Can You Get Covid Twice In A Month? Record Shortest Gap Says Yes
If you have recently contracted COVID-19 and thought that you were immune for a few months – you may have to think again. Researchers have found that the shortest-known COVID reinfection period is 20 days. The findings were showcased in a presentation at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Lisbon, […]
At Least One Death Reported As Liver Damage Outbreak In Children Spreads, Says WHO
At least one child has died following acute hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), as the US and Europe continue to see an “unusual” rise in cases in otherwise healthy children. In an update on the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced they have been informed of 169 cases of liver damage in children aged […]
Venus’s Thick, Soupy Atmosphere Stops It Tidally Locking To The Sun
Venus is unique among the Sun’s planets in having a day longer than its year – that is it turns so slowly it takes longer to rotate on its axis than it does to orbit the Sun. This strange behavior is probably a consequence of its thick atmosphere, a case of the tail wagging the […]
Intermittent Fasting No Better Than Calorie Restriction For Weight Loss, Finds Study
Somebody has probably at some point told you about a weight-loss technique called intermittent fasting. It comes in many forms, but the basic idea is to change not what you eat, but when you eat – and if certain Hollywood A-listers are to be believed, the effects are nothing short of miraculous. Others, though, aren’t […]
Time Might Not Exist, According To Physicists And Philosophers – But That’s Okay
The ConversationDoes time exist? The answer to this question may seem obvious: of course it does! Just look at a calendar or a clock. But developments in physics suggest the non-existence of time is an open possibility, and one that we should take seriously. How can that be, and what would it mean? It’ll take […]
Ancient Guts Reveal The Most Worm-Infested People In UK History
Parasitic worms (aka helminths) are not the most pleasant thing to think of – these organisms have plagued humans throughout history, slithering inside our bodies, exploiting their hosts and draining resources. In current-day Europe and North America, infection with these creatures is thankfully rare and is typically found in travelers going into endemic areas, typically […]
Rare Neck Condition Makes Brass Instrument Players’ Necks Bulge Like A Frog
Playing brass instruments takes a toll on the body – but for a very small number of people, it can alter the anatomy of the neck, resulting in a rather unusual condition where their throat bulges like a bullfrog when they play their instrument. Known as a pharyngocele, it’s caused by a weak spot in […]
Non-Invasive Electrical Brain Stimulation May Help Smokers Quit
Stimulating specific regions of the brain with weak electrical currents may help smokers give up tobacco, according to new research. After pooling data from all available research on the subject, the authors found that the technique enhances quitters’ chances of remaining abstinent for up to six months. Referred to as non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), the […]
China Plans To Smash Spacecraft Into Potentially Threatening Asteroid In 2025
China says it will conduct a test of a kinetic impactor system to alter the course of an incoming asteroid in 2025. In the pursuit of a planetary defense system to protect against asteroids with the potential to hit Earth, the impactor system will involve a high-speed spacecraft that can deflect the asteroid into a […]
Mosquitoes Add Bacteria to Water to Help Larvae Grow: Preprint
Pregnant mosquito females deploy the microbe Elizabethkingia to speed larval growth; the larvae, in turn, help the bacteria outcompete other strains. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carriers of many devastating diseases including dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, thrive in a variety of environments. While particularly pesky in jungles and forests, they even flourish in cities, laying eggs […]