Deep sea fish makes surprise appearance near the ocean's surface
Researchers from the NGO Condrik Tenerife have captured what they say are the first images of an adult black seadevil anglerfish, also known by its scientific name Melanocetus johnsonii, alive near the ocean's surface. The marine biologists were on a shark research expedition off the coast of the Spanish island of Tenerife when they saw the deep sea fish.
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2 days ago
- Yahoo
The Battle Over the World's Richest Shipwreck and its $16 Billion Treasure
Researchers have finally confirmed that a long-sunken hulk off the coast of Colombia is none other than the San José. The legendary Spanish galleon, which vanished beneath the waves of the Caribbean 300 years ago, has been dubbed the 'world's richest shipwreck.' Now the big question is, who does the treasure belong to? The San José was first launched in 1698 and was the flagship of the Spanish treasure fleet. In 1708, it was carrying gold and jewels from Peru to Spain that would help fund the War of Spanish Succession. As the ship approached Cartagena, Colombia, British naval forces attacked. During the melee, the gunpowder stores on the San José ignited, sinking the ship. Nearly 600 crew members perished as the ship went down with its vast cargo of gold, silver, emeralds, pearls, and other treasures. For centuries, the wreck remained lost beneath the sea. Two groups claim they discovered the famous shipwreck. U.S. salvage company Glocca Morra (now Sea Search Armada) insists that it first found the location of the ship in 1981. Then, in 2015, the Colombian navy, working with marine archaeologists, located the actual remains of the galleon using underwater drones. At a depth of around 600m, it is too deep for divers to access. This made it hard for researchers to confirm that it is definitely the San José. The Colombian navy has been using remotely operated vehicles to survey the wreck. The key to proving that it is the San José has been the gold coins scattered on the ocean floor. The lead author of a new study, Daniela Vargas Ariza, explained how these coins allow dating of the wreck and its demise through a process of elimination. These particular coins, known as "cobs," show mint marks from Lima, dated 1707. They also have castles, lions, Jerusalem crosses, and other Spanish imperial symbols imprinted on them. 'The finding of to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century," said the paper. "The San José galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics.' This Holy Grail of shipwrecks is now at the center of a legal battle. Colombia claims it is the sole owner of the wreck under its national heritage laws. They argue that as the ship lies within its territorial waters, it belongs to them. But others want to stake their claim over the ship and its $16 billion of treasure. Spain contends that the San José is a Spanish ship and so it is Spanish state property. Sea Search Armada says it was the first to identify the general location of the wreck in the 1980s and so should receive some of the compensation. Indigenous communities from countries like Peru and Bolivia are also asserting claims to the treasure since most of it was pillaged from them when they were under Spanish colonial rule. After hearings in Colombia and the U.S., the decision about who owns the most valuable shipwreck in the world will lie with the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Penn State environmental program receives state award
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Penn State program is one of 19 projects that have been granted the 2025 Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence. The projects were evaluated on their degree of environmental protection, innovation, partnership, economic impact, consideration of climate change, sustainability, and environmental justice, as well as outcomes achieved. SCASD to pay $150k to settle discrimination lawsuit Penn State's Center for Science and the Schools AG Seed-Lings program was one of the awardees. The program is a K-5 educational program funded by a USDA NIFA K-14 grant. It works to teach students about pollination, pollinators and their impact on food security. The program's curriculum consists of 19 STEELS-aligned lessons provided in both English and Spanish. Last year, the program was implemented in 42 school districts and reached over 1,700 students. 'The Environmental Excellence honorees embody the innovative thinking needed to protect our environment and shape a more sustainable future here in Pennsylvania,' Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley said. 'Together, we will spur the next generation of environmental stewards. These projects showcase our ability to work collaboratively to preserve and protect Pennsylvania's natural resources.' You can read about the other 18 projects and what they're doing for their community on the Department of Environmental Protection website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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SpliceBio lands $135M for a new kind of eye gene therapy
This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. SpliceBio, a Spanish biotechnology company working on next-generation gene therapies, said Wednesday it raised $135 million in a Series B round to advance its lead program in Stargardt disease into further clinical testing. The startup is built around a technology that's meant to overcome a key limitation of current gene therapies. Scores of gene therapy developers use adeno-associated viruses, or AAVs, to deliver genetic cargo into the body. But because of their small size, AAVs can't carry larger corrective genes, leaving many diseases out of reach or forcing companies to come up with creative solutions. One example is in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Because of the large size of the gene coding for the muscle-protecting protein dystrophin Duchenne patients lack, several companies, like Sarepta Therapeutics, have developed gene therapies that make a shortened form. The approach comes with drawbacks, however, as a truncated version of the protein might not work as well as the original. SpliceBio has a different workaround. The company is using two separate AAVs to send pieces of a large gene into cells. Once inside, specially engineered splicing molecules help reassemble their cargo into full-length proteins. Stargardt disease, for example, is caused by mutations to the ABCA4 gene, which is too large to stuff into an AAV. SpliceBio says its method can help the body produce a functional version of the protein that gene produces. Its lead program, SB-007, is in a Phase 1/2 trial. SpliceBio isn't the only biotech pursuing this type of approach to treat Stargardt, an inherited eye condition that causes progressive vision loss. Another European company, AAVantgarde, has a similar type of program in early-stage testing. SpliceBio's technology is based on research conducted at Princeton University, where co-founder and CEO Miquel Vila-Perelló was studying protein design and engineering. Launched in 2014 under the name ProteoDesign, the biotech is also working on additional programs in ophthalmology, neurology and other undisclosed therapeutic areas. Its Series B round was co-led by EQT Life Sciences and Sanofi Ventures, and involved seven other backers including Roche Venture Fund, New Enterprise Associates and Novartis Venture Fund. "The support from such high-quality investors underscores the strength of our programs and our unique protein splicing platform and its potential to unlock gene therapies for diseases that remain untreatable today,' Vila-Perelló said in a statement. The company raised €50 million in a Series A round in 2022. Gene and cell therapy startups backed by the roughly two dozen investment firms BioPharma Dive tracks have secured a little over $1.1 billion in venture dollars so far in 2025. Half of those fundings have come in the form of 'megarounds' exceeding $100 million apiece, continuing an ongoing trend. 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
