Tag Archives: science

USA Today reports: For the first time in years, a total lunar eclipse will dazzle American spectators tonight, complete with a view of the resulting glowing red “blood moon.” Beginning late Thursday, March 13 into the early hours of Friday, March 14, the Earth will pass between the sun and moon, resulting in the phenomena that will be viewable in …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Scientists are sounding alarms about a genetic mutation that was recently identified in four dairy cow herds, nearly one year after H5N1 bird flu was first reported in Texas dairy cattle. The change is one that researchers have dreaded finding because it is associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity. “That is the mutation …

Lubbock’s ABC affiliate reports: its latest update, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said there were 223 cases of measles across the South Plains. Twenty-nine patients were hospitalized, according to DSHS. According to DSHS, 80 of the cases did not have a measles vaccine, and 138 had an “unknown status.” Vaccine details for 11 cases were still pending. …

The Associated Press reports: A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth’s celestial neighbor ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot, aiming for the slopes of an ancient …

The Birmingham News reports: The families of men who died in Alabama prisons and were returned without all of their organs sat in court Tuesday, watching as lawyers for the University of Alabama at Birmingham argued that the school’s contract allowed them to keep organs after autopsies. The hearing had mentions of Nazi Germany, rats, artificial intelligence and illegal organ …

The New Republic reports: On February 8, German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported that the Max Planck Society—one of the world’s top scientific research institutions—is experiencing an uptick in applications from American scientists. Its president said the society regards the U.S. as “a new talent pool” at a time when the Trump administration seeks to cut billions in funding to the …

CNN reports:  The US Department of Agriculture last week issued a conditional license for an avian flu vaccine for use in chickens, amid an outbreak ravaging poultry flocks, contributing to the sky-high price of eggs. Zoetis, the manufacturer behind the vaccine, announced the conditional approval. “We’ve been working with the administration and with Congress, and we’re very excited today to get …

The Associated Press reports: Nearly 1,300 probationary employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — roughly one-tenth of the agency’s workforce — are being forced out under the Trump administration’s move to get rid of all probationary employees. The Atlanta-based agency’s leadership was notified of the decision Friday morning. The verbal notice came from the U.S. Department of …

The Washington Post reports: A report from the CDC published Thursday shows some veterinarians who provide care for cattle were unknowingly infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus last year. The report on the cattle veterinarians found that a small number who had been infected did not knowingly work with infected dairy herds or animals. The CDC tested the blood …

Indiana Public Media reports: Another commercial egg producer in Indiana has been hit with the bird flu. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced Monday that 912,000 egg-laying hens have been affected and are under quarantine in Jay County. The farm under quarantine has not been revealed publicly. Since the start of the year, it’s the fourth flock in Jay …

The Associated Press reports: All live poultry markets in New York City and some of its suburbs were ordered Friday to close for a week after the detection of seven cases of avian flu, which has also hit farms nationwide, led to the slaughter of millions of birds and driven up egg prices. Gov. Kathy Hochul said there is no …

The New York Times reports: Cats that became infected with bird flu might have spread the virus to humans in the same household and vice versa, according to data that briefly appeared online in a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but then abruptly vanished. The data appear to have been mistakenly posted but includes crucial information …

Reuters reports: Medical advocacy group Doctors for America on Tuesday sued the main U.S. health agencies over the sudden removal of websites containing “a broad range of health-related data and other information” after President Donald Trump took office. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C. federal court, names the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Department of …

Axios reports: Dozens of newly confirmed cases of avian influenza in wild birds and the first verified U.S. case of a new strain of the virus are raising concern the bird flu crisis may be entering a troubling new phase. The outbreak is intensifying as the Trump administration maintains a pause on most external federal health agency communications, including publication …

CBS News reports: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took offline recommendations on how doctors should treat sexually transmitted infections and vaccinate adults Friday, as part of a sweeping purge of all mentions of “gender” from federal websites ordered by the Trump administration this week. “Doctors in every community in America rely on these treatment guidelines to know what …

Politico Europe reports: Bird flu poses an increasing pandemic threat as it becomes more adaptive, jumping to humans, pets and zoo animals, Europe’s disease and food agencies warned on Wednesday. They are urging countries to step up their surveillance and containment measures to prevent the virus from continuing to evolve and become more dangerous to people. “In 2024, avian influenza …

CNN reports: Seventy-eight years ago, scientists created a unique sort of timepiece — named the Doomsday Clock — as a symbolic attempt to gauge how close humanity is to destroying the world. On Tuesday, the clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight — the closest the world has ever been to that marker, according to the Bulletin of the …

The Verge reports: Falling debris from the SpaceX Starship explosion yesterday created what looked like a meteor shower, or a colorful fireworks show based on videos shared by people in the area, but it also delayed flights. Eight and a half minutes after launch yesterday, the upper stage of the SpaceX Starship “experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” following the separation …

The New York Times reports: Alcohol is a leading preventable cause of cancer, and alcoholic beverages should carry a warning label as packs of cigarettes do, the U.S. surgeon general said on Friday. It is the latest salvo in a fierce debate about the risks and benefits of moderate drinking as the influential U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are about …

ABC News reports: Bags of ready-to-eat broccoli florets sold in 20 states have been recalled over concerns they may be contaminated with listeria. Braga Fresh Foods has voluntarily recalled one lot of its 12-ounce bags of Marketside Broccoli Florets, according to a recall notice shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 31. Braga Fresh Foods, a California-based …