Space-Medicines Startup Varda Nabs $187 Million Financing
Because active pharmaceutical ingredients behave differently in microgravity, or near-weightlessness, Varda says its approach could enable improved versions of existing drugs and novel treatments not possible on Earth.
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How far can the most powerful telescope see into space?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The world's first telescope, crafted in 1608 by the Dutch eyeglass maker Hans Lippershey, led to stunning technologies that would later revolutionize our understanding of the universe. While his telescope used simple lenses to magnify objects to about three times their size, later scientists built on this concept to peer into the depths of outer space. But some telescopes are more powerful than others, enabling us to spot distant stars and galaxies and allowing researchers to study extreme phenomena like black holes and Einstein rings. So, what's the most powerful telescope, and how far can it see into space? The answer isn't surprising to anyone familiar with today's headlines: The most powerful telescope is presently the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which was launched in December 2021 to detect infrared and near-infrared wavelengths, or wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum that are invisible to humans but can be felt as heat. Its predecessor and cousin, the Hubble Space Telescope, was primarily designed to detect visible-spectrum light and ultraviolet light, a wavelength that is often emitted by young stars. In space, many objects do not produce or reflect enough visible-spectrum light to see with the naked eye or to detect from far away. However, infrared light stretches so long that it is easier to detect from vast distances. The long wavelengths even have the benefit of piercing through clouds of dust, making them particularly compelling for astronomers hoping to peer into the deepest depths of the universe. Even the powerful new Vera C. Rubin Telescope, recently activated in Chile, can't see this far into space because it has to contend with anomalous obstructions such as dust. When the universe began, it was condensed into a hot mash of particles (protons, neutrons and electrons). As the universe expanded and cooled, the first stars and galaxies began to coalesce. The earliest of these we can see are around 13.7 billion years old, which is just a little over a hundred million years after the Big Bang. Related: How many galaxies orbit the Milky Way? "The James Webb Space Telescope has proven itself capable of seeing 98% of the way back to the Big Bang," Peter Jakobsen, an affiliate professor of astrophysics at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, told Live Science in an email. "This exceeds the hopes and expectations of most of us involved in the early planning of the James Webb Space Telescope." How does the JWST see so far? Much of the power behind the JWST comes from its large primary mirror, Carol Christian, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, told Live Science via email. JWST's primary mirror measures 21.3 feet (6.5 meters) in diameter, giving it a total collecting area of more than 270 square feet (25 square m). In contrast, Hubble's primary mirror is 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter and has a collecting area of nearly 50 square feet (4.5 square m). However, both telescopes can see billions of light-years away because they are in space, well beyond the obscuring haze of Earth's atmosphere. Sign up for our newsletter Sign up for our weekly Life's Little Mysteries newsletter to get the latest mysteries before they appear online. However, JWST is also equipped with infrared light detectors situated to absorb light redirected from its large mirrors that help it identify distant light that Hubble cannot see. Meanwhile, Earth's atmosphere creates unique problems for terrestrial telescopes. These problems range from light pollution to "atmospheric turbulence," which is the random movement of air. Such factors can blur and distort images and limit a telescope's ability to see deeply into space. Space, on the other hand, is darker and free of these problems, so many of our strongest telescopes are placed well beyond Earth's atmosphere. In the case of James Webb, the telescope sits at a vantage point nearly 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth at a Lagrange point, or a point that has just the right gravitational balance for satellites to stay stable in orbit. How far can the James Webb Space Telescope see? When we look at the night sky, we're essentially looking back in time. Light travels 299,792,458 meters per second (186,282 miles per second), which means the light that reaches us from distant objects in space is older than when it was emitted. It takes light from our sun 43.2 minutes to reach Jupiter, but only 8 minutes to reach Earth. The distance to the outermost depths of the cosmos is vastly farther, which complicates the calculations. Measuring how far a telescope can see into space is not a straightforward process, Jakobsen said. Two hurdles astronomers regularly need to account for are the expansion of the universe and the finite speed of light, he said. Astronomers bypass these complications by measuring the redshift of distant celestial bodies. Redshift is what we see as celestial bodies accelerate farther and farther away from us. As the universe expands, the light emitted by faraway objects stretches to longer and "redder" wavelengths. The farther and longer the light travels, the greater its redshift becomes. Currently, one of the farthest known redshift contenders is the galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, Jakobsen said. Its redshift puts it at about 290 million years after the Big Bang. RELATED MYSTERIES —How many satellites orbit Earth? —Do black holes really evaporate — and how do we know? —Where would a compass point in outer space? Another contender, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, is the galaxy MoM-z14, which has been dated to a mere 280 million years after the Big Bang. Its redshift was 14.44 — larger than the redshift of JADES-GS-z14-0, which is 14.18. One study analyzed a set of particularly large and distant galaxies detected by the JWST and found they might be older than the current models of our universe suggest. The JWST has proven that it can peer deeper into space than Hubble, which has only seen as far back as 13.4 billion years. While the JWST is presently the champion in peering deep into our cosmic past, rivals are on the horizon. China is building a space telescope, called the China Space Station Telescope, that uses technology that will enable it to capture more light frequencies than JWST, allowing it to withdraw greater information from the cosmos. James Webb Space Telescope quiz: How well do you know the world's most powerful telescope?
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2 hours ago
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This Blue-Chip Dividend Stock Is Stuck in the Tariff Crosshairs. Can Cost Cuts Save the Day?
The global pharmaceutical sector is under increasing pressure as rising trade tensions drive countries to introduce new tariffs on drug exports. These policy shifts are straining international supply chains and pushing operating costs sharply higher. At the center of this global shake-up stands Merck & Co. (MRK), a name synonymous with blue-chip dividends. With patent protection for Keytruda, which accounts for about 40% of Merck's pharma sales, set to expire in 2028, the clock is ticking for the company to chart its next growth chapter. More News from Barchart This Dividend King Just Issued a Tariff Warning. Is Its Reliable Yield Enough to Soften the Blow? Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! In response, Merck has launched a bold $3 billion cost-cutting plan, even as it braces for potential tariff-driven headwinds. Can Merck's focus on cost discipline and innovation sustain its dividend legacy amid tariff shocks and patent cliffs? Let's find out. Dissecting Merck's Latest Numbers Merck & Co. (MRK) is a pharmaceutical powerhouse with a market capitalization of approximately $196.1 billion, anchored by an industry-defining oncology portfolio and expanding animal health business. Merck's $3.24 annualized dividend per share and robust 4.15% yield remain highly attractive, underpinned by a disciplined 40.41% dividend payout ratio. Backed by over a decade of growth, MRK has been a reliable choice for income investors. Shares trade down 20.3% year-to-date and 30% over the past 52 weeks. Merck is cheap at current levels, with a forward price/earnings (P/E) ratio of 8.75x, a 48% discount to the sector median, while its price-to-sales ratio of 3.03 also looks appealing. The latest earnings report, released on July 29, gave a granular snapshot of the crosscurrents facing MRK. Total worldwide sales clocked in at $15.8 billion, a 2% dip year-over-year, with CEO Robert Davis acknowledging that 'performance was in-line with our expectations,' and highlighting the company's resilience in oncology and animal health. On the bottom line, GAAP EPS came in at $1.76, with non-GAAP EPS at $2.13, including a $0.07 per share charge tied to the closure of the Hengrui Pharma license agreement. Keytruda again proved its centrality, contributing $8.0 billion in quarterly sales, up 9% year-over-year, and comprising nearly half of total pharmaceutical revenues. That strength countered dramatic weakness from Gardasil/Gardasil 9, which plunged 55% due to suspended China shipments amid soft demand, amplifying the impact of international trade volatility on results. New launch WINREVAIR offered an emerging bright spot, notching $336 million for the quarter and reaching $1 billion in cumulative sales just over a year post-approval. Animal Health delivered a standout 11% sales increase to $1.6 billion, reinforcing Merck's diversification ambitions. How Merck Plans to Reinvent Itself Merck is rolling out a $3 billion multiyear optimization plan designed to reshape its operations and drive $1.7 billion in annual cost savings by 2027. This initiative is already in motion, with a precise focus on boosting efficiencies across administrative, sales, and select R&D functions. The urgency is real, as Merck prepares for the 2028 expiration of Keytruda's US patent, a pivotal event that will expose the company to fierce biosimilar competition and pressure future cash flows. The company's swift action is evident from the $649 million restructuring charge registered this quarter alone, making it clear that Merck's leadership is committed to preemptively reinforcing the business against industry headwinds and potential market shocks. On the growth front, Merck is not content to simply trim costs. The July 2025 announcement of its planned $10 billion acquisition of Verona Pharma underscores a strategic pivot toward pipeline diversification and therapeutic innovation. Bringing Ohtuvayre, the first new inhaled COPD treatment in more than two decades and FDA approved in June 2024, into Merck's suite of assets puts Merck ahead of rivals in addressing growing global respiratory health needs. Additionally, Merck is investing in digital transformation to elevate its commercial capabilities. By deepening its partnership with Veeva Systems (VEEV) and rolling out Veeva Vault CRM, Merck is upgrading the core technology that will drive the success of upcoming product launches. What Experts Are Watching The latest earnings consensus sees the company posting $2.41 per share in the third quarter and $8.97 in earnings for the full year, representing a striking 53.5% year-over-year jump for Q3 and 17% for the fiscal year. This optimism is reflected in management's own outlook, with the company narrowing full-year revenue expectations to between $64.3 billion and $65.3 billion and pegging non-GAAP EPS between $8.87 and $8.97. Sentiment among analysts is cautiously upbeat, if not outright bullish. The 24 analysts in coverage have given MRK a 'Moderate Buy' rating overall. The mean price target stands at $103.18, suggesting an impressive 30.1% upside from recent levels. Still, not every voice on Wall Street is equally enthusiastic. Cantor Fitzgerald, for instance, recently maintained a 'Neutral' rating with an $83.00 price target, down from its former $85.00 price target, noting that while Merck's latest earnings were largely in line with expectations, the combination of narrowed guidance and a massive $3 billion restructuring program highlights the tough road ahead. Conclusion In the near term, investors should keep a sharp eye on Merck's progress with its $3 billion cost-cutting drive, the outcome of its Verona Pharma acquisition, and any updates on managing the looming Keytruda patent expiration. Cost cuts alone probably will not be a magic bullet as real upside may require successful pipeline launches and smart deal-making. If Merck executes well and avoids tariff surprises, shares could have room to rebound from current depressed levels. Still, until results show clear momentum, expect the stock to stay volatile. On the date of publication, Ebube Jones did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
3 hours ago
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What To Expect From Vertex Pharmaceuticals's (VRTX) Q2 Earnings
Biotech company Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) will be reporting earnings this Monday after the bell. Here's what to look for. Vertex Pharmaceuticals missed analysts' revenue expectations by 2.3% last quarter, reporting revenues of $2.77 billion, up 3% year on year. It was a disappointing quarter for the company, with a significant miss of analysts' EPS estimates and full-year revenue guidance slightly missing analysts' expectations. Is Vertex Pharmaceuticals a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free. This quarter, analysts are expecting Vertex Pharmaceuticals's revenue to grow 9.8% year on year to $2.90 billion, improving from the 6.1% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $4.25 per share. The majority of analysts covering the company have reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has missed Wall Street's revenue estimates three times over the last two years. Looking at Vertex Pharmaceuticals's peers in the therapeutics segment, some have already reported their Q2 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. Biogen delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 7.3%, beating analysts' expectations by 13.7%, and Moderna reported a revenue decline of 41.1%, topping estimates by 10.7%. Biogen traded up 3.9% following the results. Read our full analysis of Biogen's results here and Moderna's results here. Debates around the economy's health and the impact of potential tariffs and corporate tax cuts have caused much uncertainty in 2025. While some of the therapeutics stocks have shown solid performance in this choppy environment, the group has generally underperformed, with share prices down 4.3% on average over the last month. Vertex Pharmaceuticals's stock price was unchanged during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $505.19 (compared to the current share price of $464). Unless you've been living under a rock, it should be obvious by now that generative AI is going to have a huge impact on how large corporations do business. While Nvidia and AMD are trading close to all-time highs, we prefer a lesser-known (but still profitable) semiconductor stock benefiting from the rise of AI. Click here to access our free report on our favorite semiconductor growth story. StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here. Error 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
