Life during a global pandemic takes on a surreal quality. The ubiquitous presence of social media and a constant fire hose of coronavirus news can make it particularly hard if you're already feeling anxious.
So, we've put together a little round-up of recent science news that we find inspiring, encouraging, and worthy of note in these trying times.
In a world first, surgeons at Oregon Health & Science Institute have used the CRISPR gene-editing technique to attempt a cure for Leber congenital amaurosis, a rare genetic condition that causes blindness in early childhood.
While we await results on how this experiment worked out, this achievement joins a list of other medical uses of the technique, including the search for a Huntington's disease cure, herpes, HIV, and immunotherapy for some types of cancer.
Living at a time when medical researchers have this powerful tool at their disposal is certainly a good news item in our books.
In February, a huge stock of 60,000 seed samples was added to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault nestled inside a mountain in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, including the first-ever heirloom seed deposit by an indigenous US tribe.
Increasing deposits to this safehouse of crops reflect growing worldwide concern about potential loss of biodiversity and food security - but these actions also demonstrate a beautiful commitment to our future generations.
The virus strains that cause influenza are shapeshifters, constantly moving beyond our ability to immunise against them - hence, we need annual flu shots to stay ahead of the disease. A 'universal' flu vaccine would give us a huge advantage in this race, and there's now a truly promising candidate on the cards.
The vaccine, called FLU-v, has successfully passed phase I and phase II clinical trials, demonstrating its safety in human subjects; it's been found to induce immune responses that last at least six months. We can't wait to see the results of the next phase of trials.
A new type of contact lens could restore the colour spectrum limitations in people whose eyes struggle to tell apart green and red hues.
This brilliant technology already exists in some cleverly designed sunglasses; soon, people might also have access to it in the highly convenient form of contacts, thanks to a team of engineers at Tel Aviv University.
'Normal' image of a tree; colour blind version; corrected version. (Sharon Karepov/Tel Aviv University)
Researchers have announced that for the second time ever, a patient carrying the HIV virus has been declared cured, with no trace of infection in his blood 30 months after he stopped traditional treatment, undergoing a specialised type of stem cell therapy.
The achievement doesn't constitute a generalised cure, because the patient also had a type of lymphoma that enabled him to receive this experimental treatment; but it demonstrates a real breakthrough in medical science, showing scientists are able to push the boundaries like never before.
The tiny South Pacific nation of Niue recently accepted a unique honour, as it became the first country to be formally accredited as an International Dark Sky Place.
This accreditation is bestowed by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a conservation non-profit charged with preserving the naturally dark night-time environment, defending it from the intrusive disturbances of artificial light pollution.
There's no end of scientific research charting the negative effects of light pollution, whether on animals, plants, or human health; this honour emphasises that seeking a truly dark night sky remains as important as ever.
Hydrogen fuel is one of the more promising zero-emissions options around - if only we could produce it cheaply and without needing insane amounts of energy input.
Now, a team of researchers in Tokyo have managed to do just that, refining a method that produces hydrogen fuel using just a few basic ingredients, including light and a particular type of rust. A new study shows this method yields 25 times more hydrogen than existing methods.
Speaking of sustainability, one of the biggest challenges to widespread adoption of renewables remains the problem of large-scale storage. However, there is one excellent solution to this problem - pumped thermal electricity storage. This approach stores electricity by turning it into heat, then turning it back into electricity when needed using an engine.
Unlike pumped hydro, which requires specific geographic requirements, this type of storage can be built in many places, and it uses thermodynamic principles to store electricity in the form of heat. And the best part? It's already being tested in pilot plants.
In June 2019, an odd paper made waves after it was published in Scientific Reports. The scientific community was quick to voice their concerns over this flawed study, which claimed that the Sun's movements were the real cause of anthropogenic global warming.
Now, the editors of the well-known journal have corrected the scientific record, issuing a retraction notice that explains the errors,showing that even if something incorrect initially slips through peer review, the scientific process is still rigorous enough to fix the mistake.You can read about this fascinating case in full here.
A new report by the non-profit Project Drawdown has outlined a whopping 76 solutions the world already has at hand if we want to slow down climate change. These strategies - from shifting our means of energy production, to reducing food waste and empowering women - span across all sectors.
Furthermore, these solutions are actually cheaper than maintaining the status quo (also known as 'doing nothing'). Project Drawdown estimates that if we implemented these 76 solutions, it would result in savings of up to around US$144 trillion of avoided climate damage and pollution-related healthcare costs. Tell everyone - we can do this.
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Tired of The Coronavirus? Here Are 10 Good News Stories You Need Right Now - ScienceAlert
- WHO launches new initiative to tackle the main cause of vision impairment - December 19th, 2024
- Blindness Advocates on Why There Should Be Audio Description Oscars - Variety - December 19th, 2024
- Diabetic retinopathy is treatable and preventable but only if you catch it in time - USA TODAY - December 19th, 2024
- AI: Could it help prevent blindness in diabetics? - BBC.com - December 19th, 2024
- Health Officials Investigate Rare Form of Blindness Tied to Ozempic - Gizmodo - December 19th, 2024
- Ozempic Could Be Blinding People Trying to Lose Weight - VICE - December 19th, 2024
- What is retinitis pigmentosathe vision disorder in the movie Blink? - National Geographic - December 19th, 2024
- VR shows promise in aiding navigation of people with blindness or low vision - Health Tech World - December 19th, 2024
- Ozempic could be linked to a common cause of sudden blindness, study finds - Quartz - December 19th, 2024
- New virtual realitytested system shows promise in aiding navigation of people with blindness or low vision - Tech Xplore - December 19th, 2024
- Ex-meth user who gouged her own eyeballs out while high says she is happier years after nightmarish episode - New York Post - December 19th, 2024
- Officials investigating link between Ozempic and eye-rotting disease that makes people blind - Daily Mail - December 19th, 2024
- Youngster to 'have eye removed' after minor fall - but NHS waitlist 'over 3 years' - NationalWorld - December 19th, 2024
- Restoring Vision: The Promise of Stem Cells in Healing Blindness - This is Local London - December 19th, 2024
- COAVS and Fred Hollows Foundation strengthen efforts to combat blindness in Pakistan - 24newshd - December 19th, 2024
- Study finds link between Ozempic and increased risk of vision loss - The Express Tribune - December 19th, 2024
- Going blind at 33 is devastating I wont see my childrens faces as they grow up - The Telegraph - December 19th, 2024
- Europol terror report reveals stark blindness about where the danger lies - Gript - December 19th, 2024
- Elton John lost his vision; signs and symptoms of eye infections that can cause blindness - The Times of India - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John's battle with blindness: How 77-year-old star's husband David Furnish guided him around premiere as - Daily Mail - December 6th, 2024
- Experimental study shows connection between COVID infection and age-related blindness - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John confirms shocking blindness after severe infection fight: I havent been able to see.. - Hindustan Times - December 6th, 2024
- Yes, an Eye Infection *Can* Lead To Vision Loss Heres How - Katie Couric Media - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John Battling Partial Blindness After Serious Eye Infection - Digital Music News - December 6th, 2024
- CU Anschutz researchers working to cure blindness through total eye transplantation - 9News.com KUSA - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John lost his vision from an eye infection. Here's why that might happenand how to prevent it - Fortune - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John announces blindness due to infection - CBS19.tv KYTX - December 6th, 2024
- David Frost: I suffer from face blindness. As a politician, being unable to identify people is agony - The Telegraph - December 6th, 2024
- Hes still standing how Elton John has survived far worse than blindness - The Telegraph - December 6th, 2024
- Foundation Fighting Blindness Partners with University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Other Leading Institutions to Secure Up to $46 Million... - December 6th, 2024
- Walmart helping low vison and blind customers shop with new app - KSLA - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John Says He Is Blind In The Right Eye Due to An Infection; What Is It All About? - Times Now - December 6th, 2024
- Trumps Win: The Blindness of Republicans and Democrats - The Times of Israel - December 6th, 2024
- Heres every song on The Agency soundtrack - NME - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John's worrying health battles in full as he confirms blindness - The Mirror - December 6th, 2024
- Symptoms of serious eye infections after Elton John says he is now blind - LADbible - December 6th, 2024
- Shocking! Elton John Reveals Blindness After Severe Eye Infection: Havent Been Able To... - Republic World - December 6th, 2024
- Face blindness will be examined as part of new project - BBC - December 6th, 2024
- Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities - November 27th, 2024
- Make your Word documents accessible to everyone with Accessibility ... - November 27th, 2024
- Use color and contrast for accessibility in Microsoft 365 - Microsoft ... - November 27th, 2024
- Accessibility tools for Word - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Rules for the Accessibility Checker - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Everything you need to know to write effective alt text - November 27th, 2024
- Create or edit a hyperlink - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Video: Check the accessibility of your document - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Woman lives with unique condition that means she can still see where things are despite being blind - LADbible - November 27th, 2024
- Arrogance and inherent blindness: Civil probe slams Netanyahu for Oct. 7 failures - The Times of Israel - November 27th, 2024
- Are pistachios the secret to preventing blindness as you age? - The Times of India - November 27th, 2024
- AI is helping people with blindness navigate the world around them - Spectrum News 1 - November 27th, 2024
- Unraveling the Mysteries of Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment | Newswise - Newswise - November 27th, 2024
- The silent struggles of color blind students in the UK - News-Medical.Net - November 27th, 2024
- An ideal way to treat Indias corneal blindness problem - The Hindu - November 27th, 2024
- Elle Fanning Has Blush Blindness (and She's Not Afraid to Say It!)This $13 Product Is Key - Who What Wear - November 27th, 2024
- This simple nut is the key to fighting age-related blindness - The Economic Times - November 27th, 2024
- Morning Open Thread: To Lose in Ignorant Blindness What We Might Hold Fast - Daily Kos - November 27th, 2024
- The Murder Capital confirm details of third album Blindness - DIY Magazine - November 27th, 2024
- World report on vision - World Health Organization (WHO) - November 16th, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness programme - November 16th, 2024
- $45,000 Raised to benefit SGML Eye Hospital near Ujjain, India for rural and underserved population to prevent blindness - The Indian Panorama - November 16th, 2024
- Foundation Fighting Blindness Funds 35 New Research Grants in FY2024, Renames Key Program to Honor Former Board Chair - PR Newswire - November 16th, 2024
- Fighting blindness with Love Tags - WFLA - November 16th, 2024
- Woman With Rare Disease Waiting For Blindness To 'Cure' Hallucinations - News18 - November 16th, 2024
- Color Blindness Market Is Anticipated To Grow In A Promising - openPR - November 16th, 2024
- Towards a truer vision of broader inclusivity - The New Indian Express - November 16th, 2024
- WHO launches first World report on vision - October 22nd, 2024
- Eye health, vision impairment and blindness - World Health Organization ... - October 22nd, 2024
- Onchocerciasis - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness: Refractive errors - October 22nd, 2024
- Blindness Prevention and Control - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Onchocerciasis (river blindness) - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Trachoma - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Blindness is not a curse to be broken - America: The Jesuit Review - October 22nd, 2024
- Alfred University gives away two pairs of EnChroma glasses for color blindness - www.alfred.edu - October 22nd, 2024
- All the Plants We Cannot See - The Revelator - October 22nd, 2024
- ASI Power Summit 2024: How Blindness Helped Michael Hingson Survive the 9/11 Attacks - ASI - October 22nd, 2024
- People with blindness and their allies rally outside Uber and Lyft over ride denials - The Mercury News - October 22nd, 2024
- New Study Links Ozempic to BlindnessBut They Can Actually Protect Your Eyes - First For Women - October 22nd, 2024
- Conservatives Use Trump Assassination Attempt to Target Women in Anti-Diversity War - The American Prospect - October 22nd, 2024
- Google AI to help detect preventable blindness in India and Thailand - Techloy - October 22nd, 2024