Month: January 2023

Russia said Wednesday that it will send an empty spacecraft to the International Space Station next month to bring home three astronauts whose planned return vehicle was damaged by a strike from a tiny meteorite. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, made the announcement after examining…

Genomic sequencing allowed the world to track new coronavirus variants throughout the pandemic. Now British researchers plan to use it to better understand a host of other respiratory pathogens, from influenza to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).   The work is aimed at shedding more light…

Countries should consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights to counter the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 given its rapid spread in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday. In Europe, the XBB.1.5 subvariant is being detected in small but…

Space sector bosses on Tuesday said they were disappointed by the failure of the country's historic first attempt to launch satellites from UK soil but pledged to investigate and try again. The failure of the mission late on Monday is a blow to the UK's…

It’s been six months since the James Webb Space Telescope began transmitting breathtaking pictures of the cosmos back to Earth, transfixing star gazers and scientists alike.   The images have led to new discoveries about the universe, including the formation of stars, the evolution of black…

Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday. The long-standing practice of "watchful waiting," or delaying treatment to…

A modified jumbo jet carrying a Virgin Orbit rocket took off from southwestern England Monday, marking the first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from Western Europe. Hundreds gathered for the launch cheered as the repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft, named "Cosmic Girl," took…

A U.N.-led study released Monday shows a hole in the protective layer of ozone over Antarctica is on track to fully recover in about four decades, thanks to the global phasing out of nearly 99% of banned ozone-depleting substances. The report, published every four years,…

One year after Australia deported Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic for refusing to get vaccinated, Australian Open tournament officials say players this year will not be tested for COVID-19 and would even be allowed to compete even if they had the virus.  Tournament director Craig…

China will not include Pfizer Inc's Paxlovid in an update to its list of medicines covered by basic medical insurance schemes as the U.S. firm quoted a high price for the COVID-19 drug, China's Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) said Sunday.    The COVID-19 antiviral drug is…

Thailand will require international travelers to show proof they are fully vaccinated for COVID before flying to Thailand, according to the country's aviation regulator, as it prepares for more tourists after China reopened its border on Sunday. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in…

China lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers Sunday, ending almost three years of self-imposed isolation even as the country battles a surge in COVID cases. The first people to arrive expressed relief at not having to undergo the grueling quarantines that were a fixture of…

A 38-year-old retired NASA satellite is about to fall from the sky. NASA said Friday the chance of wreckage falling on anybody is “very low.” Most of the 5,400-pound (2,450-kilogram) satellite will burn up upon reentry, according to NASA. But some pieces are expected to…

 U.S. health officials on Friday approved a closely watched Alzheimer's drug that's been shown to modestly slow the early stages of the brain-robbing disease, albeit with potential safety risks that doctors and patients will have to weigh carefully. The drug, Leqembi, is the first that's…

The Biden administration is proposing tougher standards for a deadly air pollutant, saying that reducing soot from tailpipes, smokestacks and wildfires could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year.  A proposal released Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency would set maximum levels of 9 to…

India has announced a $2.3 billion plan to promote “green hydrogen” -- hydrogen produced with renewable energy -- which experts say could be the clean fuel of the future. The initiative could help the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases reach its goal of net…

The world's glaciers are shrinking and disappearing faster than scientists thought, with two-thirds of them projected to melt out of existence by the end of the century at current climate change trends, according to a new study. But if the world can limit future warming…

In a move that amplifies the debate over access to abortion in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration this week ruled that a drug used in the majority of abortions in the country can be dispensed by retail pharmacies to individuals with valid…

With Russian rockets targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and electrical grid, scientists in the city of Sumy near Kyiv are hoping to start mass producing solar technology that could keep the lights on. Olena Adamenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Mykhailo Zaika Produced by: Mykhailo…