Science

Rocket Lab pinpoints cause of last month’s booster failure

Rocket Lab experienced a notable hiccup in early July, when one of its Electron boosters was lost on its way to orbit, along with the seven satellites onboard. The company now claims to have pinpointed the source of the problem.

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Squid gene-edited using CRISPR for the first time

Researchers have, for the first time, successfully gene edited a cephalopod. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, the research breakthrough will now allow scientists to conduct novel investigations into medical, robotic, and materials innovations.

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Harvard clotting agent slows bleeding to help patients reach hospital

First responders don’t have the same tools that emergency rooms do. Now, Harvard scientists have developed a new blood-clotting material that’s portable and easy to store, potentially helping injured patients survive long enough to reach a hospital.

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Sperm swim like corkscrewing otters, not swishing eels, study shows

Scientists have tapped advanced 3D microscopy and high-speed cameras to shed new light on swimming sperm, upending the centuries-old perception they propel themselves forward by moving their tails side-to-side like an eel.

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Anti-aging enzyme discovery raises prospect of lifespan extension

A new study is providing insights into a cellular energy pathway linked to longer lifespan. The research, conducted in human cells and roundworms, raises the prospect of anti-aging therapeutics that can extend lifespan by activating this pathway.

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SpaceX Demo-2 mission ends with first splashdown in 45 years

History was made today as two NASA astronauts returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the privately built and operated SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule. It was the first manned splashdown since July 25, 1975.

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How old is the universe? New studies disagree by a billion years

The universe likes to play coy about its age, but we have a pretty good idea of the range. Now, a series of new studies has investigated the question using different methods, and have reached different answers, separated by more than a billion years.

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Non-magnetic material made magnetic using electricity for the first time

Researchers have for the first time managed to use electricity to switch on magnetism in a material that’s normally non-magnetic. This could be a step towards making electronic components out of common materials that might not otherwise be suitable.

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CRISPR-edited cattle will produce more male offspring

In April 2020, a bull calf named Cosmo was born to a team of scientists. This probably wouldn’t normally be news except that this particular bouncing baby boy had his genome edited as an embryo, to make him more likely to produce male offspring.

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