Quote of the Day: U.S. Embraces Climate Denial In Science Cuts
Rachel Cleetus, senior policy director with the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, on how the American government is weakening the country's capacity to understand global warming. Page A1.
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Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Concerns grow that 'incredible' underwater phenomenon off Aussie coast is under threat
Hundreds of thousands of cuttlefish have begun their descent on the Australian coastline in the world's largest migration of the species, and authorities are on high alert as the lethal algal bloom in South Australia could wreak havoc on the "spectacular" phenomenon. Between May and August, cuttlefish migrate to the Whyalla coastline to mate and reproduce, with the environment creating ideal conditions for the females to lay and attach their eggs. However, as the deadly algal bloom continues to cover more than 500 kilometres across the state's waters, authorities are concerned that if it reaches the Whyalla coast, it could have a devastating impact on the species as the entire population congregates in one spot. "Cuttlefish may be vulnerable to the algal bloom should it be detected at Cuttlefish Coast," a SA Department for Environment and Water (DEW) spokesperson told Yahoo News. However as it stands, the algal bloom hasn't yet reached the cuttlefish hotspot. "There is no evidence to suggest the algal bloom is affecting cuttlefish or associated marine habitats at this stage," the spokesperson said. DEW confirmed to Yahoo News it will continue to monitor the algal bloom via satellite imagery and water testing, and is considering a range of options to protect the cuttlefish eggs if the algal bloom were to spread into the area. The department has not ruled out moving the eggs to a different location. Diver awestruck by cuttlefish just two metres below water Australian diver Kyra Miller recently witnessed the Great Cuttlefish Migration firsthand and admitted she was awestruck by the seemingly countless cuttlefish exploring the reef only two metres below the surface of the water. "The male cuttlefish will perform a spectacular show as they change colour, texture and shape to attract a mate," she said online, describing it as an "incredible phenomenon". Courtship between cuttlefish is a colourful affair, with males using specialised cells that enable them to change colour, appear to pulsate, and even mimic female colouration to deceive other competing males. This ability not only enables the cuttlefish to signal their interest in mating, but it is also used to communicate. French researchers have even observed the Australian species waving at each other as a method of communication. 😟 Before and after photos show 'confronting' reality under the surface 🏖️ Aussies urged to stay out of water as deadly substance spreads 🐟 Calls for national response as beaches turn into 'graveyards of fish' Algal bloom has killed more than 14,000 marine creatures so far According to the Biodiversity Council Australia, the algal bloom sweeping South Australia's coast has killed upward of 14,000 animals and impacted over 450 species, including fish, sharks, dolphins and rays, since March. DEW are keeping a close eye on the unfolding situation; however, it confirmed to Yahoo News in July that "nothing can be done" to stop it. "The algal bloom is a dynamic situation. Its movement depends on weather and water conditions, and therefore makes the effect on people and wildlife unpredictable," a spokesperson said at the time. "Nothing can be done to dilute or dissipate the bloom." The wind direction and its subsequent effect on the current could be all that stands between the cuttlefish and the algal bloom spread, Dr Zoe Doubleday at the University of South Australia told ABC Radio this month. "It's a nerve-wracking time and it's not something I've ever experienced before [in my] job as a marine ecologist to do research about whether we're going to see a potential wipeout of a piece of biodiversity," Dr Doubleday said. There is no indication of when the algal bloom will end, and there may be a small window of time that authorities have to intervene if it looks like the cuttlefish could be in danger. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Digital Trends
2 hours ago
- Digital Trends
NASA and Google are testing an AI space doctor
With NASA eyeing long-duration crewed missions to the moon and beyond in the coming years, it has to be sure that if a medical situation arises, the astronauts are well equipped to deal with it. Currently, crews heading to the International Space Station (ISS) receive training for basic medical procedures and medicines, as well as for things like intravenous fluid administration, intubation, wound care, and basic emergency response. Recommended Videos But future missions that take humans hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of miles from Earth, potentially for years at a time, will add a new layer of complexity to health management. With that in mind, the U.S. space agency has partnered with Google on a project aimed at ensuring crew health and wellness on long-duration missions. The initiative includes an investigation into whether remote care capabilities can offer detailed diagnoses and treatment options when a health issue falls outside of the astronauts' knowledge base, and when real-time communication with Earth is limited. NASA and Google's work involves a proof-of-concept for an automated Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) known as the 'Crew Medical Officer Digital Assistant' (CMO-DA). 'Designed to assist astronauts with medical help during extended space missions, this multi-modal interface leverages AI,' Google said in an online post. It said the CMO-DA tool could help astronauts 'autonomously diagnose and treat symptoms when crews are not in direct contact with Earth-based medical experts.' It added: 'Trained on spaceflight literature, the AI system uses cutting-edge natural language processing and machine learning techniques to safely provide real-time analyses of crew health and performance. The tool is designed to support a designated crew medical officer or flight surgeon in maintaining crew health and making medical decisions driven by data and predictive analytics.' Early results from initial trials have 'showed promise' for obtaining reliable diagnoses based on reported symptoms. Moving forward, NASA and Google are now working with medical doctors to improve the technology with a view to using it on future space missions. As part of NASA's Artemis program, astronauts could one stay for extended periods aboard a lunar satellite — similar to how they live and work aboard the ISS today — or even on the moon itself. More ambitious endeavors, such as to Mars, are also on the cards, but aren't expected to take place until the 2030s at the earliest.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Wistar Institute Receives $17 Million NIH Grant for Personalized HIV Cure Research
Philadelphia-led consortium is selected to tailor HIV curative strategies to participant Philadelphia, PA, Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wistar Institute announces the National Institutes of Health (NIH) granted a five-year, $17 million research award to launch iCure Consortium to develop individualized 'cure regimens' for HIV. The Wistar-led, iCure Consortium's objective is to advance strategies to cure HIV through tailored personalized medicine. 'Today 38 million people still live with HIV worldwide, and 1.3 million contract the virus each year,' said Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M., iCure principal investigator, executive vice president of The Wistar Institute and director of Wistar's HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center. 'For the first time, this grant brings our best team together working towards a cure tailored to each participant by pairing the latest in neutralizing antibody and cell-therapy breakthroughs against the unique, person-specific features of HIV.' iCure Consortium will test a six-part, individually-tailored therapy designed to wipe out the persistent viral reservoir that remains after antiretroviral therapy in an effort to deliver durable, drug-free remission. The project combines six advanced tactics—neutralizing antibodies, mRNA therapy, viral binders, engineered CAR-T and 'Natural Killer' (NK) cells, and precision latency 'wake-up' drugs—all designed against each patient's unique virus. 'Ending HIV demands more than management—it demands eradication,' said Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D., iCure co‑principal investigator, 2023 Nobel Laureate and Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 'This project now allows us to apply our breakthroughs in RNA therapy as part of a cure-directed strategy.' How iCure Works• Wake the latent virus• Map and target unique weak spots with tailored antibodies• Destroy infected cells using 'super‑charged' CAR‑T and NK cells• Enhance clearance and block relapse with bispecific binders In the first step, researchers reactivate the virus in a sample of the participant's blood and identify mutations that the participant has not yet developed antibodies against. They then develop a tailored antibody therapy cocktail specifically designed against these specific mutations. In the next stage, researchers focus on preventing HIV from returning. To do this, they develop person-specific antibodies or small molecule binders that can act as 'homing devices' — beacons that can lead immune cells to the latent virus. Then they genetically modify CAR-T cells and NK cells (immune cells that destroy viruses) to express or use these homing devices to better clear infected cells. Finally, researchers further enhance NK cells. First, they develop stronger and more durable cells, called adaptive NK cells, by supercharging their virus-killing ability. Then, they deploy small-molecule drugs called bispecifics, which bind NK cells to the infected cells they are targeting. "iCure takes full advantage of the advances made in understanding how and where HIV hides from the immune system," said Montaner. "We've built on our knowledge and can use that information to identify a first of its kind targeting to a person's unique HIV features." iCure furthers the research groundwork laid by the BEAT-HIV Martin Delaney Collaboratory ( a Philadelphia-based consortium of more than 95 leading HIV researchers co-led by Dr. Montaner. Montaner called the NIH grant a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' that reflects Wistar's track record as a scientific leader in the effort to develop an HIV cure, as well as its grassroots support and collaboration with the HIV community. 'By the end of this study we hope to have a process by which to identify the virus that we need to go after in each person and have a basis to design clinical trials choosing the best of these strategies to move forward,' said Montaner. Other institutions participating in this study include Johns Hopkins Medicine and iCure co-principal investigator Robert Siliciano, M.D., Ph.D., the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia FIGHT, the Ragon Institute at Harvard University, George Washington University, Duke University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The iCure program is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH, under award number UM1AI191272. ### The Wistar Institute is an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer research and vaccine development. Founded in 1892 as the first independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in the United States, Wistar has held the prestigious Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute since 1972. The Institute works actively to ensure that research advances move from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. CONTACT: Darien Sutton The Wistar Institute 215-870-2048 dsutton@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
