NASA detects new planet with temperatures that suggest habitable conditions
Astronomers have captured "compelling evidence" of a planet with a mass about 100 times the size of Earth orbiting a young, red dwarf star 34 light-years away called TWA 7 or CE Antilae.
MORE: Rare exoplanet discovered in outskirts of the Milky Way
The planet, named TWA 7b, was detected by the James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful telescope ever put into space, according to NASA.
An initial analysis suggests the object could be a young, cold planet with a temperature near 120 degrees Fahrenheit, NASA said. Life can grow and reproduce starting at about 5 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 251 degrees Fahrenheit, scientists say.
MORE: Could our solar system have 9 planets after all? Astronomers may have confirmed possible existence.
An international team of astronomers noticed a faint infrared source in a disk of debris surrounding the star, a distance about 50 times the space between Earth and the Sun, NASA said. They then used the telescope's mid-infrared instrument to suppress the bright glare of the host star to reveal the faint objects nearby, a method called high-contrast imaging that allows astronomers to directly detect planets that would otherwise be lost in the "overwhelming" light.
If confirmed, this would be the first time the James Webb telescope captured a direct image that led to the discovery of a planet, rather than gravitational lensing -- a technique based on Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, according to astronomers.
The detection would match the expected position of a planet and explain key features of planets seen in the debris disk, according to the space agency. The source of the infrared light is located within three dust rings observed surrounding TWA 7.
MORE: HExoplanet discovered in 2020 has the coldest temperatures ever measured, scientists say
The debris disk surrounding TWA 7 is one of the youngest debris disks known to date, according to a paper published last week in Nature.
"Our observations reveal a strong candidate for a planet shaping the structure of the TWA 7 debris disk, and its position is exactly where we expected to find a planet of this mass," Anne-Marie Lagrange, a researcher at the Observatoire de Paris-PSL and Université Grenoble Alpes in France and lead author of the paper, said in a statement.
The discovery is an "exciting step forward in our understanding of planetary systems," said co-author Mathilde Malin, an assistant research associate of Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, in a statement.
The finding highlights the Webb telescope's ability to explore previously unseen low-mass planets around nearby stars, according to NASA.
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CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
A toxicologist's guide to poison ivy's itch and bee stings' burning pain – 2 examples of nature's chemical warfare
Enjoying the outdoors carries the danger of running into nature's less-friendly side: toxic plants and animals. As toxicologists at the University of Virginia's Blue Ridge Poison Center, we see many patients each year suffering from itchy rashes from poison ivy and stings from wasps or bees. Plants and animals deploy toxins most often in order to defend themselves. Learning how they do that and what happens when the human body is exposed to these substances can offer insights on how to prevent or manage these encounters with nature. The goal is not to scare people away from the outdoors, but to equip them with the knowledge to appreciate these organisms' intricate self-preservation strategies and to protect themselves in return. Whether in a remote state park or on a city playground, most people have encountered poison ivy. This plant is recognizable by its characteristic arrangement of leaves growing in groups of three with edges that vary from smooth to jagged. It can take many forms: a single small plant, a mass of ground cover, a small bush, or a climbing vine reaching many feet up a tree or building. READ: The molecule that makes you itch also stops inflammation Poison ivy – its scientific name is Toxicodendron radicans – and its close relatives poison oak and poison sumac contain an oily substance called urushiol. This chemical is found in every part of the plant: the leaves, roots, stems and even the small white berries it produces in late summer. About 75% of people will develop an allergic reaction on contact with urushiol. Urushiol has antimicrobial properties, and scientists think its job in the poison ivy plant is to protect it from diseases. Because it is so oily, urushiol spreads easily. It can transfer from the plant to your skin, clothes, garden tools or even your pets. Direct plant contact isn't the only risk: If urushiol is on your clothing or a pet's fur and your skin later brushes against it, you can develop the same rash as you'd get from directly touching the plant. Urushiol triggers a delayed allergic reaction. When the oil touches your skin, it binds to skin cells, changing their shape. A molecule called CD1a then clocks urushiol as a foreign substance, prompting the immune system to mount an attack on the cells – hence the rash. READ: Are twins allergic to the same things? The symptoms do not appear instantly; the rash usually appears 12 to 48 hours after exposure. It often starts as redness and itching, then develops into small bumps or fluid-filled blisters. The reaction can be mild or severe, depending on how sensitive you are and how much urushiol got on your skin. The rash itself isn't contagious. Fluid from the blisters doesn't spread it. What spreads the rash to other areas of your body or to others is the urushiol lingering on your skin, clothing, tools or pets. Once the oil is adequately washed away, the rash can't spread to other people or to other areas of your body. If you have touched poison ivy, wash the area as soon as you can with soap and water and change your clothes if possible. After that, the rash will eventually resolve on its own. You can help alleviate symptoms by using a topical steroid or anti-itch cream on the rash. In severe cases, or if the face is affected, patients may require oral steroids to treat the symptoms. Bees and wasps are most active in the late summer. Because of this, we receive more frequent poison center calls about them during this season. Bees and wasps generally sting to defend their hives or nests or to protect themselves from perceived threats. They store venom in their abdominal sacs. When they sting, the venom flows through their stinger and is injected into their target's skin. This venom is a clear, slightly acidic liquid loaded with various active ingredients. For example, it contains enzymes such as phospholipase A2 that break down cell membranes, and peptides such as melittin that cause pain. The venom also contains natural chemicals such as histamine and epinephrine that affect blood vessels and the immune system. Unlike with poison ivy, where the immune system's reaction to the substance causes irritation, with bee and wasp stings it's primarily the substance itself that causes pain – although immune response can still play a role. As soon as the venom enters a person's skin, their body reacts. READ: Are you really allergic to penicillin? A sharp, burning pain comes first as the components of the venom begin to inflict damage, followed by redness and then swelling of the area. Symptoms commonly peak within a few hours and fade within a day. However, some people have stronger reactions with larger areas of swelling that can last for several days. This is because everyone's immune system is slightly different, and some people tend to have stronger reactions than others to foreign substances. In rare cases, the immune system overreacts, releasing large amounts of histamine and other chemicals all at once. Histamine is most often released in response to a foreign substance, causing symptoms of an allergic reaction. This can lead to anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can make breathing difficult, lower blood pressure and cause airway swelling, and which can quickly become life-threatening. READ: How to manage hay fever in your pets Getting stung multiple times at once can also be life-threatening due to the sheer amount of venom injected, even in people without a bee venom allergy. If you're stung and the stinger is stuck in the skin, it should be removed immediately by the quickest means available. Bee stingers are barbed and can continue to deliver venom for up to a minute. Most bee or wasp stings require only symptomatic treatment, such as an over-the-counter steroid cream or oral antihistamine to reduce itching and swelling. However, people who begin to develop more severe symptoms such as full body hives, vomiting or difficulty breathing should immediately seek emergency care. Anaphylactic reactions require rapid treatment with a medication called epinephrine and close monitoring in the hospital. Christopher P. Holstege is a professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at University of Virginia. Sandra H. Nixon is a fellow in the Division of Medical Toxicology at University of Virginia.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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TMO Receives FDA Approval for Oncomine Dx Target Test
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This reduces the need for second biopsies and avoids suboptimal therapy selection in the absence of a complete biomarker report. The test is fully reimbursed by Medicare, as well as by the top 20 commercial payers in the United States. Oncomine Dx Target Test's Global Approvals The Oncomine Dx Target Test received its first approval by the FDA as an NGS CDx in 2017, followed by regulatory approvals in 20 countries for 11 biomarkers and over 20 targeted therapies. The test is reimbursed by government and commercial insurers in the United States, Europe, Japan, South Korea and Israel, covering more than 550 million lives globally. In the United States alone, it is approved for targeted therapies in NSCLC, cholangiocarcinoma (CC), astrocytoma (AC) and oligodendroglioma (OG), anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and thyroid cancer (TC). Industry Prospects Favor TMO According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States, with NSCLC accounting for about 85-90% of all lung cancer cases. Research further indicates that roughly 2-4% of NSCLC patients carry a HER2 mutation. With lung cancer cases continuing to rise, the global market for NSCLC treatments is expected to expand significantly, reaching $66.04 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 10.3% from 2024 to 2032 (per Fortune Business Insights). Another Development by TMO Thermo Fisher recently announced the FDA approval for Oncomine Dx Express Test on the Ion Torrent Genexus Dx Integrated Sequencer as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) assay for use as a companion diagnostic (CDx) for Dizal's ZEGFROVY (sunvozertinib) and in tumor profiling. Offerings by TMO's Competitors In the oncology space, Thermo Fisher faces competition from some prominent MedTech players. These companies are also making notable developments in their respective businesses. An expanding NGS oncology portfolio is helping Illumina ILMN drive the revolution in cancer genomics. The company's market-leading TruSight Oncology assay, TSO 500, continues to see increased utilization and broader adoption. In February, the company announced a new single-cell offering for CRISPR research with applications in oncology, immunology and drug target discovery. In 2024, the FDA approved its in vitro diagnostic (IVD) TSO Comprehensive test and its first two companion diagnostic (CDx) indications to rapidly match patients to targeted therapies. This year, Illumina is set to roll out TSO 500 v2, a new version that includes hundreds of genes across all variant classes and immuno-oncology biomarkers in a single assay from one sample, to facilitate therapy selection research. A rapidly expanding liquid biopsy and NGS-based testing portfolio is positioning Guardant Health GH as a leader in precision oncology. The company's flagship Guardant360 test has been recently enhanced with the Guardant Infinity platform, enabling a single blood draw to provide comprehensive tumor profiling, confirm the absence of actionable mutations and determine ER/PR/HER2 status. Regulatory milestones include approvals for Guardant360 CDx as a companion diagnostic in the United States, Japan and Singapore, covering multiple cancer targets such as EGFR and HER2 mutations. Its pipeline also includes the FDA-approved Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening, offering a non-invasive alternative to colonoscopy. Exact Sciences' EXAS flagship screening product, the Cologuard test, is a non-invasive, stool-based DNA (sDNA) screening test that utilizes a multitarget approach to detect DNA and hemoglobin biomarkers associated with colorectal cancer and pre-cancer. 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Yahoo
an hour ago
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Peeing In A Pool Is Gross, But Is It Really All That Bad? Here's What Science Says.
You know you shouldn't pee in the pool, but you probably do it anyway. But at what cost? Do you even know? There are no hard-and-fast numbers on how often people pee in the pool, but at least one survey got 40% of American adults to admit to peeing in the pool. It doesn't seem like they're exaggerating: Older research published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters analyzed water samples from 31 pools and hot tubs and discovered that a 220,000-gallon pool contained about 20 gallons of pee. Related: With that, the odds of you swimming in pee this summer are high. While peeing in the pool is gross, is it really all that bad? What can happen if you or someone around you does this just once? In the name of science, we tapped a toxicologist, infectious disease physician and microbiologist to break it all down. Related: What happens when you pee in a pool? A few things. The big issue is the interaction of urine with the chemicals in the pool. 'When human urine combines with chemicals that are present in chlorinated swimming pools, potentially harmful compounds called disinfection byproducts, or DBPs, can form,' said Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a toxicologist at MedStar Health. Urine naturally contains nitrogen-containing compounds like urea, ammonia and creatinine, Johnson-Arbor explained. 'These nitrogen-rich compounds can react with chlorine or other disinfectants found in swimming pools to form DBPs that can cause harmful health effects.' Chlorine specifically forms something called chloramines when it binds to human waste products (like pee) in the pool, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These chloramines can build up in the water and off-gas into the air. This isn't just a urine thing. 'Chlorine interacts with many kinds of organic matter,' said Thomas Melendy, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, and biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo in New York. 'The reason it's put in pools is to act as an antibacterial and antiviral. It helps to keep the pool clean and noninfectious.' How big of a deal is it? It depends on how you look at it. 'From an infectious disease point of view, peeing in a well-chlorinated pool doesn't really present a problem. That's not to be confused with pooping in the pool, which does,' said Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo. While urine isn't sterile, most people don't carry major pathogens in their pee that chlorine can't handle, Russo said. But chloramines can be an issue, according to Melendy. 'Any time chlorine interacts with organic matter, it makes chloramines,' he said. 'The more chloramines that are produced, the higher the risk of skin, eye and lung irritation.' (This can be a bigger problem in people with underlying respiratory issues such as asthma, he said.) Related: If ventilation in an area isn't great, chloramines that off-gas from the water will settle on the water's surface, where they can cause symptoms, according to the CDC. One of those chloramines is trichloramine, a volatile chemical that evaporates easily into the air and causes that signature 'chlorine' smell in swimming pools, Johnson-Arbor said. The more organic matter in the pool, the more chloramines are produced, Melendy said. (That includes pee, along with sweat and poop particles.) This also inactivates the chlorine, he points out. 'The more organic matter you introduce to the pool, the less effective chlorine is at being an antibacterial because it gets used up,' Melendy said. What if you pee in a saltwater pool? The impact is likely the same, Johnson-Arbor said. 'Saltwater pools use electrochemically generated chlorine instead of liquid chlorine for disinfection,' Johnson-Arbor said. (Electrochemically generated chlorine happens after an electric current is passed through a concentrated salt solution.) 'Since this process still generates chlorine, any nitrogen-containing matter that is present in a saltwater pool can still combine with the chlorine to generate DBPs,' Johnson-Arbor said. What if only one person pees in the pool? If you really have to go and there's no bathroom nearby, it's fair to wonder how much of an issue it will be if just one person pees in the pool. 'It's a matter of concentration,' Melendy said. 'There's so much chlorine and water in the pool. If just one person pees in a very large pool, it's unlikely to create a significant irritant.' (However, he points out that sensitivity varies from person to person.) Related: 'If it's one person in a really small pool, it might have a significant impact,' Melendy said. 'Conversely, if it's a big pool and a lot of people are doing it, it's going to produce lots of chloramine gases. This is a nuanced thing.' Johnson-Arbor also pointed out that this isn't just a urine issue. Sweat and poop particles inevitably slip off your skin and into the water, too. 'In addition, if individuals do not shower before entering pools, their loose hairs and skin cells can transfer from their bodies into the pool, further contributing to development of DBPs,' Johnson-Arbor said. Ultimately, doctors recommend taking a pass on peeing in the pool. 'Public health perspective aside, it's just bad behavior,' Russo said. Related... Doctors Are Getting Bombarded With 'Photo Dumps' Of Patients' Poop Pics — Here's Why Does Your Poop Sink? Here's What It Could Say About Your Health. So THAT'S Why You Always Need To Pee When You Get Close To Home
