Australian scientists have discovered a deep-ocean sharks’ graveyard containing the fossilized teeth of the ancient ancestor of the megalodon shark. They have also found a new species of shark. The discoveries were made across two expeditions on the research vessel (RV) Investigator, which is operated by Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial … continue reading -> “Fossilized Teeth of Megalodon Ancestor Found in Indian Ocean”
As the global program for distributing COVID-19 vaccinations to low and middle-income countries is set to be phased out after next year, experts are warning of a messy transition to ensure countries with the lowest inoculation rates are protected against the coronavirus and new variants are prevented. The sunsetting of COVAX was agreed to earlier … continue reading -> “Prepare for Messy Transition on COVID Jabs as COVAX Ends”
Populations of a vulnerable species of marine mammal, numerous species of abalone and a type of Caribbean coral are now threatened with extinction, an international conservation organization said Friday. The International Union for Conservation of Nature announced the update during the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP15, conference in Montreal. The union’s hundreds … continue reading -> “Manatee Relative, 700 New Species Now Facing Extinction”
Chinese boats are decimating West Africa’s fish stocks and fishing communities in the Gulf of Guinea, say environmental groups. The Institute for Security Studies, a South African think tank, said the communities could be losing more than $2 billion each year to illegal fishing, mainly from Chinese-owned boats. Beninese fisherman Geoffroy Gbedevi said it’s getting … continue reading -> “Gulf of Guinea Countries Agree to Stop Illegal Chinese Fishing”
A report released Friday by the World Health Organization indicates high levels — above 50% — of bacterial resistance to treatment around the world, based on data collected from 87 countries since 2020. The study, called the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System report, found levels of resistance above 50% were reported in bacteria … continue reading -> “WHO Study: Global Rise in Bacterial Resistance to Treatment”
COVAX, the global program for distributing COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries, will soon be integrated into more routine vaccination programs, Gavi said Thursday. Gavi, the nonprofit vaccine alliance that provides an array of vaccines to developing countries, said its board agreed during a meeting in Geneva to phase out COVAX after 2023, stressing that the … continue reading -> “Gavi to Integrate COVID-19 Vaccines Into Core Vaccine Programs for Developing Nations”
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Aid workers in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo warned Thursday of a possible “health disaster” because of an alarming surge in cholera cases in makeshift camps for displaced people. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said that between November 26 and December 7, 256 patients had been admitted to its cholera … continue reading -> “Cholera Cases Rise ‘Alarmingly’ in Democratic Republic of Congo Camps, Aid Workers Say”
The World Health Organization reports COVID-19 cases are continuing their downward spiral in Africa but warns the pandemic is not over and nations must remain vigilant. Following a recent four-week resurgence of COVID-19, cases and deaths once again are dropping in Africa. Since this month-long spike ended on November 20, the World Health Organization has … continue reading -> “WHO Urges Vigilance as COVID-19 Pandemic Wanes in Africa”
The COVID-19 pandemic has set global malaria control efforts back, especially in Africa, the World Health Organization says. However, this year’s World Malaria Report says countries were able to lessen disruptions to prevention, testing and treatment. In 2019, before the pandemic struck, there were 568,000 malaria deaths. Despite the pandemic and other humanitarian emergencies, WHO … continue reading -> “WHO: COVID-19 Sets Back Global Malaria Efforts, Especially in Africa”
Britain’s Conservative government on Wednesday approved the United Kingdom’s first new coal mine in three decades, a decision condemned by environmentalists as a leap backwards in the fight against climate change. Hours earlier, the government reversed a ban on building new onshore windfarms in Britain. Opponents called that announcement a cynical attempt to offset criticism … continue reading -> “UK Approves First New Coal Mine in Decades, Sparking Anger”
Scientists discovered the oldest known DNA and used it to reveal what life was like 2 million years ago in the northern tip of Greenland. Today, it’s a barren Arctic desert, but back then it was a lush landscape of trees and vegetation with an array of animals, even the now extinct mastodon. “The study … continue reading -> “Oldest Known DNA Reveals Life in Greenland 2 Million Years Ago”
A law allowing limited euthanasia in Canada is set to expand to make the procedure available to people with mental illness. As Craig McCulloch reports, this is causing a variety of reactions. Canada’s law permitting euthanasia, or Medical Assistance in Dying, became personal for Vancouver-area resident Marcia McNaughton in November. Suffering from metastasized stomach cancer, … continue reading -> “Canada Soon to Allow Euthanasia for the Mentally Ill”
Negotiators are meeting in Geneva this week to thrash out a pandemic treaty aimed at ensuring the flaws that turned COVID-19 into a global crisis could never happen again. As the third anniversary of the emergence of the virus rolls around, negotiators are raking over an early concept draft of what might eventually make it … continue reading -> “Pandemic Treaty Plans Being Worked On at WHO”
Price increases among seven out of 10 drugs in 2021 are behind an $805 million increase in U.S. spending from the year before and were not supported by clinical evidence, an influential U.S. pricing research firm said on Tuesday. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) said the spending increase in 2021 was less … continue reading -> “Unsubstantiated Price Hikes Upped US Drug Spending $805 Million in 2021”
Aid groups say measles and cholera outbreaks at Kenya’s congested Dadaab refugee camp have killed at least five people and sickened more than 400. The outbreaks come as thousands of Somalis have been arriving at the camp this year to escape record drought back home, stretching camp resources. Juma Majanga reports from Dadaab refugee camp … continue reading -> “Kenya Concerned by Cholera, Measles Outbreaks at Congested Refugee Camp”
NASA’s Orion spaceship made a close pass by the moon and used a gravity assist to whip itself back toward Earth on Monday, marking the start of the return journey for the Artemis-1 mission. At its nearest point, the uncrewed capsule flew less than 130 kilometers from the moon’s surface, testing maneuvers that will be … continue reading -> “NASA’s Orion Spaceship Slingshots Around Moon, Heads for Home”
Beijing is taking its first steps toward recovering from years of setbacks to its scientific, land-based projects in the Arctic, sending personnel to two outposts that have been vital to its policy of establishing China as a “near-Arctic” state. China’s Arctic policy document, published in 2018, said scientific research to “explore and understand” the Arctic … continue reading -> “China Begins to Revive Arctic Scientific Ground Projects After Setbacks”
“Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any other time in recent history,” according to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. Monday, UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, launched an emergency appeal for $10.3 billion, designed to help 173 million people, including 110 million children, that the agency says have been … continue reading -> “UNICEF Seeks $10.3 Billion for Children Affected by Climate, Humanitarian Crises “
In a remote corner of the Western Australian outback, work has begun on the world’s largest radio telescope. Astronomers say the Square Kilometre Array will be capable of searching the stars for signals of intelligent life and listening back to the start of the universe. It is an international scientific collaboration. 130,000 antennas and 200 … continue reading -> “Work Starts on World’s Largest Radio Telescope in Australia”
China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions following increasingly vocal public frustrations. The National Health Commission said one death was reported each in the provinces of Shandong and Sichuan. No information was given about the ages of the victims or whether they had been … continue reading -> “China Reports 2 New COVID Deaths as Some Restrictions Eased”
It’s now a lot easier — and cheaper — for many hard-of-hearing Americans to get help. Hearing aids can now be sold without a prescription from a specialist. Over-the-counter, or OTC, hearing aids started hitting the market in October at prices that can be thousands of dollars lower than prescription hearing aids. About 30 million … continue reading -> “FDA Change Ushers In Cheaper, Easier-to-Get Hearing Aids”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is unwilling to accept Western vaccines despite the challenges China is facing with COVID-19, and while recent protests there are not a threat to Communist Party rule, they could affect his personal standing, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Saturday. Although China’s daily COVID cases are near all-time highs, … continue reading -> “China’s Xi Unwilling to Accept Vaccines Despite Threat From Protests, US Says”
The director-general of the World Health Organization said Friday that due to COVID-19 “more than 8,500 people lost their lives last week — which is not acceptable three years into the pandemic, when we have so many tools to prevent infections and save lives.” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last Saturday marked the anniversary of WHO’s … continue reading -> “WHO Chief: More than 8,500 COVID Deaths Last Week “
Days after protests erupted in China over the country’s strict zero-COVID policy, there are signs the government is beginning to ease its testing requirements and quarantine rules in some cities, but it is unclear whether the measures will go far enough to appease those who have been in lockdown for so long. Some called for … continue reading -> “China Eases Some COVID Restrictions Following Protests”