known fact that NASA and other space agencies around the world are planning to explore earth’s natural satellite the moon in this decade. They are hoping to establish a required infrastructure to support the sustainable plan of crewed exploration and research on the moon. The commercial space sector is planning to develop lunar tourism and mining as well, which will involve extracting and selling some of the vast resources of the moon in the open market. However, an international team of scientists has said that there might not be sufficient resources on the moon to go around. Experts have said that without some stringent international policies and deals to find out who can claim what and where, the celestial body will instantly become congested, overstrained, and stripped of its resources. This study has been done by scientists from the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The findings of the study have been released in the Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society A called Concentrated Lunar Resources.

Experts have said that they have observed many parts of the moon and found that most places do not have enough resources that have become a matter of interest for many countries. There are many space agencies and other firms in the private sector who are planning to land on the moon in the next five years. They have warned that in the absence of clear international policies, it might create a conflict between the agencies over the resources of the moon. There are some treaties in place for governing activities on the celestial body. The US, the UK, and the Soviet Union had signed a treaty in 1967 titled ‘Outer Space Treaty’. Since then it has been sanctioned by 110 countries. This treaty prohibits nations from declaring control over celestial bodies including the moon. It bans the testing and deployment of nuclear weapons in space as well. More recently, ‘Artemis Accords’ a new treaty has been put in place. It ensures all the participants of the treaty inform each other about their activities on the moon. However, this treaty does not forbid private sector firms and people from claiming sovereignty over outer space bodies. Such a condition gives them free access to things like lunar mining and asteroid prospecting and mining.

Many discussions over scientific and commercial activities on the moon have been going on more recently. Authorities have been discussing the rules regarding who can extract the materials from which part of the moon. Earlier, in the Apollo Era, extensive research had been done to explore the possibility of resources like water, iron, and helium, however in the modern era; the research has focused on constant access to solar power, water ice deposits, and volatile compounds. As per the scientists, the variety of resources is not a matter of concern; rather the problem is that everyone has been targeting the same sites and resources. There are limited resources on the moon and all have to work together. Experts have said that there should be a legal regime in place before conducting any scientific or commercial activities on the moon. All activities on the moon should be consistent with international law. The Outer Space Treat and Artemis Accords as well can hold signatories responsible for activities of third parties situated in the region where they have authority.

Astronomers have been able to detect ethereal particles known as Neutrinos for the first time. These particles can be found in the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen fusion or CNO fusion inside the sun. Experts have said that it is a milestone discovery, which proves abstract forecast from the 1930s. It will be hailed as one of the biggest findings in physics of the new millennium. The findings of this large-scale study have been published in the journal Nature. In the study, scientists have used an ultrasensitive Borexino detector at the INFN’s Gran Sasso particle physics laboratory in Italy. It is the largest underground research center in the world. It is located deep under the Apennine Mountains, nearly 65 miles northeast of Rome. The new finding culminates the decade-long study of neutrinos in the sun by the Borexino Project. This research has been able to find the main nuclear reaction, which is used by the stars to fuse hydrogen into helium.

Experts have said that almost all the stars including the sun release a huge amount of energy by fusing hydrogen into helium. Scientists put it as an effective way of burning hydrogen. Hydrogen is the richest element and the main source of fuel in the universe. Nearly 99 percent of the energy of the sun comes from proton-proton fusion, which produces beryllium, lithium, and boron prior to dividing them into helium. However, most stars in the universe are much larger than the sun, such as the red giant Betelgeuse. This star is around 20 times more massive and 700 times wider than the sun. Those stars, which are larger than the sun, are much hotter as well, which means they are tremendously driven by CNO fusion. These stars fuse hydrogen into helium through atomic nuclei, which are formed into a loop between carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

The CNO cycle is known as the central source of energy in the universe. However, it is hard to identify inside a relatively cool sun, where it contributes to only one percent of its energy. The huge Borexino detector identifies the neutrinos released during nuclear fusion at the core of the sun. Experts have said that neutrinos hardly interact with any element; therefore, it is easy to study them for distant nuclear reactions. However, experts have said that it is hard to identify these neutrinos as well. As per the astronomers, trillions of neutrinos released from the sun go through the Borexino detector every second, but only dozens of them are found each day. This large detector looks for faint flashes of light as they disappear in its 300-ton water tank. The author of the study has said that they have spent decades calculating neutrinos from the sun’s proton-proton chain reaction, however, identifying the CNO neutrinos has been quite hard. They have made the detector more sensitive over the years to discover these neutrinos. They have been protecting the detector from outside sources of radioactivity. As per the experts, the inner layer of the detector is the most radiation-free place on the earth. The findings of the study are the only direct signs of CNO fusion ever seen in history. Experts have said that the discovery has brought them one-step close to studying the composition of the Sun’s core and the configuration of the massive star.

The US space agency NASA has claimed to find signs of megafloods million miles away from Earth. The agency said that it has found floods of unimaginable magnitude on Mars. The latest discovery was made using data transmitted by Curiosity. Curiosity is a Mars rover designed by NASA. It was launched in 2011. NASA said that scientists have detected signs of floods once washed through Gale crater. The floods occurred at least four billion years ago. Signs about floods on the Red Planet are significant in the search for life on the planet. It hints that the planet had once favorable conditions to habitat life.

The NASA study said that the megaflood on Mars was touched off by the heat created due to a meteoritic impact. The impact was so intense that it unleashed ice stored. It caused gigantic ripples. This is the first time when scientists have made such a discovery. Scientists said that signs of megafloods were observed using sedimentological data by Curiosity. The most likely reason behind flooding on Mars was the melting of ice. Ice was melted from the heat that was generated by the meteoritic impact. This released carbon dioxide and methane from ice, triggering floods. Notably, deposits left behind due to the megafloods were never been previously identified.

The Curiosity team had previously mentioned that the Gale crater once had persistent lakes. These long-lived water bodies were indicators that the planet was capable of supporting microbial life. Recently, the MAVEN spacecraft team said that the planet lost water equivalent to an ocean of water four billion years ago. The Red Planet even today is losing water in the form of vapor. The team said that water is evaporated after sublimating from the frozen polar caps. This occurs mostly during the summer. The primary reason is warm temperature and strong winds accompanied by dust storms. This easily breaks water constituents, causing a loss. NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft is orbiting Mars for the last six years.

The orbit of asteroid Apophis has been disrupted. The disruption is believed to be caused due to the rising heat. Astronomers have termed the phenomenon as the Yarkovsky effect. It can change the path of an asteroid through space. The asteroid absorbs heat from the Sun and this results in the change of its trajectory. According to the latest calculations, the said asteroid’s orbit change is approximately 557 feet. The orbit shifts every year. Apophis was discovered in 2004. Astronomers said that the celestial object is since then moving away from its original orbit. They said that Apophis’ warmer hemisphere pushes harder than the colder hemisphere. This causes the asteroid to change its orbit.

It was previously predicted to pass very close to Earth in 2068. Astronomers said that Apophis’ chance of an impact on Earth is very dim. They discovered a shift in the asteroid’s orbit calculating the 2068 threat. They measured the solar push. They explained that asteroid radiates heat. This heat causes a drift in the orbit. Astronomers at the University of Hawaii studied the asteroid’s orbital data. The data was collected since 2004. This helped them to arrive at the conclusion. They said that it is necessary to track Apophis carefully.

The asteroid is will make a close approach to Earth in 2029. This will open a window for scientists to get a more detailed look at its shape, size, and surface. Astronomers said that it will pose no threat to humans. The distance will be approximately 31,000 kilometers from Earth. The asteroid is predicted to be equivalent to the size of three football grounds. It will be visible from the naked eye in 2029. Astronomers said that the space rock will become as bright as Cor Caroli. It is a binary star and located at a distance of 114.2 light-years from Earth. A close scrutiny of Apophis when it makes a close-up approach in 2029 will allow astronomers to predict the future impact on Earth.

A new study has revealed that the impact of climate change on the health of humans could be more severe than expected. The study said that global warming could result in the rise of cancer rates. Researchers said that the change in temperature, deteriorating air quality, and wildfires could give rise to lung, skin, and gastrointestinal cancer cases. They said that people are exposed more to environmental toxins, ultraviolet radiation, and infectious particles. This, they said, will ultimately result in disruptions of food and water supply. This will affect the lifestyle of people. The study said that the impact will be so harsh that global warming will extract an acute toll worldwide.

The study noted the rising cases of cancer could potentially disrupt the health care systems. The ultimate challenge will come when the world will face a shortage of means for diagnosis of the disease and its subsequent treatment. The authors said that the international community’s climate change battle is not on track. They added that the current efforts won’t slow down emissions of greenhouses gases. While cancer is predicted to be the leading cause of death in the current century, climate change will also contribute to higher rates of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Besides, the change in patterns of rains will also increase the risk of vector-borne diseases.

The study said that the biggest cancer threats are likely to be from poor quality of air. Air pollution is a major cause of concern for many countries today. Another factor that will contribute to cancer cases is exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This will increase the risk of lung cancer and other related diseases. Lung cancer is already the primary cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Air pollution is responsible for at least 15 percent of new lung cancer cases. It said that climate change will claim more than half a million lives worldwide by 2050. The authors called for policy solutions to check climate change and save human lives.

A rheumatoid arthritis drug called tocilizumab, which is being used for the treatment of severe COVID19 patients, has fallen short as an effective treatment. Once it has been considered a promising cure for hospitalized patients with coronavirus by the experts. However, now three consecutive trials have proved that it is unable to increase the rate of survival among the patients. Although a fourth study has found it to be effective in increasing the chances of survival the findings of the study are less reliable as it is an observational study. The results of these reports have left the doctors confused about the usage of tocilizumab in the treatment of COVID19. Initial three studies have been published in the journal of the American Medical Association. The fourth one has been released in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Experts have said that the drug cannot be taken as a magic bullet, which should be used for all the patients with severe COVID19 infection. However, there is room for the use of this drug for a specific group of patients. Health officials have said that upcoming studies on the drug might help in identifying the patients who might benefit from it. Tocilizumab is being sold under the brand name of Acetmra. The medicine treats rheumatoid arthritis by blocking interleukin -6. It is a molecule, which causes inflammation. In the first wave of the pandemic, it has been used extensively in the US after the news has started floating from China and Europe that the drug is quite helpful in treating seriously ill people with COVID19. Nevertheless, these reports have been based on observational studies only. Scientists have examined only existing data without designing a trial to identify the efficacy of the drug.

The first one out of three studies has found that COVID19 patients in Italy, who have not been admitted to the intensive care and treated with tocilizumab, have not done any better than those who have received standard care. Another study in France has revealed that tocilizumab has shown a minor improvement by the 14th day as compared to standard care; however, there has been no difference in the rate of survival between both groups of patients by the 28th day. Although the third study has found that, the risk of in-hospital death has been 30 percent less among the patients who have received the drug as part of the treatment as compared to those who have not been given this drug. However, again it has been an observational trial. The fourth study has been done on 243 COVID19 patients from Seven Boston area hospitals. All the participants of this study have been hospitalized at the peak of the surge in the area. The lead author of the study Dr. John H Stone has said that the findings of the study do not support the use of tocilizumab in moderately ill patients. He has claimed that the rate of intubation or death has been in both groups of patients who have been treated with tocilizumab and those who have not been treated with the medicine.

Scientists have said that a standard gene testing for patients who have been diagnosed with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) will be more cost-effective. They have said that the financial estimate will support the widespread adoption of this approach. A study of genetic tests and modified first-line cure shows that using genetic testing to match the treatment of KIT differences to the imatinib dose is a less expensive way as compared to empirical imatinib. Experts have said that genetic test helps doctors to give chemotherapy in a tumor-specific way. In this case, those patients who do not get any relief from imatinib are given the alternative cure. This study has been published in JAMA Network Open.

The author of the study, David Geffen has said that genetic test is cheap as it avoids futile treatment and low rates of disease growth. He has made a Markov model to match the efficiency of the targeted gene test and modified first-line therapy with imatinib therapy in patients with GIST. The key factor for assessing the cost efficiency of the gene test has been quality of life years (QALY). The cost-efficiency of gene testing is defined by the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which is less than $100000, is considered cost-effective. As per the study, a therapy directed by the gene test is linked with an increase of 0.10 QALYs, at $9513 as compared to empirical imatinib. It leads to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $92100. However, experts have said that the findings are sensitive to the costs of targeted gene tests, drugs, and health utility model efforts.

Experts have said that 70 percent of times, a targeted gene test is quite cost-efficient. The results of the study show that therapy directed by targeted gene tests can be cheaper if it gets hold of more share in the market, as of now imatinib therapy has a larger market share. Experts have advised patients with newly detected GIST that they should go for genetic testing before the start of first-line chemotherapy. They have said that this way patients who do not get any relief from imatinib, can be given a better treatment for their lumps. Experts have said that there is a need for further studies to substantiate the findings.

A study has revealed that people who have recovered from a severe COVID19 infection have a long-lasting immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study has been done by experts from the Massachusetts General Hospital. New research gives some hope that people who have survived a severe COVID19 infection will have enduring protective antibodies to keep the reoccurrence of the disease at bay. Experts have said that assessing antibodies can be a precise tool to track the transmission of the virus as well. Experts have not been able to determine how long these antibodies can last until now. The senior author of the study, Dr. Richelle Charles, and her colleagues have studied the blood samples of 343 patients who have been diagnosed with severe COVID19 infection. In the study, the blood samples of the patients have been extracted up to four months after patients have started showing symptoms. This study has been published in Science Immunology.

Experts have applied these blood samples on laboratory plates layered with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus’s spike protein. The virus’s spike protein binds to the surface of the cell and causes infection. The study of these blood samples shows how antibodies present in the blood plasma attach to RBD. The findings of the research have been compared with blood samples taken from more than 1500 people before the COVID19 pandemic. Scientists have revealed that calculating the antibody called immunoglobulin (IgG) has been highly precise in tracking patients with the disease who have been showing symptoms for at least 14 days. The senior author of the study has said that since the nasal swab test for COVID19 infection has lost its sensitivity with time, replacing it with an antibody test for the patients who have been showing symptoms for at least eight days will help to spot some positive cases, which have been missed.

Experts have found that there have been elevated levels of IgG in these patients for four months. The IgG levels are linked with the existence of protective neutralizing antibodies. It has shown a little decrease in activity over time as well, which means such patients will be protected for a particular time span. The study has found two other protective antibodies as well, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). These antibodies live up to two and a half months or less in the bodies of the patients who have recovered from a severe COVID19 infection. Experts clearly state that if a person who has recovered from the disease and has IgA and IgM antibodies, he or she is likely to be diagnosed with COVID19 again within the last two months of recovery.

The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully cleared key tests. The telescope is developed by the US space agency NASA. According to the agency, it has just completed environmental testing. The scientific equipment has survived all of the conditions that it will face during the launch and operations in the space. NASA said that the telescope can easily survive the rocket launch phase. The launch is one of the most crucial parts of the operation. The JWST will be launched in October next year. It will succeed the Hubble Space Telescope. According to NASA, the completion of environmental testing is a crucial milestone in its journey.

James Webb Space Telescope engineers conducted acoustic and vibration tests. The test was conducted at California’s Northrop Grumman center. Northrop Grumman is an aerospace company based in Virginia. That company is developing Webb for the space agency. NASA said that the telescope will go through more testing. The complete system’s evaluation is awaited. Its engineers will pack it up after full evaluation and take it to its launch site. It will be launched from French Guiana on an Ariane 5 rocket. The agency had earlier planned to launch the telescope in March 2021, but pushed the date to October 2021. It added that the program is on schedule for October 2021 launch.

The James Webb Space Telescope is said to be the largest and most technically complex space telescope. NASA said that it will help scientists in solving the mysteries of the solar system. The Hubble Space Telescope was placed into the low Earth orbit in 1990. It is still operational. Scientists consider it as the most versatile research tools in the space. The new telescope will offer scientists an improved infrared resolution and sensitivity of space events. Besides, it is aimed at helping to expand astronomy and cosmology probes. The telescope’s main objective is to assist scientists to examine the most distant objects and events millions of km away from Earth.

The European Space Agency has discovered a new exoplanet. The new exoplanet is named WASP-189 b. The discovery was made by the ESA’s Cheops mission. Cheops is a space telescope. It was launched by the ESA in December 2019. Its objective is to map the known exoplanets in the solar system. According to the ESA, WASP-189 b is one of the hottest and most extreme solar planets ever discovered. It is also called ‘ultra-hot Jupiter’ because it appears like Jupiter. As the name suggests, it is a gas giant just like the solar system’s Jupiter. The new exoplanet is approximately 20 times closer to its host star than Earth is close to the Sun.

WASP-189 b takes 2.7 days to complete one full orbit of its host star. According to the researchers, the ‘hot Jupiters’ orbit much closer to their host star. This is the reason why they are extremely hot. Researchers said that the new exoplanet is extremely hot. It has a temperature of about 3,200 degrees Celsius. This makes it clear that the just discovered exoplanet is inhabitable. Researchers noted that there are very few planets that are known to exist around stars with extremely hot temperatures. The WASP-189 b is the brightest hot Jupiter. Researchers observed the celestial body as it passed behind and in front of its star.

The latest finding shows Cheops’ ability to discover the secrets of the solar system. Researchers used the telescope to observe WASP-189 b as it passed behind its host star. They measured its brightness and temperature as well. They concluded that WASP-189 b is one of the hottest planets. It is not like any of the eight known planets of the solar system. WASP-189b was first detected by scientists in 2018. The ESA’s telescope provided the first picture of the planet. The ESA said that the first result from the Cheops is exciting. It added that the Cheops mission is living up to expectations.