The completed VIPER rover awaits one of two fates: be sent to the Moon by an organization other than NASA or be cannibalized for its parts and instruments. Credit: NASA Topics: Astrobiology, Astronautics, Astrophysics, Chemistry, COVID-19, NASA, Space Exploration, Spectrographic Analysis “Boldly going” has budget constraints, but all is not lost. “Plan B” is atContinue reading “Canceling V.I.P.E.R…”
Category Archives: COVID-19
Physiology or Medicine…
Figure 2. mRNA contains four different bases, abbreviated A, U, G, and C. The Nobel Laureates discovered that base-modified mRNA can be used to block the activation of inflammatory reactions (secretion of signaling molecules) and increase protein production when mRNA is delivered to cells. © The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine. Ill. Mattias Karlén Topics:Continue reading “Physiology or Medicine…”
The Illusion of Perfection…
Source – Jati: The Caste System in India, Asia Society Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, Climate Change, COVID-19, Democracy, Existentialism, Fascism, Human Rights “In America, this battle to wipe out whole ethnic groups was fought not by armies with guns nor by hate sects at the margins. Rather, this pernicious white-gloved war was prosecuted byContinue reading “The Illusion of Perfection…”
LNPs…
Cancer cells are one of the main targets for expanded mRNA-LNP use. Credit: Iliescu Catalin / Alamy Topics: Biology, Biotechnology, Cancer, COVID-19, Nanotechnology Note: This is an advertisement on Nature Portfolio discussing that there may be a silver lining in the pandemic we’ve all experienced. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) transport small molecules into the body. TheContinue reading “LNPs…”
Apocalypse Now…
Judge Royce Lambert said Jacob Chansley’s role as a leader among those who went into the Senate chamber and disrupted the electoral vote tally compelled a serious prison sentence. | Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images | Politico Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, COVID-19, Environment, Existentialism, Fascism Note: The title of this post is from theContinue reading “Apocalypse Now…”
Four Days…
Credit: Jose Luis Pelaez/Getty Images Topics: Civilization, COVID-19, Democracy, Economics, Education, Existentialism Working four days instead of five—with the same pay—leads to improved well-being among employees without damaging the company’s productivity. That’s the recently reported result of a four-day workweek test that ran for six months, from June to December 2022 and involved a total of 61 U.K.Continue reading “Four Days…”
Wonderful…
Image Source: MedPage Today Topics: Biology, Biotechnology, Civilization, COVID-19, DNA, Epidemiology Currently authorized bivalent COVID-19 boosters demonstrated similar protection against symptomatic illness from the XBB/XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariants as from BA.5-related subvariants, according to a CDC study. From December 2022 to January 2023, the bivalent boosters’ vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic infection was a similar 48%Continue reading “Wonderful…”
The Apogee of Evil…
Credit: Erik English. Topics: Biology, Biosecurity, Civilization, COVID-19, Democracy, Existentialism Weaponizing a pathogen sounds like something out of an archetype Bond villain, minus the wrapped-up plot twists by the time the credits roll, and the obligatory fawning of a stereotypical bikinied woman over the intrepid MI-6 spy. Real life doesn’t conclude so cleanly. Before everyContinue reading “The Apogee of Evil…”
Perils of Privilege…
Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, COVID-19, Dark Humor, Existentialism, Fascism, Human Rights Steven Bannon’s “medieval,” take-no-prisoners defense rested yesterday. The three-shirt Troglodyte didn’t take the stand in his defense on advice from counsel. He said more outside the courtroom than he did inside. Today is closing arguments. The January 6th Committee ended “season 1” yesterday asContinue reading “Perils of Privilege…”
Zombie Apocalypse…
Topics: Biology, COVID-19, DNA, Economics, Environment, Evolution, Existentialism Ed Rybicki, a virologist at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, concentrated his article in Scientific American on the viruses dominating the news cycle in the early 2000s: Ebola, Marburg, and HIV. Not comforting, but he said, “HIV, which is thought to have first emergedContinue reading “Zombie Apocalypse…”
Physics and Nano 