To search for evidence of extraterrestrial life by looking for advanced technology, a group of scientists will start a new international research project led by Harvard University.

Titled as the 'Galileo Project', it is being led by the Harvard astronomy professor Avi Loeb.

Loeb co-founded the project with Frank Laukien, CEO of Bruker Corporation, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of scientific equipment.

In a statement issued by the team, they said, "We can only speculate whether ‘Oumuamua may be explained by never seen before natural explanations, or by stretching our imagination to ‘Oumuamua perhaps being an extraterrestrial technological object, similar to a very thin light-sail or communication dish, which fits the astronomical data rather well".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-solves-40-year-old-mystery-of-jupiters-x-ray-auroras-400739">Also read |&nbsp;NASA solves 40-year-old mystery of Jupiter's X-Ray Auroras</a>

Rather than looking for electromagnetic signals, the Galileo Project will search for physical objects which are associated with extraterrestrial technological equipment, known as 'technosignatures'.

Laukien was quoted by The Guardian saying, "It is very important that we keep in mind that the Galileo Project is not for everything, and it is not for everyone". He added, "It has a defined scope, and it has limitations,” he added, referring to the project’s aim of only exploring known physics explanations rather than speculating on prior UAPs, alleged observations and informal reports".

“We want to clear the fog through a transparent and scientific analysis by assembling our own data, not data based on government-owned sensors, because most of that data is classified".

To search for evidence of extraterrestrial life by looking for advanced technology, a group of scientists will start a new international research project led by Harvard University.

To search for evidence of extraterrestrial life by looking for advanced technology, a group of scientists will start a new international research project led by Harvard University. Titled as the 'Galileo Project', it is being led by the Harvard astronomy professor Avi Loeb. Loeb co-founded the project with Frank Laukien, CEO of Bruker Corporation, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of scientific equipment. In a statement issued by the team, they said, "We can only speculate whether ‘Oumuamua may be explained by never seen before natural explanations, or by stretching our imagination to ‘Oumuamua perhaps being an extraterrestrial technological object, similar to a very thin light-sail or communication dish, which fits the astronomical data rather well". Also read | NASA solves 40-year-old mystery of Jupiter's X-Ray Auroras Rather than looking for electromagnetic signals, the Galileo Project will search for physical objects which are associated with extraterrestrial technological equipment, known as 'technosignatures'. Laukien was quoted by The Guardian saying, "It is very important that we keep in mind that the Galileo Project is not for everything, and it is not for everyone". He added, "It has a defined scope, and it has limitations,” he added, referring to the project’s aim of only exploring known physics explanations rather than speculating on prior UAPs, alleged observations and informal reports". “We want to clear the fog through a transparent and scientific analysis by assembling our own data, not data based on government-owned sensors, because most of that data is classified".

Scientists to search for signs of extraterrestrial technology

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable. &nbsp;

The world is a different place than in 2014 when the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;Change (IPCC) issued its fifth comprehensive assessment of global heating, past and future.

Lingering doubts that warming was gathering pace or almost entirely human in origin, along with the falsely reassuring notion that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;impacts are tomorrow's problem, have since evaporated in the haze of record heat, wildfires and crippling droughts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/why-are-climate-mysteries-puzzling-worlds-leading-scientists-400037">Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?</a>

Indeed, an unprecedented cascade of lethal weather this summer -- Death Valley-like temperatures in western Canada, flash floods across western Europe, people drowning in rain-filled subway carriages in central China -– could make 2021 the year that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;predictions become a reality impossible to ignore.

Another milestone since the last IPCC tome: the Paris Agreement has been adopted, setting a collective target of capping the planet's surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit) above late-19th century levels.

Carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels, methane leaks and agriculture has driven up the thermometer 1.1C so far.

The 2015 treaty also tacked on an aspirational limit of 1.5C, with many parties to the talks assuming it would remain just that -- aspirational, and thus easy to set aside.

"But then countries turned around and asked the IPCC to do a special report on it, and that changed the framing absolutely," IPCC lead author and palaeoclimatologist Peter Thorne of Maynooth University in Ireland, told AFP.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/many-leaders-slept-on-climate-crisis-will-they-act-on-what-they-feel-on-their-skins-now-398704" hreflang="en">Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now?</a>

The resulting 2018 analysis revealed just how devastating an extra half-degree of warming would be, and today 1.5C is the only number on the table.&nbsp;

Low-balling the threat&nbsp;

"It became the de facto target", and proof of the IPCC's influence in shaping global policy, Thorne said in a Zoom interview. &nbsp;

A third sea change over the last seven years is in the science itself.

"Today we have better&nbsp;climate&nbsp;projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change," climatologist Robert Vautard, also an IPCC lead author and director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, told AFP.&nbsp;

Arguably the biggest breakthrough is so-called attribution studies, which for the first time allow scientists to rapidly quantify the extent to which&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change has boosted an extreme weather event's intensity or likelihood.

Within days, for example, of the deadly "heat dome" that scorched Canada and the western US last month, the World Weather Attribution consortium calculated that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without manmade warming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-faces-first-citizen-lawsuits-over-climate-change-390695">Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change</a>

But after-the-fact analysis is not the same as foresight, and the IPCC -- set up in 1988 to inform UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;negotiations -- has been criticised by some for low-balling the danger, a pattern that Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes has called "erring on the side of least drama".

"First, there is the general conservatism of science -- in many ways that's a good thing," she told AFP.

"But in the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change arena, scientists have had to deal with an enormous political and cultural pressure not to 'exaggerate' the threat."

The IPCC, she added, must contend with direct interference from the governments on whose behalf it works.

"I think there's little doubt that the effect of outside pressure, overall, has been to cause its statements to fall on the 'less alarmed' rather than 'more alarmed' side of things."

From Monday, representatives from 195 nations, with scientists at their elbow, will vet a 20- to 30-page "summary for policymakers" line-by-line, word-by-word. &nbsp;

Low-probability, high-risk'&nbsp;

The virtual meeting for this first instalment -- covering physical science -- of the three-part report will take two weeks rather than the usual one, with the document's release slated for August 9.

Part two of the report, to be published in February 2022, covers impacts.

A leaked draft obtained by AFP warns that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades even if planet-warming carbon pollution is tamed, and calls for "transformational change" lest future generations face far worse.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-an-idea-to-reverse-climate-change-alter-the-orbit-of-the-moon-390689">Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon</a>

Part three, to be unveiled the following month, examines solutions for reducing emissions.

The part one report will project global temperature to 2100 under different emissions scenarios, some consistent with Paris Agreement goals and others that would, by the century's end, plunge today's children into a deeply uncomfortable world, three or four degrees above preindustrial levels.

Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast -- even under optimistic scenarios -- a temporarily "overshoot" of the 1.5C target, and upwardly revised estimates for long-term sea-level rise.

If the International Energy Agency (IEA) projections this week of record carbon pollution by 2023 are right, such an overshoot could last a long time.&nbsp;

There will also be a new focus on so-called "low-probability, high-risk" events.&nbsp;

"Feedbacks which amplify change are stronger than we thought and we may be approaching some tipping point," said Tim Lenton, Director of the University of Exeter's Global Systems Institute.&nbsp;

Beyond yet-to-be-defined temperature thresholds, parts of the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;system could pass a point-of-no-return, including ice sheets holding metres' worth of sea-level rise and permafrost laden with twice more greenhouse gases than in the atmosphere.&nbsp;

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN climate science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable.

On the heels of jaw-dropping heat and flooding across three continents, nearly 200 nations gather Monday to validate a critical UN climate science report 100 days ahead of a political summit charged with keeping Earth liveable. The world is a different place than in 2014 when the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its fifth comprehensive assessment of global heating, past and future. Lingering doubts that warming was gathering pace or almost entirely human in origin, along with the falsely reassuring notion that climate impacts are tomorrow's problem, have since evaporated in the haze of record heat, wildfires and crippling droughts. Also read | Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists? Indeed, an unprecedented cascade of lethal weather this summer -- Death Valley-like temperatures in western Canada, flash floods across western Europe, people drowning in rain-filled subway carriages in central China -– could make 2021 the year that climate predictions become a reality impossible to ignore. Another milestone since the last IPCC tome: the Paris Agreement has been adopted, setting a collective target of capping the planet's surface temperature at "well below" two degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit) above late-19th century levels. Carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels, methane leaks and agriculture has driven up the thermometer 1.1C so far. The 2015 treaty also tacked on an aspirational limit of 1.5C, with many parties to the talks assuming it would remain just that -- aspirational, and thus easy to set aside. "But then countries turned around and asked the IPCC to do a special report on it, and that changed the framing absolutely," IPCC lead author and palaeoclimatologist Peter Thorne of Maynooth University in Ireland, told AFP. Also read| Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now? The resulting 2018 analysis revealed just how devastating an extra half-degree of warming would be, and today 1.5C is the only number on the table. Low-balling the threat "It became the de facto target", and proof of the IPCC's influence in shaping global policy, Thorne said in a Zoom interview. A third sea change over the last seven years is in the science itself. "Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change," climatologist Robert Vautard, also an IPCC lead author and director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, told AFP. Arguably the biggest breakthrough is so-called attribution studies, which for the first time allow scientists to rapidly quantify the extent to which climate change has boosted an extreme weather event's intensity or likelihood. Within days, for example, of the deadly "heat dome" that scorched Canada and the western US last month, the World Weather Attribution consortium calculated that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without manmade warming. Also read | Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change But after-the-fact analysis is not the same as foresight, and the IPCC -- set up in 1988 to inform UN climate negotiations -- has been criticised by some for low-balling the danger, a pattern that Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes has called "erring on the side of least drama". "First, there is the general conservatism of science -- in many ways that's a good thing," she told AFP. "But in the climate change arena, scientists have had to deal with an enormous political and cultural pressure not to 'exaggerate' the threat." The IPCC, she added, must contend with direct interference from the governments on whose behalf it works. "I think there's little doubt that the effect of outside pressure, overall, has been to cause its statements to fall on the 'less alarmed' rather than 'more alarmed' side of things." From Monday, representatives from 195 nations, with scientists at their elbow, will vet a 20- to 30-page "summary for policymakers" line-by-line, word-by-word. Low-probability, high-risk' The virtual meeting for this first instalment -- covering physical science -- of the three-part report will take two weeks rather than the usual one, with the document's release slated for August 9. Part two of the report, to be published in February 2022, covers impacts. A leaked draft obtained by AFP warns that climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades even if planet-warming carbon pollution is tamed, and calls for "transformational change" lest future generations face far worse. Also read | Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon Part three, to be unveiled the following month, examines solutions for reducing emissions. The part one report will project global temperature to 2100 under different emissions scenarios, some consistent with Paris Agreement goals and others that would, by the century's end, plunge today's children into a deeply uncomfortable world, three or four degrees above preindustrial levels. Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast -- even under optimistic scenarios -- a temporarily "overshoot" of the 1.5C target, and upwardly revised estimates for long-term sea-level rise. If the International Energy Agency (IEA) projections this week of record carbon pollution by 2023 are right, such an overshoot could last a long time. There will also be a new focus on so-called "low-probability, high-risk" events. "Feedbacks which amplify change are stronger than we thought and we may be approaching some tipping point," said Tim Lenton, Director of the University of Exeter's Global Systems Institute. Beyond yet-to-be-defined temperature thresholds, parts of the climate system could pass a point-of-no-return, including ice sheets holding metres' worth of sea-level rise and permafrost laden with twice more greenhouse gases than in the atmosphere.

Climate cataclysms set stage for key UN science report

If researchers are to be believed, an&nbsp;underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km&nbsp;deep in the Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;It is located between&nbsp;the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica.&nbsp;

According to a CNN Report,&nbsp;the&nbsp;'superhighway' is crucial for the sea life, such as&nbsp;sea turtles, whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. These&nbsp;aquatic animals&nbsp;move back and forth between the islands, looking for a place to nest or foraging for food.&nbsp;

The route can be dangerous&nbsp;as the&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;is open to fishing vessels, unlike the marine reserves at each end.&nbsp;

As per the&nbsp;data,&nbsp;the&nbsp;population of&nbsp;the&nbsp;migratory species&nbsp;is&nbsp;declining. Most of these species is also&nbsp;endangered.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alex Hearn, a biology professor and founding member of&nbsp;MigraMar, which is a coalition of scientists and environmental groups, said, “Protecting biodiversity hotspots around the islands is not enough.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hearn’s&nbsp;team&nbsp;is campaigning for the entire&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;to be protected. This&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;is&nbsp;an area, which&nbsp;stretches&nbsp;over 240,000 square&nbsp;kilometres&nbsp;of ocean.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;team&nbsp;looks&nbsp;to get&nbsp;fishing restrictions&nbsp;extended&nbsp;beyond the current&nbsp;74-km radius around the Galapagos islands and&nbsp;22-km&nbsp;radius around Cocos Island. It will help in&nbsp;creating a narrow-protected channel between the two.&nbsp;

If researchers are to be believed, an underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km deep in the Pacific Ocean. It is located between the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica.

If researchers are to be believed, an underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km deep in the Pacific Ocean. It is located between the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica. According to a CNN Report, the 'superhighway' is crucial for the sea life, such as sea turtles, whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. These aquatic animals move back and forth between the islands, looking for a place to nest or foraging for food. The route can be dangerous as the swimway is open to fishing vessels, unlike the marine reserves at each end. As per the data, the population of the migratory species is declining. Most of these species is also endangered. Alex Hearn, a biology professor and founding member of MigraMar, which is a coalition of scientists and environmental groups, said, “Protecting biodiversity hotspots around the islands is not enough.” Hearn’s team is campaigning for the entire swimway to be protected. This swimway is an area, which stretches over 240,000 square kilometres of ocean. The team looks to get fishing restrictions extended beyond the current 74-km radius around the Galapagos islands and 22-km radius around Cocos Island. It will help in creating a narrow-protected channel between the two.

Scientists come to the rescue of a 'superhighway' of sharks, turtles  

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days.&nbsp;

Being deemed as a 'heat dome', it has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C in Canada and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads and wildfires.&nbsp;

At least 300 sudden deaths have been reported in Canada, as the country recorded its highest ever temperature amid scorching conditions that extended to the US Pacific Northwest.

Sir David King, the former UK chief scientific adviser, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Nowhere is safe … who would have predicted a temperature of 48/49C in British Columbia?”. He added, "The risks have been understood and known for so long and we have not acted, now we have a very narrow timeline for us to manage the problem".

At the US west coast, Seattle and Portland registered consecutive days of exceptional heat.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-canada-experience-heatwave-un-confirms-record-heat-in-antarctica-395224">Also read |&nbsp;As US &amp; Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica</a>

The local authorities said that they were investigating about a dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon that could be because of the high temperatures.&nbsp;

Michael E Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The New Climate War, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "We should take this very seriously … You warm up the planet, you’re going to see an increased incidence of heat extreme. Climate models are actually underestimating the impact that climate change is having on events like the unprecedented heatwave we are witnessing out west right now".

He further highlighted that climate was being destabilised in part by the global warming of the Arctic. He said that the existing climate models were failing to capture the scale of what was happening.

Meanwhile, as an unprecedented heatwave ripped across the United States and Canada, the UN recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica at 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.9 degrees Fahrenheit) which occurred last year.

"Verification of this maximum temperature record is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of Earth's final frontiers," Petteri Taala, UN's World Meteorological Organization secretary-general said.

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days.

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days. Being deemed as a 'heat dome', it has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C in Canada and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads and wildfires. At least 300 sudden deaths have been reported in Canada, as the country recorded its highest ever temperature amid scorching conditions that extended to the US Pacific Northwest. Sir David King, the former UK chief scientific adviser, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Nowhere is safe … who would have predicted a temperature of 48/49C in British Columbia?”. He added, "The risks have been understood and known for so long and we have not acted, now we have a very narrow timeline for us to manage the problem". At the US west coast, Seattle and Portland registered consecutive days of exceptional heat. Also read | As US & Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica The local authorities said that they were investigating about a dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon that could be because of the high temperatures. Michael E Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The New Climate War, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "We should take this very seriously … You warm up the planet, you’re going to see an increased incidence of heat extreme. Climate models are actually underestimating the impact that climate change is having on events like the unprecedented heatwave we are witnessing out west right now". He further highlighted that climate was being destabilised in part by the global warming of the Arctic. He said that the existing climate models were failing to capture the scale of what was happening. Meanwhile, as an unprecedented heatwave ripped across the United States and Canada, the UN recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica at 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.9 degrees Fahrenheit) which occurred last year. "Verification of this maximum temperature record is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of Earth's final frontiers," Petteri Taala, UN's World Meteorological Organization secretary-general said.

No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada

Scientists have urged the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases. This will also help in people knowing if they should self-isolate, they said.&nbsp;

Prof Calum Semple, a member of the government’s Sage committee of experts, argues that the 'narrow' clinical definition of covid in the UK leads to delays in identifying people with the disease.&nbsp;

Semple, of the University of Liverpool, along with Dr Alex Crozier at UCL and others describe how Covid patients do not always experience the official UK symptoms of a high fever, a new continuous cough, or a loss of sense of smell or taste early on, or at any time in the course of the disease.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-jinping-hails-irreversible-rise-of-china-on-communist-party-centenary-395051">Also Read |&nbsp;President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary</a>

Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control describe a variety of symptoms associated with mild-to-moderate Covid-19. This includes headache, weakness or tiredness, muscle aches, runny nose, appetite loss and sore throat.

The scientists highlighted that many of these “unofficial” symptoms appear sooner and are more common in young, unvaccinated people.

Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in biomedical technology at the University of Reading, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Many of the symptoms are very common and the best way to judge the likelihood of someone having Covid is a combination of symptoms, their risk of exposure, plus testing. Self-reporting symptoms is especially difficult because even the words we use can be interpreted differently".&nbsp;

He added, "Spotting people who are infected is just part of the story, however, because unless you can effectively support infected individuals to isolate from others and thereby break the chain of infection, testing alone doesn’t reduce the burden of this disease".

Scientists have urged the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases. This will also help in people knowing if they should self-isolate, they said.

Scientists have urged the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases. This will also help in people knowing if they should self-isolate, they said. Prof Calum Semple, a member of the government’s Sage committee of experts, argues that the 'narrow' clinical definition of covid in the UK leads to delays in identifying people with the disease. Semple, of the University of Liverpool, along with Dr Alex Crozier at UCL and others describe how Covid patients do not always experience the official UK symptoms of a high fever, a new continuous cough, or a loss of sense of smell or taste early on, or at any time in the course of the disease. Also Read | President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control describe a variety of symptoms associated with mild-to-moderate Covid-19. This includes headache, weakness or tiredness, muscle aches, runny nose, appetite loss and sore throat. The scientists highlighted that many of these “unofficial” symptoms appear sooner and are more common in young, unvaccinated people. Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in biomedical technology at the University of Reading, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Many of the symptoms are very common and the best way to judge the likelihood of someone having Covid is a combination of symptoms, their risk of exposure, plus testing. Self-reporting symptoms is especially difficult because even the words we use can be interpreted differently". He added, "Spotting people who are infected is just part of the story, however, because unless you can effectively support infected individuals to isolate from others and thereby break the chain of infection, testing alone doesn’t reduce the burden of this disease".

Scientists urge UK to expand official list of symptoms for Covid-19

The proposed Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021 (LDAR) is highly problematic and will work against existing legal provisions that safeguard the resilience of Lakshadweep's ecology, livelihood and culture, say a group of scientists from different institutions who have worked on the islands for years.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Lakshadweep Research Collective said it along with 60 other signatories from the scientific community have written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention to withdraw the "incautious draft" Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021.

A collective of scientists and citizens, the Lakshadweep Research Collective, said they have done a thorough review of the implications of the LDAR.

"In enabling take-over of local land, we find this draft regulation is not in consonance with existing laws, such as the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the Biological Diversity Act 2002, The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986," the statement said.

It is also against the suggestions of the Justice Raveendran Committee recommendations set up by the Supreme Court (as approved and notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in its Notification No.19011/16/91-IA.III dated 23 October 2015, and the Lakshadweep Panchayats Regulation 1994), the collective said.

"The LDAR does not address India's commitments towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, marine protection goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Ecotourism Guidelines 2019," it said.

Noting that Lakshadweep is a coral atoll, which means the islands are part of a living coral system, the scientists said this island system is facing the impacts of climate change.

"Lakshadweep has experienced catastrophic climate change-related coral mass mortality events, straining the accretion and buffer capacity of the reefs.

As just one example, the reefs of the capital, Kavaratti, are already eroding more than they are growing.

Lakshadweep is not just ecologically fragile but also socially progressive, and it needs a sustainable development framework," it said.

They said anyone who has lived or worked in Lakshadweep for any length of time will be aware of its special vulnerability.

"Surrounded by the ocean, barely a few metres above sea level, and with only the reef to protect it, it is clear that all development on these islands needs to be very carefully managed.

Over the last two decades, we have personally witnessed the reefs being battered by repeated bleaching events and intense storms.

How long it will take for these ecosystems to recover is anyone's guess.

Given how linked land, lagoon and reef are in Lakshadweep, the development envisioned in the draft LDAR would be nothing short of disastrous," says Rohan Arthur, Senior Scientist, Nature Conservation Foundation.

In its current form, the LDAR keeps local islanders out of decision-making processes.

The LDAR embraces a questionable vision of development that is neither sustainable in design nor likely to improve local wellbeing or safeguard the future habitability of the archipelago.

Dr Naveen Namboothri, Director, Dakshin Foundation said the communities of the Lakshadweep Islands practise forms of social living and collective action that has served them well against external adversity.

"It is materially evident in their stewardship of the pole-and-line tuna fishing and coconut farming industry that provide livelihood support for more than half the population.

Islanders' historical relations with land and lagoon commons are closely tied to their identity and cultural practices.

Development on the islands need to see people and these ecological spaces as one unit, rather than severing their fragile ties," Namboothiri said.

According to Diani Sutaria, an ecologist studying marine mammals in Lakshadweep with Divya Panicker and a team of islanders, Lakshadweep is a model for people-biodiversity coexistence.

"In 23 years of my working in the marine landscape, I have made field homes in several places, both in India and abroad.

But nowhere before have I felt more at home, with food, people, weather, boats and the sea than in Lakshadweep.

Nowhere before have had I thought: "Here is the place where we can actually try to recover coral reefs, seagrass beds and their communities, and yet operate a local commercial fishery," Sutaria said.

"My time spent with tuna fishers is full of stories of how tuna &amp; dolphins behave around boats. Listening to the experiences of fishers at sea over numerous cups of tea is the best way to end our days on the islands.

"Nowhere before have I felt, "it is not late yet; here are biodiversity refugia, where people, culture and nature, actually co-exist.

Any drastic changes proposed for the islands without sensitivity towards the delicate balance between sea-people-land, need to be withdrawn," Sutaria said.

Rucha Karkarey, Royal Society Newton International Research Fellow, Lancaster Environment Centre, said the LDAR envisages tourism in uninhabited islands with scant regard for biodiversity.

"Lakshadweep is home to ecological marvels that are unique to India and the world. It is a global 'bright spot' where high biodiversity persists alongside high human population density and well-being. It is a testament to a community that has for generations sustainably managed its atolls. By dismantling customary resource use patterns, especially around uninhabited atolls like Suheli and Cheriyam, now earmarked for tourism development, the LDAR threatens biodiversity and has negative implications for human well-being," Karkarey said.

The Collective appealed to the President to restore and reinvigorate the Justice Raveendran Committee recommendations set up by the Supreme Court and ensure that they are robustly implemented and monitored.

It also appealed to establish a committee of scientists, policymakers and local representatives to re-evaluate the broader development plans and directions of which the LDAR is a part, in the context of Lakshadweep's unique culture, ecological fragility and climate vulnerability.

The proposed Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021 (LDAR) is highly problematic and will work against existing legal provisions that safeguard the resilience of Lakshadweep's ecology, livelihood and culture, say a group of scientists from different institutions who have worked on the islands for years.

The proposed Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021 (LDAR) is highly problematic and will work against existing legal provisions that safeguard the resilience of Lakshadweep's ecology, livelihood and culture, say a group of scientists from different institutions who have worked on the islands for years. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Lakshadweep Research Collective said it along with 60 other signatories from the scientific community have written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention to withdraw the "incautious draft" Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021. A collective of scientists and citizens, the Lakshadweep Research Collective, said they have done a thorough review of the implications of the LDAR. "In enabling take-over of local land, we find this draft regulation is not in consonance with existing laws, such as the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the Biological Diversity Act 2002, The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986," the statement said. It is also against the suggestions of the Justice Raveendran Committee recommendations set up by the Supreme Court (as approved and notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in its Notification No.19011/16/91-IA.III dated 23 October 2015, and the Lakshadweep Panchayats Regulation 1994), the collective said. "The LDAR does not address India's commitments towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, marine protection goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Ecotourism Guidelines 2019," it said. Noting that Lakshadweep is a coral atoll, which means the islands are part of a living coral system, the scientists said this island system is facing the impacts of climate change. "Lakshadweep has experienced catastrophic climate change-related coral mass mortality events, straining the accretion and buffer capacity of the reefs. As just one example, the reefs of the capital, Kavaratti, are already eroding more than they are growing. Lakshadweep is not just ecologically fragile but also socially progressive, and it needs a sustainable development framework," it said. They said anyone who has lived or worked in Lakshadweep for any length of time will be aware of its special vulnerability. "Surrounded by the ocean, barely a few metres above sea level, and with only the reef to protect it, it is clear that all development on these islands needs to be very carefully managed. Over the last two decades, we have personally witnessed the reefs being battered by repeated bleaching events and intense storms. How long it will take for these ecosystems to recover is anyone's guess. Given how linked land, lagoon and reef are in Lakshadweep, the development envisioned in the draft LDAR would be nothing short of disastrous," says Rohan Arthur, Senior Scientist, Nature Conservation Foundation. In its current form, the LDAR keeps local islanders out of decision-making processes. The LDAR embraces a questionable vision of development that is neither sustainable in design nor likely to improve local wellbeing or safeguard the future habitability of the archipelago. Dr Naveen Namboothri, Director, Dakshin Foundation said the communities of the Lakshadweep Islands practise forms of social living and collective action that has served them well against external adversity. "It is materially evident in their stewardship of the pole-and-line tuna fishing and coconut farming industry that provide livelihood support for more than half the population. Islanders' historical relations with land and lagoon commons are closely tied to their identity and cultural practices. Development on the islands need to see people and these ecological spaces as one unit, rather than severing their fragile ties," Namboothiri said. According to Diani Sutaria, an ecologist studying marine mammals in Lakshadweep with Divya Panicker and a team of islanders, Lakshadweep is a model for people-biodiversity coexistence. "In 23 years of my working in the marine landscape, I have made field homes in several places, both in India and abroad. But nowhere before have I felt more at home, with food, people, weather, boats and the sea than in Lakshadweep. Nowhere before have had I thought: "Here is the place where we can actually try to recover coral reefs, seagrass beds and their communities, and yet operate a local commercial fishery," Sutaria said. "My time spent with tuna fishers is full of stories of how tuna & dolphins behave around boats. Listening to the experiences of fishers at sea over numerous cups of tea is the best way to end our days on the islands. "Nowhere before have I felt, "it is not late yet; here are biodiversity refugia, where people, culture and nature, actually co-exist. Any drastic changes proposed for the islands without sensitivity towards the delicate balance between sea-people-land, need to be withdrawn," Sutaria said. Rucha Karkarey, Royal Society Newton International Research Fellow, Lancaster Environment Centre, said the LDAR envisages tourism in uninhabited islands with scant regard for biodiversity. "Lakshadweep is home to ecological marvels that are unique to India and the world. It is a global 'bright spot' where high biodiversity persists alongside high human population density and well-being. It is a testament to a community that has for generations sustainably managed its atolls. By dismantling customary resource use patterns, especially around uninhabited atolls like Suheli and Cheriyam, now earmarked for tourism development, the LDAR threatens biodiversity and has negative implications for human well-being," Karkarey said. The Collective appealed to the President to restore and reinvigorate the Justice Raveendran Committee recommendations set up by the Supreme Court and ensure that they are robustly implemented and monitored. It also appealed to establish a committee of scientists, policymakers and local representatives to re-evaluate the broader development plans and directions of which the LDAR is a part, in the context of Lakshadweep's unique culture, ecological fragility and climate vulnerability.

Scientists seek Indian president's intervention to withdraw proposed legislation on Lakshadweep

The coelacanth – a giant, mysterious fish from the time of the dinosaurs&nbsp;can live for 100 years, according to the findings of a recent study.

Nicknamed “living fossil”, the coelacanth is a slow-moving fish&nbsp;which can grow to be the size of a human although the rate of growth is at a very slow pace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/do-rhinos-scare-you-well-this-one-was-taller-than-a-giraffe-392421">Do rhinos scare you? Well, this one was taller than a giraffe</a>

The study by French scientists has made some strange discoveries. While earlier the scientists believed that the fish can only survive for up to 20 years, it was discovered that the average lifespan of this fish is 100 years.

They also discovered that pregnancy in this fish lasts for approximately five years and that while the females of the species don’t reach sexual maturity until their late 50s, male coelacanths achieve sexual maturity at the age of 40 to 69 years old.

The average lifespan was deduced by applying a standard technique for dating commercial fish. The findings of the French scientists’ study have been published in the journal Current Biology.

The species is&nbsp;so endangered&nbsp;that scientists can only study specimens already caught and dead.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-wild-bear-shot-dead-by-hunters-in-japan-ahead-of-tokyo-olympics-392377">Watch: Wild bear shot dead by hunters in Japan, ahead of Tokyo Olympics</a>

The technique used to calculate the fish age involves lines that are present on a very specific scale on the coelacanth’s body. Earlier scientists were calculating fish ages by counting the big lines on this scale. But the French scientists involved in this study discovered that they’ve been missing smaller lines, which were only visible under polarised light.

Bruno Ernande, co-author of the study, said that inspection under polarised light revealed that there were five smaller lines for every big one. Using this information, the researchers concluded that the smaller lines correspond better with a year of coelacanth age, which then led them to ascertain that the age of their oldest specimen was 84 years old.

The scientists also used this technique to study two embryos. They calculated that the largest one was five years old and the youngest nine years old. Based on this, they calculated that pregnancy lasts at least five years in coelacanths.

According to Harold Walker of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, a five-year gestation is “very strange” for fish or any animal. He was not part of the research.

According to Ernande, even though coelacanths are not genetically related to deep-sea creatures such as sharks and rays, the species’ share similar slow aging. &nbsp;Similar to the ‘living fossil’, sharks can also live to be hundreds of years old.

He added that, “They might have evolved similar life histories because they are sharing similar type habitats,”.

The coelacanth – a giant, mysterious fish from the time of the dinosaurs can live for 100 years, according to the findings of a recent study. Nicknamed “living fossil”, the coelacanth is a slow-moving fish which can grow to be the size of a human although the rate of growth is at a very slow pace.

The coelacanth – a giant, mysterious fish from the time of the dinosaurs can live for 100 years, according to the findings of a recent study. Nicknamed “living fossil”, the coelacanth is a slow-moving fish which can grow to be the size of a human although the rate of growth is at a very slow pace. Also read | Do rhinos scare you? Well, this one was taller than a giraffe The study by French scientists has made some strange discoveries. While earlier the scientists believed that the fish can only survive for up to 20 years, it was discovered that the average lifespan of this fish is 100 years. They also discovered that pregnancy in this fish lasts for approximately five years and that while the females of the species don’t reach sexual maturity until their late 50s, male coelacanths achieve sexual maturity at the age of 40 to 69 years old. The average lifespan was deduced by applying a standard technique for dating commercial fish. The findings of the French scientists’ study have been published in the journal Current Biology. The species is so endangered that scientists can only study specimens already caught and dead. Also read | Watch: Wild bear shot dead by hunters in Japan, ahead of Tokyo Olympics The technique used to calculate the fish age involves lines that are present on a very specific scale on the coelacanth’s body. Earlier scientists were calculating fish ages by counting the big lines on this scale. But the French scientists involved in this study discovered that they’ve been missing smaller lines, which were only visible under polarised light. Bruno Ernande, co-author of the study, said that inspection under polarised light revealed that there were five smaller lines for every big one. Using this information, the researchers concluded that the smaller lines correspond better with a year of coelacanth age, which then led them to ascertain that the age of their oldest specimen was 84 years old. The scientists also used this technique to study two embryos. They calculated that the largest one was five years old and the youngest nine years old. Based on this, they calculated that pregnancy lasts at least five years in coelacanths. According to Harold Walker of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, a five-year gestation is “very strange” for fish or any animal. He was not part of the research. According to Ernande, even though coelacanths are not genetically related to deep-sea creatures such as sharks and rays, the species’ share similar slow aging. Similar to the ‘living fossil’, sharks can also live to be hundreds of years old. He added that, “They might have evolved similar life histories because they are sharing similar type habitats,”.

Study finds Coelacanth, a human-sized Dinosaur era fish can live for 100 years

Some environmental solutions are win-win, helping to rein in global warming and protecting biodiversity, too. But others address one crisis at the expense of the other. Growing trees on grasslands, for example, can destroy the plant and animal life of a rich ecosystem, even if the new trees ultimately suck up carbon.

What to do?

Unless the world stops treating climate change and biodiversity collapse as separate issues, neither problem can be addressed effectively, according to a report issued Thursday by researchers from two leading international scientific panels.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-faces-first-citizen-lawsuits-over-climate-change-390695">Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change</a>

“These two topics are more deeply intertwined than originally thought,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, co-chair of the scientific steering committee that produced the report. They are also inextricably tied to human well-being. But global policies usually target one or the other, leading to unintended consequences.

“If you look at just one single angle, you miss a lot of things,” said Yunne-Jai Shin, a marine biologist with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development and a co-author of the report. “Every action counts.”

How We Got Here

For years, one set of scientists and policymakers has studied and tried to tackle the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/climate-change">climate crisis</a>, warning the world of the dangers from greenhouse gases that have been building up in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. The lead culprit: burning fossil fuels.

Another group has studied and tried to tackle the biodiversity crisis, raising alarms about extinctions and ecosystem collapse. The lead culprits: habitat loss because of agriculture and, at sea, overfishing.

The two groups have operated largely in their own silos. But their subjects are connected by something elemental, literally: carbon itself.

The same element that makes up soot and heat-trapping carbon dioxide and methane is also a fundamental building block of the natural world. It helps form the very tissue of plants and animals on earth. It is stored in forests, wetlands, grasslands and on the ocean floor. In fact, land and water ecosystems are already stashing away half of the human-generated emissions.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/archaeologists-fear-climate-change-slowly-erasing-worlds-oldest-cave-painting-in-indonesia-390674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Another connection between climate and biodiversity: People have created emergencies on both fronts by using the planet’s resources in unsustainable ways.

For the last couple of decades, the climate crisis has largely overshadowed the biodiversity crisis, perhaps because its threat seemed more dire. But the balance may be shifting. Scientists warn that declines in biodiversity can lead to ecosystem collapse, threatening humanity’s food and water supply.

“Climate change of 4 or 5 degrees is just such an existential threat to people, it’s hard to imagine,” said Paul Leadley, one of the authors and an ecologist at Paris-Saclay University.

And, he continued, “if we lose a really large fraction of species on earth, that’s an existential threat.”

What Is Not Working

Businesses and countries have increasingly looked to nature as a way to offset their emissions, for example, by planting trees to absorb carbon. But the science is clear: Nature cannot store enough carbon to let us keep on spewing greenhouse gases at our current rates.

“A clear first priority is emissions reductions, emissions reductions and emissions reductions,”&nbsp;Pörtner said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-an-idea-to-reverse-climate-change-alter-the-orbit-of-the-moon-390689">Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon</a>

Just last month, the world’s leading energy agency declared that if the world wants to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, nations would need to stop approving new coal, oil and gas projects immediately.

To make matters worse, some measures being used or proposed to address climate change could devastate biodiversity.

“Some people are out there selling this message that if we cover the whole planet with trees, that will solve the climate problem,” Leadley said. “That’s a mistaken message on many levels.”

In Brazil, parts of the Cerrado, a biodiverse savanna that stores large amounts of carbon, have been planted with monocultures of eucalyptus and pine in an attempt to meet a global reforestation goal. The result, researchers have written separately, is an “impending ecological disaster” because they destroy the native ecosystem and the livelihoods of local communities, including Indigenous people.

Europe once hoped to lead the world in biofuels until realizing they led to deforestation and increased food prices. Another kind of bioenergy, wood pellets, is currently booming in the southeastern United States, despite concerns about pollution and biodiversity loss.

Climate interventions tend to hurt biodiversity more than the other way round, and some trade-offs must occur, the authors wrote. Solar farms, for example, eat up wildlife habitat, a particular concern for places with threatened species. But, critically, they generate clean energy.

The report highlights ways to mitigate the damage to biodiversity, for example, by grazing livestock around them, improving carbon soil stocks and avoiding intact habitat. Pollinator gardens on solar farms can help nurture insects and birds. While wind farms can hurt migrating birds, the authors note that modern turbines cause much less damage.

The Solutions

By protecting and restoring nature, the report said, we can safeguard biodiversity, help limit warming, improve human well-being and even find protection from the consequences of climate change, like intensified flooding and storms.

In the Casamance region of Senegal, for example, local communities restored mangroves and adopted sustainable fishing measures, improving their catch, bringing back dolphins and 20 species of fish, storing carbon and protecting their coastline, said Pamela McElwee, an environmental anthropologist at Rutgers University who was one of the authors.

“Mangroves are a really special type of ecosystem,” she said, “in that they do it all for humans.”

While mangroves are themselves vulnerable to climate change, McElwee said they appear less threatened than once thought, because restoration efforts are working.

In the Hindu Kush mountains of South Asia, a project has conserved an area about the size of Belgium, restoring high-altitude forests and rangelands and protecting threatened snow leopards and musk deer, the report says while keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. The 1.3 million people who live there, straddling Nepal, India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, have seen enhanced household incomes through tourism and sustainable farming.

Urban areas, too, can do their part with native trees, green spaces and coastal ecosystems, the researchers said.

The report was the first collaboration between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

John Holdren, an environmental scientist at Harvard University and a former White House science adviser who was not involved in the report, called it “a must-read for our time.”

Some environmental solutions are win-win, helping to rein in global warming and protecting biodiversity, too. But others address one crisis at the expense of the other.

Some environmental solutions are win-win, helping to rein in global warming and protecting biodiversity, too. But others address one crisis at the expense of the other. Growing trees on grasslands, for example, can destroy the plant and animal life of a rich ecosystem, even if the new trees ultimately suck up carbon. What to do? Unless the world stops treating climate change and biodiversity collapse as separate issues, neither problem can be addressed effectively, according to a report issued Thursday by researchers from two leading international scientific panels. Also read | Poland faces first citizen lawsuits over climate change “These two topics are more deeply intertwined than originally thought,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, co-chair of the scientific steering committee that produced the report. They are also inextricably tied to human well-being. But global policies usually target one or the other, leading to unintended consequences. “If you look at just one single angle, you miss a lot of things,” said Yunne-Jai Shin, a marine biologist with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development and a co-author of the report. “Every action counts.” How We Got Here For years, one set of scientists and policymakers has studied and tried to tackle the climate crisis, warning the world of the dangers from greenhouse gases that have been building up in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. The lead culprit: burning fossil fuels. Another group has studied and tried to tackle the biodiversity crisis, raising alarms about extinctions and ecosystem collapse. The lead culprits: habitat loss because of agriculture and, at sea, overfishing. The two groups have operated largely in their own silos. But their subjects are connected by something elemental, literally: carbon itself. The same element that makes up soot and heat-trapping carbon dioxide and methane is also a fundamental building block of the natural world. It helps form the very tissue of plants and animals on earth. It is stored in forests, wetlands, grasslands and on the ocean floor. In fact, land and water ecosystems are already stashing away half of the human-generated emissions. Another connection between climate and biodiversity: People have created emergencies on both fronts by using the planet’s resources in unsustainable ways. For the last couple of decades, the climate crisis has largely overshadowed the biodiversity crisis, perhaps because its threat seemed more dire. But the balance may be shifting. Scientists warn that declines in biodiversity can lead to ecosystem collapse, threatening humanity’s food and water supply. “Climate change of 4 or 5 degrees is just such an existential threat to people, it’s hard to imagine,” said Paul Leadley, one of the authors and an ecologist at Paris-Saclay University. And, he continued, “if we lose a really large fraction of species on earth, that’s an existential threat.” What Is Not Working Businesses and countries have increasingly looked to nature as a way to offset their emissions, for example, by planting trees to absorb carbon. But the science is clear: Nature cannot store enough carbon to let us keep on spewing greenhouse gases at our current rates. “A clear first priority is emissions reductions, emissions reductions and emissions reductions,” Pörtner said. Also read | Here's an idea to reverse climate change: Alter the orbit of the Moon Just last month, the world’s leading energy agency declared that if the world wants to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, nations would need to stop approving new coal, oil and gas projects immediately. To make matters worse, some measures being used or proposed to address climate change could devastate biodiversity. “Some people are out there selling this message that if we cover the whole planet with trees, that will solve the climate problem,” Leadley said. “That’s a mistaken message on many levels.” In Brazil, parts of the Cerrado, a biodiverse savanna that stores large amounts of carbon, have been planted with monocultures of eucalyptus and pine in an attempt to meet a global reforestation goal. The result, researchers have written separately, is an “impending ecological disaster” because they destroy the native ecosystem and the livelihoods of local communities, including Indigenous people. Europe once hoped to lead the world in biofuels until realizing they led to deforestation and increased food prices. Another kind of bioenergy, wood pellets, is currently booming in the southeastern United States, despite concerns about pollution and biodiversity loss. Climate interventions tend to hurt biodiversity more than the other way round, and some trade-offs must occur, the authors wrote. Solar farms, for example, eat up wildlife habitat, a particular concern for places with threatened species. But, critically, they generate clean energy. The report highlights ways to mitigate the damage to biodiversity, for example, by grazing livestock around them, improving carbon soil stocks and avoiding intact habitat. Pollinator gardens on solar farms can help nurture insects and birds. While wind farms can hurt migrating birds, the authors note that modern turbines cause much less damage. The Solutions By protecting and restoring nature, the report said, we can safeguard biodiversity, help limit warming, improve human well-being and even find protection from the consequences of climate change, like intensified flooding and storms. In the Casamance region of Senegal, for example, local communities restored mangroves and adopted sustainable fishing measures, improving their catch, bringing back dolphins and 20 species of fish, storing carbon and protecting their coastline, said Pamela McElwee, an environmental anthropologist at Rutgers University who was one of the authors. “Mangroves are a really special type of ecosystem,” she said, “in that they do it all for humans.” While mangroves are themselves vulnerable to climate change, McElwee said they appear less threatened than once thought, because restoration efforts are working. In the Hindu Kush mountains of South Asia, a project has conserved an area about the size of Belgium, restoring high-altitude forests and rangelands and protecting threatened snow leopards and musk deer, the report says while keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. The 1.3 million people who live there, straddling Nepal, India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, have seen enhanced household incomes through tourism and sustainable farming. Urban areas, too, can do their part with native trees, green spaces and coastal ecosystems, the researchers said. The report was the first collaboration between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. John Holdren, an environmental scientist at Harvard University and a former White House science adviser who was not involved in the report, called it “a must-read for our time.”

Our response to climate change is missing something big, scientists say

Since the pandemic began and several countries went into repeated lockdowns, lots of people started gaining weight and consuming unhealthy food. To escape the unhealthy lifestyle, people started working out rigorously.

Since the pandemic began and several countries went into repeated lockdowns, lots of people started gaining weight and consuming unhealthy food. To escape the unhealthy lifestyle, people started working out rigorously. However, as per the scientists, exercising is not always healthy as new research has found out that regular and strenuous exercise can increase the risk of motor neurone disease in genetically vulnerable people. As per the research, 1 in 300 people have a chance of developing motor neurone disease. The researchers at the University of Sheffield hope that the findings could contribute to different ways of screening more vulnerable people. A connection has been identified between exercise and the disease which affects people's ability to move, talk, and breathe. This is because the motor neurons that carry messages from the brain to the muscles fail. It can also decrease people's life span. Also Read | Exercising can help reduce chances of cancer: Study The cause of the disease has been attributed to a 'poorly understood' mix of the genetic risk a person is born with and various environmental factors. The team of researchers studied data from the UK Biobank Project. It has detailed genetic samples from half a million people. They use a technique called Mendelian randomisation to turn that data into an experiment. It was then concluded that the DNA which is more likely to do strenuous activity is more likely to get MND. Dr Johnathan Cooper-Knock, one of the researchers, was quoted by BBC saying, "We have conclusively said exercise is a risk factor for motor neurone disease". He claimed that the number high profile athletes affected with MND is not just a coincidence. Various studies in Italian footballers have suggested rates up to six times higher than normal. Athletes like Rob Burrow, Stephen Darby, and Doddie Weir have also spoken openly about the disease.

Intense exercise may cause motor neurone disease, reveal scientists

Late one evening in March 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country, Mingzheng Wu, a graduate student at Northwestern University, plopped two male mice into a cage and watched as they explored their modest new digs: sniffing, digging, fighting a little.

With a few clicks on a nearby computer, Wu then switched on a blue light implanted in the front of each animal’s brain. That light activated a tiny piece of cortex, spurring neurons there to fire.

Wu zapped the two mice at the same time and at the same rapid frequency — putting that portion of their brains quite literally in sync. Within a minute or two, any animus between the two creatures seemed to disappear, and they clung to each other like long-lost friends.

“After a few minutes, we saw that those animals actually stayed together, and one animal was grooming the other,” said Wu, who works in the neurobiology lab of Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy.

Wu and his colleagues then repeated the experiment, but zapped each animal’s cortex at frequencies different from the other’s. This time, the mice displayed far less of an urge to bond.

The experiment, published this month in Nature Neuroscience, was made possible thanks to an impressive new wireless technology that allows scientists to observe — and manipulate — the brains of multiple animals as they interact with one another.

'There's No Telepathy'

When research on so-called interbrain synchrony emerged in the 2000s, some scientists dismissed it as parapsychology, a trippy field of the 1960s and ’70s that claimed to find evidence of ghosts, the afterlife and other wonders of the paranormal.

In 1965, for example, two ophthalmologists published in the prestigious journal Science an absurd study of 15 pairs of identical twins. Each twin, with electrodes on their scalps, was placed in a separate room and asked to blink on command. In two of the pairs, the study reported, one twin showed distinctive patterns of brain activity while the sibling was blinking in the other room. The doctors called it “extrasensory induction.”

“The paper is hilarious,” said Guillaume Dumas, a social physiologist at the University of Montreal who has studied brain-to-brain synchrony for more than a decade. In that far-out era, he said, “there were many papers with methodologically questionable conclusions claiming to demonstrate interbrain synchronisation with two people.”

Since then, however, many sound studies have found brain synchronies emerging during human interactions, starting with a paper in 2002 that described how to collect and merge data from two brain scanners simultaneously as two people played a competitive game. This enabled researchers to observe how both brains were activated in response to each other. In a Science paper in 2005, this “hyperscanning” technique showed correlations of activity in two people’s brains when they played a game based on trust.

In 2010, Dumas used scalp electrodes to find that when two people spontaneously imitated each other’s hand movements, their brains showed coupled wave patterns. Importantly, there was no external metronome — such as music or a turn-taking game — that spurred the pairs to “tune in” to each other; it happened naturally in the course of their social interaction.

“There’s no telepathy or spooky thing at play,” Dumas said. Interacting with someone else is complicated, requiring an ongoing feedback loop of attention, prediction and reaction. It makes sense that the brain would have some way of mapping simultaneously both sides of that interaction — your behaviours as well as the other person’s — although scientists still know very little about how that happens.

Later research showed that brain synchrony depended on the social relationship of the two people. Strangers and couples seem to have differing levels of brain synchrony, for instance. Another study found greater brain synchrony between a leader and a follower than between two followers.

Manipulating Mice

The Northwestern researchers who carried out the new study in Nature Neuroscience were familiar with these human and animal experiments on interbrain synchrony. “It seemed interesting and a little bit strange,” Kozorovitskiy said. She thought the phenomenon could be further probed with a new tool they had developed to manipulate the brains — and activities — of animals.

Their tool involves optogenetics, a technique that uses a tiny LED light implanted into an animal’s brain to activate discrete groups of neurons. (A gene that encodes a light-sensitive protein derived from algae is first inserted into the neurons of interest to make them responsive.)

But studying social behaviour with optogenetics had historically been difficult because the light source was typically attached to the animal’s head through fibre-optic cables, which interfered with the animal’s normal behaviour. So John Rogers, a biomedical engineer at Northwestern who specialises in bioelectronics, developed tiny wireless devices that, once implanted, can be controlled remotely by a nearby computer.

“Because everything is implanted, mice can behave naturally and they can socially interact with one another naturally,” Rogers said. “You don’t have the cables that get tangled up, and there’s no head-mounted gear” for the mice to gnaw on.

The tool also allowed researchers to independently control multiple devices — and multiple animals — at once. Rogers and Kozorovitskiy began looking for a way to test it. Kozorovitskiy had seen the Cell study showing that interacting mice produce synchronies in the medial prefrontal cortex. Perhaps, she thought, the optogenetic device could test the converse relationship: If two animals’ brains were synchronised, would the animals become more social?

The answer, as Wu discovered that late night in March 2020, was yes. The results may suggest that brain synchrony is a causal driver of social behaviour — and is more than just a byproduct of brains performing similar activities, or thinking similar thoughts, in a shared environment.

“I don’t want to be too prescriptive or fantastical about it, but the human sociality spectrum is very broad, and there’s probably a subset of people who wouldn’t mind if it was possible to influence their level of sociality,” Kozorovitskiy said, pointing out that many of us already do this every time we meet friends at a bar.

Still, she said, “we cannot even start thinking about those kinds of experiments in clinical context until we understand much more about what’s happening.”

Late one evening in March 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country, Mingzheng Wu, a graduate student at Northwestern University, plopped two male mice into a cage and watched as they explored their modest new digs: sniffing, digging, fighting a little.

Late one evening in March 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country, Mingzheng Wu, a graduate student at Northwestern University, plopped two male mice into a cage and watched as they explored their modest new digs: sniffing, digging, fighting a little. With a few clicks on a nearby computer, Wu then switched on a blue light implanted in the front of each animal’s brain. That light activated a tiny piece of cortex, spurring neurons there to fire. Wu zapped the two mice at the same time and at the same rapid frequency — putting that portion of their brains quite literally in sync. Within a minute or two, any animus between the two creatures seemed to disappear, and they clung to each other like long-lost friends. “After a few minutes, we saw that those animals actually stayed together, and one animal was grooming the other,” said Wu, who works in the neurobiology lab of Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy. Wu and his colleagues then repeated the experiment, but zapped each animal’s cortex at frequencies different from the other’s. This time, the mice displayed far less of an urge to bond. The experiment, published this month in Nature Neuroscience, was made possible thanks to an impressive new wireless technology that allows scientists to observe — and manipulate — the brains of multiple animals as they interact with one another. 'There's No Telepathy' When research on so-called interbrain synchrony emerged in the 2000s, some scientists dismissed it as parapsychology, a trippy field of the 1960s and ’70s that claimed to find evidence of ghosts, the afterlife and other wonders of the paranormal. In 1965, for example, two ophthalmologists published in the prestigious journal Science an absurd study of 15 pairs of identical twins. Each twin, with electrodes on their scalps, was placed in a separate room and asked to blink on command. In two of the pairs, the study reported, one twin showed distinctive patterns of brain activity while the sibling was blinking in the other room. The doctors called it “extrasensory induction.” “The paper is hilarious,” said Guillaume Dumas, a social physiologist at the University of Montreal who has studied brain-to-brain synchrony for more than a decade. In that far-out era, he said, “there were many papers with methodologically questionable conclusions claiming to demonstrate interbrain synchronisation with two people.” Since then, however, many sound studies have found brain synchronies emerging during human interactions, starting with a paper in 2002 that described how to collect and merge data from two brain scanners simultaneously as two people played a competitive game. This enabled researchers to observe how both brains were activated in response to each other. In a Science paper in 2005, this “hyperscanning” technique showed correlations of activity in two people’s brains when they played a game based on trust. In 2010, Dumas used scalp electrodes to find that when two people spontaneously imitated each other’s hand movements, their brains showed coupled wave patterns. Importantly, there was no external metronome — such as music or a turn-taking game — that spurred the pairs to “tune in” to each other; it happened naturally in the course of their social interaction. “There’s no telepathy or spooky thing at play,” Dumas said. Interacting with someone else is complicated, requiring an ongoing feedback loop of attention, prediction and reaction. It makes sense that the brain would have some way of mapping simultaneously both sides of that interaction — your behaviours as well as the other person’s — although scientists still know very little about how that happens. Later research showed that brain synchrony depended on the social relationship of the two people. Strangers and couples seem to have differing levels of brain synchrony, for instance. Another study found greater brain synchrony between a leader and a follower than between two followers. Manipulating Mice The Northwestern researchers who carried out the new study in Nature Neuroscience were familiar with these human and animal experiments on interbrain synchrony. “It seemed interesting and a little bit strange,” Kozorovitskiy said. She thought the phenomenon could be further probed with a new tool they had developed to manipulate the brains — and activities — of animals. Their tool involves optogenetics, a technique that uses a tiny LED light implanted into an animal’s brain to activate discrete groups of neurons. (A gene that encodes a light-sensitive protein derived from algae is first inserted into the neurons of interest to make them responsive.) But studying social behaviour with optogenetics had historically been difficult because the light source was typically attached to the animal’s head through fibre-optic cables, which interfered with the animal’s normal behaviour. So John Rogers, a biomedical engineer at Northwestern who specialises in bioelectronics, developed tiny wireless devices that, once implanted, can be controlled remotely by a nearby computer. “Because everything is implanted, mice can behave naturally and they can socially interact with one another naturally,” Rogers said. “You don’t have the cables that get tangled up, and there’s no head-mounted gear” for the mice to gnaw on. The tool also allowed researchers to independently control multiple devices — and multiple animals — at once. Rogers and Kozorovitskiy began looking for a way to test it. Kozorovitskiy had seen the Cell study showing that interacting mice produce synchronies in the medial prefrontal cortex. Perhaps, she thought, the optogenetic device could test the converse relationship: If two animals’ brains were synchronised, would the animals become more social? The answer, as Wu discovered that late night in March 2020, was yes. The results may suggest that brain synchrony is a causal driver of social behaviour — and is more than just a byproduct of brains performing similar activities, or thinking similar thoughts, in a shared environment. “I don’t want to be too prescriptive or fantastical about it, but the human sociality spectrum is very broad, and there’s probably a subset of people who wouldn’t mind if it was possible to influence their level of sociality,” Kozorovitskiy said, pointing out that many of us already do this every time we meet friends at a bar. Still, she said, “we cannot even start thinking about those kinds of experiments in clinical context until we understand much more about what’s happening.”

Scientists drove mice to bond by zapping their brains with light

Human brain is the processor of all information we throw its way. It is also single-handedly responsible for keeping the body and mind in sync. A wireless machine, it never stops crunching data and is always processing information. All our thoughts pass through this celestial organ which is central to our nervous system.&nbsp;

Scientists were able to follow a thought as it moved through the brain, revealing the mechanisms of how our mind thinks and the processes involved therein. The study from 2018 assessed epilepsy patients who were undergoing surgery. Neuroscientists were able to track the trajectory of a thought through patients’ brains.

It was long asserted that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for linking interactions within the brain. This study reinforced those claims, for the region facilities complex interactions between different parts of the brain, which is how thoughts are processed.

To understand the movement of information from one part of the brain to another, scientists heavily rely on electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technologies. These provide a compelling insight into the workings of the mind, but its better understandings still require invasive procedures.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/indian-us-scientists-grow-human-brain-tissues-in-a-3d-printed-apparatus-385687" hreflang="en">Indian, US scientists grow human brain tissues in a 3D printed apparatus</a>

In the study, researchers from the University of California, Berkley recorded neurons’ electrical activity using a technique considered more precise. It is known as electrocorticograhy&nbsp;(ECoG). The technique poses many risks, but is necessary for patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy. This is why it served as a perfect opportunity for scientists to study the brain.

16 test subjects involved in the study were asked to perform varying tasks while their neural activity was being tracked. They were asked to listen to a stimulus and react, while many were shown images of certain objects and then asked to perform actions.

Even though the study mostly reaffirms what scientists already know about the brain, it shed light on how important prefrontal cortex is in helping humans act on different stimuli. The scientists observed the electrical activity from one part of the brain to another. They found that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for linking all human thoughts and actions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/meet-indian-jumping-ants-who-can-shrink-and-re-grow-their-brains-377559" hreflang="en">Meet Indian jumping ants, who can shrink and re-grow their brains</a>

Human brain is the processor of all information we throw its way. It is also single-handedly responsible for keeping the body and mind in sync. A wireless machine, it never stops crunching data and is always processing information.

Human brain is the processor of all information we throw its way. It is also single-handedly responsible for keeping the body and mind in sync. A wireless machine, it never stops crunching data and is always processing information. All our thoughts pass through this celestial organ which is central to our nervous system. Scientists were able to follow a thought as it moved through the brain, revealing the mechanisms of how our mind thinks and the processes involved therein. The study from 2018 assessed epilepsy patients who were undergoing surgery. Neuroscientists were able to track the trajectory of a thought through patients’ brains. It was long asserted that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for linking interactions within the brain. This study reinforced those claims, for the region facilities complex interactions between different parts of the brain, which is how thoughts are processed. To understand the movement of information from one part of the brain to another, scientists heavily rely on electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technologies. These provide a compelling insight into the workings of the mind, but its better understandings still require invasive procedures. Also read: Indian, US scientists grow human brain tissues in a 3D printed apparatus In the study, researchers from the University of California, Berkley recorded neurons’ electrical activity using a technique considered more precise. It is known as electrocorticograhy (ECoG). The technique poses many risks, but is necessary for patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy. This is why it served as a perfect opportunity for scientists to study the brain. 16 test subjects involved in the study were asked to perform varying tasks while their neural activity was being tracked. They were asked to listen to a stimulus and react, while many were shown images of certain objects and then asked to perform actions. Even though the study mostly reaffirms what scientists already know about the brain, it shed light on how important prefrontal cortex is in helping humans act on different stimuli. The scientists observed the electrical activity from one part of the brain to another. They found that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for linking all human thoughts and actions. Also read: Meet Indian jumping ants, who can shrink and re-grow their brains

Scientists tracked a thought as it moved through the brain. What did they find?

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail.&nbsp;

In Greek mythology, the Chimera was slain by Bellerophon, the son of Poseidon. But today, not all Chimeras are mythological. For biologists, this term describes any organism, whose body consists of cells from two different organisms. The scientists in the United States recently tried to create the world's first human-monkey Chimera.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-scientists-inject-human-cells-into-monkeys-embryo-378884/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

American scientists injected human cells into the embryo of a monkey. These efforts have ignited a debate about scientific ethics. In simple terms, DNA is the code of life. It is that all-important molecule we inherit from our parents. It gives the chemical instructions that make our bodies and sustain them. &nbsp;

What if the DNA is mixed? This is exactly what scientists at America's Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently tried doing. They integrated human cells into the embryos of a Macaque Monkey. In simple terms, they created embryos, that were part monkey and part human. &nbsp;

The embryos were grown in the open at lab for 20 days and then they were destroyed. But who came up with the idea? Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, who also tried creating the first human-pig hybrid in 2017. &nbsp;

Professor Carlos believes his work could advance understanding of early human development and understand the onset of disease, the progression of ageing, and address the shortage of life-saving organs for human transplantation.

But like with any unnatural experiment, some ethical concerns have been raised. Scientists are arguing that while embryos in this case were destroyed in 20 days, others could try to take the work further and make a baby out of an embryo.&nbsp;

The second big concern has to do with a moral dilemma. Will the embryos be classified as humans or non-humans? If the answer is humans, can we legally use them for experiments at a later stage without human consent? The third and last concern is spreading viruses from animals to humans. &nbsp;

The coronavirus has taught us a thing or two about it. We still don't fully know what the drawbacks or benefits of creating a human-monkey hybrid could be, but this experiment sure sounds like the beginning to a bad horror movie.&nbsp;

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail.

The ancient Greeks were brilliant at inventing fantastical animals like the Chimera for instance. It was a fearsome fire-breathing monster, which had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail. In Greek mythology, the Chimera was slain by Bellerophon, the son of Poseidon. But today, not all Chimeras are mythological. For biologists, this term describes any organism, whose body consists of cells from two different organisms. The scientists in the United States recently tried to create the world's first human-monkey Chimera. American scientists injected human cells into the embryo of a monkey. These efforts have ignited a debate about scientific ethics. In simple terms, DNA is the code of life. It is that all-important molecule we inherit from our parents. It gives the chemical instructions that make our bodies and sustain them. What if the DNA is mixed? This is exactly what scientists at America's Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently tried doing. They integrated human cells into the embryos of a Macaque Monkey. In simple terms, they created embryos, that were part monkey and part human. The embryos were grown in the open at lab for 20 days and then they were destroyed. But who came up with the idea? Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, who also tried creating the first human-pig hybrid in 2017. Professor Carlos believes his work could advance understanding of early human development and understand the onset of disease, the progression of ageing, and address the shortage of life-saving organs for human transplantation. But like with any unnatural experiment, some ethical concerns have been raised. Scientists are arguing that while embryos in this case were destroyed in 20 days, others could try to take the work further and make a baby out of an embryo. The second big concern has to do with a moral dilemma. Will the embryos be classified as humans or non-humans? If the answer is humans, can we legally use them for experiments at a later stage without human consent? The third and last concern is spreading viruses from animals to humans. The coronavirus has taught us a thing or two about it. We still don't fully know what the drawbacks or benefits of creating a human-monkey hybrid could be, but this experiment sure sounds like the beginning to a bad horror movie.

Scientists try to create world's first human-monkey Chimera, raise eyebrows  

In a remarkable milestone for genetic engineering, scientists have built a synthetic one-celled organism that can grow and divide, similar&nbsp;to a normal cell. 
&nbsp; 
This is the first time that the cell division cycle has been mimicked successfully in an artificial cell, marking a breakthrough in synthetic biology.&nbsp;

Artificial or synthetic cells are essentially biological cell imitators. They’re built from cell-like structures which exhibit some of the key characteristics of living cells.&nbsp;

These sensor cells could also be manufactured to produce specific products — namely medicines — and could potentially be placed inside the human body itself.

According to the researchers, identifying these genes is an important step towards engineering synthetic cells that could act like small factories that produce drugs, foods and fuels; detect disease and produce drugs to treat it while living inside the body; and function as tiny computers.

“We want to understand the fundamental design rules of life,” said Elizabeth Strychalski, a co-author on the study and leader of NIST’s Cellular Engineering Group.&nbsp;

The new finding also brings us closer to engineering fully defined, understood and controllable live cells. Free of the complexity of natural live systems, synthetic cells are a tool for both basic research and biotechnology.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a remarkable milestone for genetic engineering, scientists have built a synthetic one-celled organism that can grow and divide, similar to a normal cell. This is the first time that the cell division cycle has been mimicked successfully in an artificial cell, marking a breakthrough in synthetic biology.

In a remarkable milestone for genetic engineering, scientists have built a synthetic one-celled organism that can grow and divide, similar to a normal cell. This is the first time that the cell division cycle has been mimicked successfully in an artificial cell, marking a breakthrough in synthetic biology. Artificial or synthetic cells are essentially biological cell imitators. They’re built from cell-like structures which exhibit some of the key characteristics of living cells. These sensor cells could also be manufactured to produce specific products — namely medicines — and could potentially be placed inside the human body itself. According to the researchers, identifying these genes is an important step towards engineering synthetic cells that could act like small factories that produce drugs, foods and fuels; detect disease and produce drugs to treat it while living inside the body; and function as tiny computers. “We want to understand the fundamental design rules of life,” said Elizabeth Strychalski, a co-author on the study and leader of NIST’s Cellular Engineering Group. The new finding also brings us closer to engineering fully defined, understood and controllable live cells. Free of the complexity of natural live systems, synthetic cells are a tool for both basic research and biotechnology. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists develop synthetic cell that grows and divides uniformly

Two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test have been defined as SARS-CoV-2 re-infection or relapse of COVID-19 by Indian scientists for establishing surveillance systems, according to a study by top medical body ICMR.

But a confirmation of the re-infection will require a whole-genome sequencing, it stated.

While SARS-CoV-2 re-infection is still a rare phenomenon, Indian scientists have developed an easy-to-use epidemiological definition of re-infection for establishing surveillance systems.

According to the study 'SARS-CoV-2 re-infection: development of an epidemiological definition from India' which has been published by Cambridge in the Epidemiology and Infection journal, an investigation was conducted with the objective to develop an epidemiological case definition of possible SARS CoV-2 re-infection and assess its magnitude in India.

SARS-CoV-2 re-infection is an emerging concern and there is a need to define it, the scientists highlighted. Therefore, working epidemiological case definition for re-infection was developed and its magnitude was explored via an archive-based, telephonic survey.

The epidemiological case definition for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection was developed from literature review of data on viral kinetics.

Re-infection with SARS CoV-2 was defined as two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test.

During the archive-based, telephonic survey, thirty-eight of the 58 eligible patients could be contacted, with twelve (31.6 pc) being healthcare workers. Majority of the participants were asymptomatic and had a higher Ct value during their first episode.

"To conclude, a working epidemiological case definition of SARS CoV-2 re-infection is important to strengthen surveillance. The present investigation contributes to this goal and records reinfection in 4.5 per cent of SARS CoV-2 infected individuals in India," the study stated.

"Taking available evidence into consideration, re-infection with SARS CoV-2 in our study was defined as any individual who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on two separate occasions by either molecular tests or rapid antigen test at an interval of at least 102 days with one negative molecular test in between," the study stated.

"While SARSCoV-2 re-infection is still a rare phenomenon, there is a need for an epidemiological definition of re-infection for establishing surveillance systems and this study contributes to such goal," it said.

Some respondents in the study had an asymptomatic second episode as opposed to the first one. The rate and duration of hospitalisation was not compared as during the initial phase of the pandemic in India all cases were being hospitalized for at least 14 days, irrespective of symptom severity.

Currently, there is no consensus regarding the working definition of re-infection, based only on epidemiological features; a resource-intensive method like whole genome sequencing being the only confirmation.

"It is not logistically feasible to store the samples of millions of positive cases for future sequencing to identify an important phenomenon like SARS CoV-2 re-infection," the study said.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has considered the duration of 90 days between two positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA along with genomic evidence of re-infection as an investigative criterion to understand the phenomenon of reinfection.

Both CDC and European CDC suggested the use of genomic evidence for confirmation of reinfection, However, an epidemiological working definition will be more pragmatic and helpful to assess the magnitude of re-infection in most population and resource-constrained settings.

While COVID-19 re-infection is still rarely reported, nonetheless, immunity should not be assumed and public health measures such as physical distancing, hand-hygiene, and use of masks should be followed after recovery from the first event of infection, the study stated.

Further well-designed cohort studies must be undertaken to understand the natural history of COVID-19, including its immunogenicity, susceptibility to re-infection, antibody-dependent enhancement and the severity of re-infections.

It may also be suggested that the samples of healthcare workers may be stored for genomic analysis to study suspected COVID-19 reinfections, particularly in resource-limited settings as chances of them encountering such events are higher due to potential high-risk occupational exposure.

Two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test have been defined as SARS-CoV-2 re-infection or relapse of COVID-19 by Indian scientists for establishing surveillance systems, according to a study by top medical body ICMR.

Two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test have been defined as SARS-CoV-2 re-infection or relapse of COVID-19 by Indian scientists for establishing surveillance systems, according to a study by top medical body ICMR. But a confirmation of the re-infection will require a whole-genome sequencing, it stated. While SARS-CoV-2 re-infection is still a rare phenomenon, Indian scientists have developed an easy-to-use epidemiological definition of re-infection for establishing surveillance systems. According to the study 'SARS-CoV-2 re-infection: development of an epidemiological definition from India' which has been published by Cambridge in the Epidemiology and Infection journal, an investigation was conducted with the objective to develop an epidemiological case definition of possible SARS CoV-2 re-infection and assess its magnitude in India. SARS-CoV-2 re-infection is an emerging concern and there is a need to define it, the scientists highlighted. Therefore, working epidemiological case definition for re-infection was developed and its magnitude was explored via an archive-based, telephonic survey. The epidemiological case definition for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection was developed from literature review of data on viral kinetics. Re-infection with SARS CoV-2 was defined as two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test. During the archive-based, telephonic survey, thirty-eight of the 58 eligible patients could be contacted, with twelve (31.6 pc) being healthcare workers. Majority of the participants were asymptomatic and had a higher Ct value during their first episode. "To conclude, a working epidemiological case definition of SARS CoV-2 re-infection is important to strengthen surveillance. The present investigation contributes to this goal and records reinfection in 4.5 per cent of SARS CoV-2 infected individuals in India," the study stated. "Taking available evidence into consideration, re-infection with SARS CoV-2 in our study was defined as any individual who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on two separate occasions by either molecular tests or rapid antigen test at an interval of at least 102 days with one negative molecular test in between," the study stated. "While SARSCoV-2 re-infection is still a rare phenomenon, there is a need for an epidemiological definition of re-infection for establishing surveillance systems and this study contributes to such goal," it said. Some respondents in the study had an asymptomatic second episode as opposed to the first one. The rate and duration of hospitalisation was not compared as during the initial phase of the pandemic in India all cases were being hospitalized for at least 14 days, irrespective of symptom severity. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the working definition of re-infection, based only on epidemiological features; a resource-intensive method like whole genome sequencing being the only confirmation. "It is not logistically feasible to store the samples of millions of positive cases for future sequencing to identify an important phenomenon like SARS CoV-2 re-infection," the study said. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has considered the duration of 90 days between two positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA along with genomic evidence of re-infection as an investigative criterion to understand the phenomenon of reinfection. Both CDC and European CDC suggested the use of genomic evidence for confirmation of reinfection, However, an epidemiological working definition will be more pragmatic and helpful to assess the magnitude of re-infection in most population and resource-constrained settings. While COVID-19 re-infection is still rarely reported, nonetheless, immunity should not be assumed and public health measures such as physical distancing, hand-hygiene, and use of masks should be followed after recovery from the first event of infection, the study stated. Further well-designed cohort studies must be undertaken to understand the natural history of COVID-19, including its immunogenicity, susceptibility to re-infection, antibody-dependent enhancement and the severity of re-infections. It may also be suggested that the samples of healthcare workers may be stored for genomic analysis to study suspected COVID-19 reinfections, particularly in resource-limited settings as chances of them encountering such events are higher due to potential high-risk occupational exposure.

Covid-19 relapse an emerging concern, say scientists

Leading health experts from around the world have warned that mutations of the Coronavirus could render current vaccines ineffective within a year. A survey revealed that the planet has less than a year before new vaccines are needed to fight COVID-19 and its mutations.

Scientists: Will need new vaccine to fight COVID-19 in a year

The spike protein of the novel coronavirus, which enables it to infect human cells, is more stable in faster spreading versions of the virus, such as the ones first reported in the UK and South Africa, compared to the original form of the pathogen from Wuhan, China, says a new study.&nbsp;

Researchers, including those from the Boston Children's Hospital in the US assessed the structure of the coronavirus spike protein down to the atomic level, and found how it changed with the D614G mutation, which is carried by the Brazil, South Africa and UK variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.&nbsp;

The results, published in the journal Science, showed that the mutation makes the spike more stable as compared with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus from Wuhan, enabling the variants to spread more quickly.&nbsp;

According to the scientists, the spike proteins in the original virus would bind to the ACE2 receptor on human cells, and then dramatically change shape, folding in on themselves and enabling the virus to fuse its membrane with host cells.&nbsp;

However, they said the spikes would sometimes prematurely change shape and fall apart before the virus could bind to cells.&nbsp;

While this slowed the virus down, the researchers said this shape change also made it harder for the human immune system to contain the virus.&nbsp;

"Because the original spike protein would dissociate, it was not good enough to induce a strong neutralising antibody response," said study co-author Bing Chen from the Boston Children's Hospital.&nbsp;

In the variant forms, the scientists said the mutation stabilises the spike by blocking the premature shape change and making the spikes bind weaklier to the ACE2 receptor.&nbsp;

According to the researchers, since these spikes are less apt to fall apart prematurely, the virus overall is rendered more infectious.&nbsp;

"Say the original virus has 100 spikes. Because of the shape instability, you may have just 50 per cent of them functional. In the G614 variants, you may have 90 per cent that are functional, so even though they don't bind as well, the chances are greater that you will have infection," Chen explained.&nbsp;

Based on the findings, the scientists suggested that redesigned vaccines incorporate the code for this mutant spike protein.&nbsp;

They believe more stable spike shapes could make vaccines based on these virus proteins more likely to elicit protective neutralising antibodies. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The spike protein of the novel coronavirus, which enables it to infect human cells, is more stable in faster spreading versions of the virus, such as the ones first reported in the UK and South Africa, compared to the original form of the pathogen from Wuhan, China, says a new study.

The spike protein of the novel coronavirus, which enables it to infect human cells, is more stable in faster spreading versions of the virus, such as the ones first reported in the UK and South Africa, compared to the original form of the pathogen from Wuhan, China, says a new study. Researchers, including those from the Boston Children's Hospital in the US assessed the structure of the coronavirus spike protein down to the atomic level, and found how it changed with the D614G mutation, which is carried by the Brazil, South Africa and UK variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The results, published in the journal Science, showed that the mutation makes the spike more stable as compared with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus from Wuhan, enabling the variants to spread more quickly. According to the scientists, the spike proteins in the original virus would bind to the ACE2 receptor on human cells, and then dramatically change shape, folding in on themselves and enabling the virus to fuse its membrane with host cells. However, they said the spikes would sometimes prematurely change shape and fall apart before the virus could bind to cells. While this slowed the virus down, the researchers said this shape change also made it harder for the human immune system to contain the virus. "Because the original spike protein would dissociate, it was not good enough to induce a strong neutralising antibody response," said study co-author Bing Chen from the Boston Children's Hospital. In the variant forms, the scientists said the mutation stabilises the spike by blocking the premature shape change and making the spikes bind weaklier to the ACE2 receptor. According to the researchers, since these spikes are less apt to fall apart prematurely, the virus overall is rendered more infectious. "Say the original virus has 100 spikes. Because of the shape instability, you may have just 50 per cent of them functional. In the G614 variants, you may have 90 per cent that are functional, so even though they don't bind as well, the chances are greater that you will have infection," Chen explained. Based on the findings, the scientists suggested that redesigned vaccines incorporate the code for this mutant spike protein. They believe more stable spike shapes could make vaccines based on these virus proteins more likely to elicit protective neutralising antibodies. (With inputs from agencies)

Sturdier protein may have led to some coronavirus variants' faster spread: Scientists 

Women who graced outer space and changed it forever

The future of the Northern White Rhinos is looking bleak. Only two are left in the world, both are female but scientists have an audacious plan to save them from extinction. WION brings a report.

Your Story: Scientists in a race against time to save Northern White Rhino

A168a is the giant iceberg which broke off from the Antarctic in July 2017 and since then it has been impacting the wildlife of the region. Though the iceberg is broken into many pieces but still has the capacity to disrupt the local environment which has also made the scientists worried.

World's Biggest Iceberg in the Antarctic

A planetary system far away was recently found to be harbouring two planets that orbit a star rotating backwards.

The planets are roughly 897 light-years away from Earth. The system is called "K2-290" and consists of three stars and two planets that orbit its main star - "K2-290 A".

Usually, the star of any planetary system spins in the same directions as the orbit of the planets in the system. However, K2-290 does not seem to follow this pathway. Scientists believe that a star's equator is aligned with the orbital route of its planets, for both have grown from the same spinning cloud.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-did-the-asteroid-which-wiped-out-dinosaurs-came-from-scientists-answer-363987" hreflang="en">Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer</a>

The discovery was made by Simon Albrecht at the Aarhus University in Denmark. Upon further study, the researchers found that the orbits of both the planets in the system are not in sync with the star. Essentially, the star's rotational axis is tilted by roughly 124 degrees. This implies that the star spins in the opposite direction of its planets. 
 
For perspective, in our solar system, the sun's rotational axis experiences a tilt of 6 degrees when compared to its planets, suggesting the planets and sun orbit in the same direction.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-life-where-it-shouldnt-exist-in-antarctica-363842" hreflang="en">Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica</a> 
 
This botched alignment is not uncommon, for it has been observed in other planetary systems as well. Scientists posit that it could be a result of the turbulence between a star its planets during formative stages. 
 
“Whatever nature can produce, it seems to be produced somewhere,” NewScientist quoted Albrecht as saying.

Albrecht posits that the misalignment is a direct result of the presence of another star which may have created gravitational pressure to mvoe the disc.

A planetary system far away was recently found to be harbouring two planets that orbit a star rotating backwards. The planets are roughly 897 light-years away from Earth.

A planetary system far away was recently found to be harbouring two planets that orbit a star rotating backwards. The planets are roughly 897 light-years away from Earth. The system is called "K2-290" and consists of three stars and two planets that orbit its main star - "K2-290 A". Usually, the star of any planetary system spins in the same directions as the orbit of the planets in the system. However, K2-290 does not seem to follow this pathway. Scientists believe that a star's equator is aligned with the orbital route of its planets, for both have grown from the same spinning cloud. Also read: Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer The discovery was made by Simon Albrecht at the Aarhus University in Denmark. Upon further study, the researchers found that the orbits of both the planets in the system are not in sync with the star. Essentially, the star's rotational axis is tilted by roughly 124 degrees. This implies that the star spins in the opposite direction of its planets. For perspective, in our solar system, the sun's rotational axis experiences a tilt of 6 degrees when compared to its planets, suggesting the planets and sun orbit in the same direction. Also read: Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica This botched alignment is not uncommon, for it has been observed in other planetary systems as well. Scientists posit that it could be a result of the turbulence between a star its planets during formative stages. “Whatever nature can produce, it seems to be produced somewhere,” NewScientist quoted Albrecht as saying. Albrecht posits that the misalignment is a direct result of the presence of another star which may have created gravitational pressure to mvoe the disc.

Rare backwards-spinning star spotted in a distant planetary system by scientists

Scientists have thawed a woolly rhino who remained frozen in Siberian permafrost for at least 25,000-40,000 years.

The remains of the young wooly rhino were unveiled to Russian press on Tuesday after scientists from Yakutsk were able to successfully catalogue the beast.

The woolly rhino was reportedly 8-foot-long, and died between 25,000-40,000 years ago. It was a healthy young rhino, with the rough estimate of his age at 3 or 4 years old.

Dr Valery Plotnikov, the chief researcher at Mammoth Fauna Study Department, Academy of Science of the Republic of Sakha told East 2 West News that this level of preservation is “unique”.

Scientists claim that the rhino was very well fed at the moment of his death, implying that it was a healthy animal, whose hazel-coloured hair remained a guess based on ancient cave painting before being recently proven.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-smuggled-chameleons-discovered-in-suitcase-at-vienna-airport-359559" hreflang="en">Dozens of smuggled chameleons discovered in suitcase at Vienna airport</a>

Yakutia is one of the world’s coldest regions, and is home to a treasure trove of preserved specimens. Earlier, a giant wolf head was found in the area.

Plotnikov also claimed that the animal’s under-skin fat was preserved in the form of a powder.

Earlier, the team had found a rhino’s horn. Now, they believe that the horn belonged to the recently thawed animal found on site. The horn was found by a local resident in August 2020.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/australian-man-who-went-missing-survived-on-mushrooms-for-18-days-359123" hreflang="en">Australian man who went missing survived on mushrooms for 18 days</a>

The sex of the animal is yet to be ascertained, but scientists have already named him on the place where he was found - Abyisky.

The hippo is suspected to have died by drowning. It may have been chased by predators into drowning, researchers believe.

Scientists have thawed a woolly rhino who remained frozen in Siberian permafrost for at least 25,000-40,000 years. The remains of the young wooly rhino were unveiled to Russian press on Tuesday after scientists from Yakutsk were able to successfully catalogue the beast.

Scientists have thawed a woolly rhino who remained frozen in Siberian permafrost for at least 25,000-40,000 years. The remains of the young wooly rhino were unveiled to Russian press on Tuesday after scientists from Yakutsk were able to successfully catalogue the beast. The woolly rhino was reportedly 8-foot-long, and died between 25,000-40,000 years ago. It was a healthy young rhino, with the rough estimate of his age at 3 or 4 years old. Dr Valery Plotnikov, the chief researcher at Mammoth Fauna Study Department, Academy of Science of the Republic of Sakha told East 2 West News that this level of preservation is “unique”. Scientists claim that the rhino was very well fed at the moment of his death, implying that it was a healthy animal, whose hazel-coloured hair remained a guess based on ancient cave painting before being recently proven. Also read: Dozens of smuggled chameleons discovered in suitcase at Vienna airport Yakutia is one of the world’s coldest regions, and is home to a treasure trove of preserved specimens. Earlier, a giant wolf head was found in the area. Plotnikov also claimed that the animal’s under-skin fat was preserved in the form of a powder. Earlier, the team had found a rhino’s horn. Now, they believe that the horn belonged to the recently thawed animal found on site. The horn was found by a local resident in August 2020. Also read: Australian man who went missing survived on mushrooms for 18 days The sex of the animal is yet to be ascertained, but scientists have already named him on the place where he was found - Abyisky. The hippo is suspected to have died by drowning. It may have been chased by predators into drowning, researchers believe.

Scientists defrost 25,000-year-old woolly rhino in world's coldest region

Astronomers recently found a solar system whereby six planets are suspended in a strange rhythm

The solar system hosts stars that seem to be performing a "rhythmic dance" as they continue to dance around the orbits.&nbsp;

The system is located around a star called TOI-178, which is 200 lightyears away, and could help explain how stars in our solar system are born and how they evolve. 
 
Besides being fixed in an unusual rhythmic order, planets in this solar system are also off the expected course, as per scientists. The orbital motion of the system is in harmony, but the physical properties of all planets vary from planet to planet, which challenges the beliefs of scientists around solar systems.&nbsp;All planets have different densities. 
 
“It appears there is a planet as dense as the Earth right next to a very fluffy planet with half the density of Neptune, followed by a planet with the density of Neptune,” Nathan Hara from the Université de Genève, Switzerland, who was also involved in the study told The Independent.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-want-to-turn-mars-green-how-will-they-do-it-357498" hreflang="en">Scientists want to turn Mars green. How will they do it?</a> 
 
"It is not what we are used to", Hara added.

The solar system gives a sneak peek into the life of planets that are different from the planets in our solar system, researchers claimed in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 
 
Out of the six planets part of the solar system, all planets except one move in a rhythmic movement, resembling a dance of sorts.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/netizens-express-delight-as-nasa-shares-image-of-neutron-star-357494" hreflang="en">Netizens express delight as NASA shares image of neutron star</a>

They also have "resonant" movements, implying that patterns of movement are repeated as they move on the orbit.

The resonance has been recorded before, especially in Jupiter's moons. But TOI-178 stands out for it represents a more complicated "chain of resonance".

Astronomers recently found a solar system whereby six planets are suspended in a strange rhythm The solar system hosts stars that seem to be performing a "rhythmic dance" as they continue to dance around the orbits.

Astronomers recently found a solar system whereby six planets are suspended in a strange rhythm The solar system hosts stars that seem to be performing a "rhythmic dance" as they continue to dance around the orbits. The system is located around a star called TOI-178, which is 200 lightyears away, and could help explain how stars in our solar system are born and how they evolve. Besides being fixed in an unusual rhythmic order, planets in this solar system are also off the expected course, as per scientists. The orbital motion of the system is in harmony, but the physical properties of all planets vary from planet to planet, which challenges the beliefs of scientists around solar systems. All planets have different densities. “It appears there is a planet as dense as the Earth right next to a very fluffy planet with half the density of Neptune, followed by a planet with the density of Neptune,” Nathan Hara from the Université de Genève, Switzerland, who was also involved in the study told The Independent. Also read: Scientists want to turn Mars green. How will they do it? "It is not what we are used to", Hara added. The solar system gives a sneak peek into the life of planets that are different from the planets in our solar system, researchers claimed in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Out of the six planets part of the solar system, all planets except one move in a rhythmic movement, resembling a dance of sorts. Also read: Netizens express delight as NASA shares image of neutron star They also have "resonant" movements, implying that patterns of movement are repeated as they move on the orbit. The resonance has been recorded before, especially in Jupiter's moons. But TOI-178 stands out for it represents a more complicated "chain of resonance".

Scientists discover solar system with planets in a strange 'rhythm'

With an average height of roughly 16 feet, giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. At about 6 feet long, their lanky legs and towering necks stand taller than most humans. Even the shortest giraffe is twice as tall as the average professional basketball player.

So when Michael Brown, a conservation science fellow with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and colleagues came across a Nubian giraffe in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park in 2015 that was just 9 feet, 4 inches tall, they did a double-take.

“The initial reaction was disbelief,” Brown said.

The neck on the giraffe — nicknamed Gimli — was characteristically long, but its legs were not. It looked like someone had put a giraffe’s head and neck on a horse’s body.

Then, just three years later, an 8-1/2-foot-tall Angolan giraffe — nicknamed Nigel — was found living on a private farm in central Namibia. After measuring and analyzing the dimensions of the two giraffes, the researchers could come up with only one explanation: dwarfism.

The condition, also known as skeletal dysplasia, affects bone growth, often resulting in short stature. Although it has been known to occur in humans and domestic animals like dogs, cows and pigs, dwarfism is rarely observed among wild animals, and this is the first time it has been found in giraffes.

The discovery, announced in an article published last month in the journal BMC Research Notes, has created a unique opportunity for scientists to study the effects of dwarfism on free-ranging wild animals.

When photos of the dwarves began circulating online, many people assumed the images had been manipulated.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” said David O’Connor, president of Save Giraffes Now and member of the IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group. “I thought it was photoshopped, to be honest.”

The researchers who discovered Gimli and Nigel photographed the creatures extensively and used digital photogrammetry techniques to measure the length of their appendages. After comparing the dimensions of the dwarf giraffes, both mature males, to those of similar age from the same populations, they found that the dwarves had much shorter legs; more specifically, they had much shorter radius and metacarpal bones.

More than half of wild giraffes die before reaching adulthood, so the fact that both Gimli and Nigel beat the odds suggests their dwarfism has not hindered their ability to survive. However, their height, or lack thereof, almost certainly makes many aspects of their lives difficult.

“It’s easy to imagine how this might make them more susceptible to predation since they lack the ability to effectively run and kick, which are two of the giraffe’s most effective anti-predator tactics,” Brown said. “Additionally, given the mechanics of giraffe mating, I’d speculate that for both of these giraffes, mating would be physically challenging.”

Even though female giraffes tend to be shorter than males, it would be nearly impossible for an 8- or 9-foot male to mount even the shortest female “unless they get a stepping stool,” O’Connor said.

The cause of this dwarfism remains a mystery. Although random mutations can give rise to the condition, dwarfism in captive animals has been associated with inbreeding and a lack of genetic diversity. Whether these factors influenced Gimli’s and Nigel’s dwarfism remains unclear.

The giraffe population that includes Gimli experienced a significant decline during the late 1980s that at one point diminished the total to just 78 animals. It now consists of more than 1,500 individuals. More research is needed to determine if a lack of genetic diversity caused Gimli’s condition.

Although scientists know very little about giraffes compared with other iconic animals, they do know that the towering mammals are in trouble. Habitat loss and poaching have reduced their numbers by an estimated 40% in the last 30 years, and some subspecies, including the Nubian giraffe, are now critically endangered. To combat this decline, Brown and other scientists have been surveying and monitoring as many wild giraffe populations as they can.

“Population surveys are a critical component of our mission to develop effective conservation strategies rooted in solid science,” Brown said.

Nigel was spotted during a foundation-led survey in July 2020, but Gimli has not been seen since March 2017. The researchers hope that both giraffes will show up again soon.

By monitoring them over the course of their lives, the scientists hope to “get some interesting stories and neat little wrinkles about how animals that have these types of conditions cope with changing environments,” Brown said.

With an average height of roughly 16 feet, giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. At about 6 feet long, their lanky legs and towering necks stand taller than most humans.

With an average height of roughly 16 feet, giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. At about 6 feet long, their lanky legs and towering necks stand taller than most humans. Even the shortest giraffe is twice as tall as the average professional basketball player. So when Michael Brown, a conservation science fellow with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and colleagues came across a Nubian giraffe in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park in 2015 that was just 9 feet, 4 inches tall, they did a double-take. “The initial reaction was disbelief,” Brown said. The neck on the giraffe — nicknamed Gimli — was characteristically long, but its legs were not. It looked like someone had put a giraffe’s head and neck on a horse’s body. Then, just three years later, an 8-1/2-foot-tall Angolan giraffe — nicknamed Nigel — was found living on a private farm in central Namibia. After measuring and analyzing the dimensions of the two giraffes, the researchers could come up with only one explanation: dwarfism. The condition, also known as skeletal dysplasia, affects bone growth, often resulting in short stature. Although it has been known to occur in humans and domestic animals like dogs, cows and pigs, dwarfism is rarely observed among wild animals, and this is the first time it has been found in giraffes. The discovery, announced in an article published last month in the journal BMC Research Notes, has created a unique opportunity for scientists to study the effects of dwarfism on free-ranging wild animals. When photos of the dwarves began circulating online, many people assumed the images had been manipulated. “I didn’t believe it at first,” said David O’Connor, president of Save Giraffes Now and member of the IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group. “I thought it was photoshopped, to be honest.” The researchers who discovered Gimli and Nigel photographed the creatures extensively and used digital photogrammetry techniques to measure the length of their appendages. After comparing the dimensions of the dwarf giraffes, both mature males, to those of similar age from the same populations, they found that the dwarves had much shorter legs; more specifically, they had much shorter radius and metacarpal bones. More than half of wild giraffes die before reaching adulthood, so the fact that both Gimli and Nigel beat the odds suggests their dwarfism has not hindered their ability to survive. However, their height, or lack thereof, almost certainly makes many aspects of their lives difficult. “It’s easy to imagine how this might make them more susceptible to predation since they lack the ability to effectively run and kick, which are two of the giraffe’s most effective anti-predator tactics,” Brown said. “Additionally, given the mechanics of giraffe mating, I’d speculate that for both of these giraffes, mating would be physically challenging.” Even though female giraffes tend to be shorter than males, it would be nearly impossible for an 8- or 9-foot male to mount even the shortest female “unless they get a stepping stool,” O’Connor said. The cause of this dwarfism remains a mystery. Although random mutations can give rise to the condition, dwarfism in captive animals has been associated with inbreeding and a lack of genetic diversity. Whether these factors influenced Gimli’s and Nigel’s dwarfism remains unclear. The giraffe population that includes Gimli experienced a significant decline during the late 1980s that at one point diminished the total to just 78 animals. It now consists of more than 1,500 individuals. More research is needed to determine if a lack of genetic diversity caused Gimli’s condition. Although scientists know very little about giraffes compared with other iconic animals, they do know that the towering mammals are in trouble. Habitat loss and poaching have reduced their numbers by an estimated 40% in the last 30 years, and some subspecies, including the Nubian giraffe, are now critically endangered. To combat this decline, Brown and other scientists have been surveying and monitoring as many wild giraffe populations as they can. “Population surveys are a critical component of our mission to develop effective conservation strategies rooted in solid science,” Brown said. Nigel was spotted during a foundation-led survey in July 2020, but Gimli has not been seen since March 2017. The researchers hope that both giraffes will show up again soon. By monitoring them over the course of their lives, the scientists hope to “get some interesting stories and neat little wrinkles about how animals that have these types of conditions cope with changing environments,” Brown said.

Dwarf giraffes discovery surprises scientists

A new draft policy on science and technology has proposed up to 25 percent lateral recruitment of scientists in related ministries.

The purpose is to attract domain experts who are needed in science-related ministries to handle issues related to emerging technologies and advancements, according to officials.

According to the draft Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) 2020, these could be scientists with domain expertise in different fields either from autonomous institutions or the private field.

“Lateral recruitment (minimum 25 percent) of professionals and subject matter experts will be mandated in all scientific ministries for a finite duration with comparable roles, responsibilities and empowerment to a regular official,” the draft policy states.

Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said experts are needed in ministries as science progresses and new technologies emerge.

“In scientific ministries and departments when scientists are recruited, over a period of time, they are not able to practise science. Many a time, there are expert groups from outside the ministry or department that are formed for a specific field depending on the need,” Sharma said.

The purpose behind the proposed lateral recruitment is to attract domain experts. "So, they can spend more time in the ministries/ departments and deal with subjects of their expertise,” Sharma said.

In science-related ministries and departments, the position for the top post is mostly advertised. However, if the draft policy is accepted, this can lead to the lateral entry of experts at the mid-level.

Currently, domain experts can apply for posts in autonomous institutions of the scientific ministries.

The DST, along with the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, started the process of formulating the STIP 2020 last year. The policy was to be out by the year-end but has been slightly delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The draft STIP has been uploaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on its website. The DST has also invited suggestions, inputs and comments for making changes by January 25.

Addressing reporters, Akhilesh Gupta, Head of the STIP Secretariat, said over 300 rounds of consultation took place while drafting the policy. More than one lakh emails were received during the drafting of the policy, he said.

“There was a wide range of consultation that has taken place. The youngest person was a 10-year-old and the oldest was an 85-year-old. &nbsp;We also took great care to have at least one-third women scientists in every consultation we organised,” Gupta added.

For the first time, the states as well the diaspora were consulted in making the science policy, he noted.

The entire process of drafting a policy was completed in a year, Gupta said.

A new draft policy on science and technology has proposed up to 25 percent lateral recruitment of scientists in related ministries. The purpose is to attract domain experts who are needed in science-related ministries to handle issues related to emerging technologies and advancements, according to officials.

A new draft policy on science and technology has proposed up to 25 percent lateral recruitment of scientists in related ministries. The purpose is to attract domain experts who are needed in science-related ministries to handle issues related to emerging technologies and advancements, according to officials. According to the draft Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) 2020, these could be scientists with domain expertise in different fields either from autonomous institutions or the private field. “Lateral recruitment (minimum 25 percent) of professionals and subject matter experts will be mandated in all scientific ministries for a finite duration with comparable roles, responsibilities and empowerment to a regular official,” the draft policy states. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said experts are needed in ministries as science progresses and new technologies emerge. “In scientific ministries and departments when scientists are recruited, over a period of time, they are not able to practise science. Many a time, there are expert groups from outside the ministry or department that are formed for a specific field depending on the need,” Sharma said. The purpose behind the proposed lateral recruitment is to attract domain experts. "So, they can spend more time in the ministries/ departments and deal with subjects of their expertise,” Sharma said. In science-related ministries and departments, the position for the top post is mostly advertised. However, if the draft policy is accepted, this can lead to the lateral entry of experts at the mid-level. Currently, domain experts can apply for posts in autonomous institutions of the scientific ministries. The DST, along with the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, started the process of formulating the STIP 2020 last year. The policy was to be out by the year-end but has been slightly delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The draft STIP has been uploaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on its website. The DST has also invited suggestions, inputs and comments for making changes by January 25. Addressing reporters, Akhilesh Gupta, Head of the STIP Secretariat, said over 300 rounds of consultation took place while drafting the policy. More than one lakh emails were received during the drafting of the policy, he said. “There was a wide range of consultation that has taken place. The youngest person was a 10-year-old and the oldest was an 85-year-old. We also took great care to have at least one-third women scientists in every consultation we organised,” Gupta added. For the first time, the states as well the diaspora were consulted in making the science policy, he noted. The entire process of drafting a policy was completed in a year, Gupta said.

Proposal for lateral entry of scientists in related ministries in the new science policy 

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?”

Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins. They even learned that most male ghost sharks have a retractable sex organ on their foreheads that resembles a medieval mace.

However, much remains to be learned about these strange creatures. Basic biological information, like how long they live and how often they reproduce, is lacking for most of the 52 known species. The absence of this key information makes it difficult for scientists to manage and monitor ghost shark populations, even as evidence mounts that some species may be at risk of extinction.

Scientists from the Shark Specialist Group, a division of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, recently assessed the extinction risk of all confirmed ghost-shark species and determined that 16% are “threatened” or “near threatened.” The assessment, which was published this month in the journal Fish and Fisheries, also found that 15% of ghost-shark species are so understudied that their extinction risk cannot be determined. Now experts are concerned that certain ghost-shark species might go extinct before scientists have a chance to study them.

Ghost sharks can be found in all of the world’s oceans, except the Arctic and the Antarctic. Most inhabit the deep sea, although a handful of species inhabit shallow coastal waters. Despite their name, ghost sharks are not true sharks, although they are closely related. Unlike their shark cousins, ghost sharks have long, thin tails and large, continuously growing tooth plates that give them a ratlike appearance. Some have long skinny snouts while others sport plow-shaped ones that they use to probe seafloor sediment in search of food.

“They’ve got a face only a mother or a researcher could love,” said David Ebert, director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California and co-author of the assessment.

Nearly half the species known to science were discovered only during the past two decades. “We’re just now starting to figure out that there are a lot more of these things around than we realized previously,” said Ebert, whose lab has been credited with the discovery of 11 of the 52 known ghost-shark species.

Ebert is one of only a handful of scientists studying ghost sharks. Securing funding to study them has long been a challenge for scientists.

“Chimaeras don’t have much value commercially, so there’s not a lot of interest in getting more information about them,” said Brit Finucci, fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand and lead author of the assessment. “They’re also quite cryptic, so they’re hard to find and hard to study.”

Several species of ghost shark, including the Bahamas ghost shark, are known from only one specimen.

Ghost sharks are primarily caught as bycatch. While their meat is edible, the majority of their commercial value comes from their livers, which contain an oil known as squalene that is used in a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Although they are harvested and sold all over the world, 90% of ghost-shark species are unmanaged, according to the IUCN assessment. This means that those who catch these species are not subject to limits and are not obligated to share data about their catch.

If fishing fleets continue venturing farther into the deep sea, experts fear, some species of ghost shark could disappear before scientists even notice that they are in trouble.

“How can we start to wrap our head around keeping them from going extinct if we don’t know anything about them?” said Dominique Didier, an ichthyologist at Millersville University in Pennsylvania.

In order to prevent ghost-shark extinctions from occurring unnoticed, the authors argue, more scientists need to study ghost sharks, and marine authorities need to exercise more oversight and management of ghost-shark fisheries around the world.

“We shouldn’t be waiting,” Finucci said. “Even though these animals are assessed with a lesser risk of extinction, we shouldn’t wait until they are actually a threatened species before we start studying them.”

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?” Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins.

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?” Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins. They even learned that most male ghost sharks have a retractable sex organ on their foreheads that resembles a medieval mace. However, much remains to be learned about these strange creatures. Basic biological information, like how long they live and how often they reproduce, is lacking for most of the 52 known species. The absence of this key information makes it difficult for scientists to manage and monitor ghost shark populations, even as evidence mounts that some species may be at risk of extinction. Scientists from the Shark Specialist Group, a division of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, recently assessed the extinction risk of all confirmed ghost-shark species and determined that 16% are “threatened” or “near threatened.” The assessment, which was published this month in the journal Fish and Fisheries, also found that 15% of ghost-shark species are so understudied that their extinction risk cannot be determined. Now experts are concerned that certain ghost-shark species might go extinct before scientists have a chance to study them. Ghost sharks can be found in all of the world’s oceans, except the Arctic and the Antarctic. Most inhabit the deep sea, although a handful of species inhabit shallow coastal waters. Despite their name, ghost sharks are not true sharks, although they are closely related. Unlike their shark cousins, ghost sharks have long, thin tails and large, continuously growing tooth plates that give them a ratlike appearance. Some have long skinny snouts while others sport plow-shaped ones that they use to probe seafloor sediment in search of food. “They’ve got a face only a mother or a researcher could love,” said David Ebert, director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California and co-author of the assessment. Nearly half the species known to science were discovered only during the past two decades. “We’re just now starting to figure out that there are a lot more of these things around than we realized previously,” said Ebert, whose lab has been credited with the discovery of 11 of the 52 known ghost-shark species. Ebert is one of only a handful of scientists studying ghost sharks. Securing funding to study them has long been a challenge for scientists. “Chimaeras don’t have much value commercially, so there’s not a lot of interest in getting more information about them,” said Brit Finucci, fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand and lead author of the assessment. “They’re also quite cryptic, so they’re hard to find and hard to study.” Several species of ghost shark, including the Bahamas ghost shark, are known from only one specimen. Ghost sharks are primarily caught as bycatch. While their meat is edible, the majority of their commercial value comes from their livers, which contain an oil known as squalene that is used in a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Although they are harvested and sold all over the world, 90% of ghost-shark species are unmanaged, according to the IUCN assessment. This means that those who catch these species are not subject to limits and are not obligated to share data about their catch. If fishing fleets continue venturing farther into the deep sea, experts fear, some species of ghost shark could disappear before scientists even notice that they are in trouble. “How can we start to wrap our head around keeping them from going extinct if we don’t know anything about them?” said Dominique Didier, an ichthyologist at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. In order to prevent ghost-shark extinctions from occurring unnoticed, the authors argue, more scientists need to study ghost sharks, and marine authorities need to exercise more oversight and management of ghost-shark fisheries around the world. “We shouldn’t be waiting,” Finucci said. “Even though these animals are assessed with a lesser risk of extinction, we shouldn’t wait until they are actually a threatened species before we start studying them.”

Will ghost sharks vanish before scientists can study them?

Thai researchers have unearthed a partially fossilised, rare skeleton of Bryde whale. The skeleton is believed to be around 5000 years old. It was found at an inland site west of Bangkok. A cyclist found the 12.5 metre long skeleton. The vertebrae were exposed from the ground. The discovery was made in early November. Excavation is going on since.

"This whale skeleton is thought to be the only one in Asia," said Pannipa Saetian, a geologist in the Fossil Protection division of the Department of Mineral Resources.

"It’s very rare to find such a discovery in near-perfect condition," said Pannipa, estimating that about 90% of the whale's skeleton had been recovered.

"Yesterday we found the right shoulder and fin," she said, noting that about 36 backbone pieces had been unearthed.

The bones needed to be carbon-dated in order to determine the exact age of the skeleton, she said.

Once the painstaking process of cleaning and preserving the fragile skeleton is complete it will be exhibited.

Scientists hope the skeleton will provide more information to aid research into Bryde's whale populations existing today as well as the geological conditions at the time.

Bryde's whales, sometimes known as tropical whales for their preference for warmer waters, are found in coastal waters in parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, including in the Gulf of Thailand.

(With Reuters inputs)

Thai researchers have unearthed a partially fossilised, rare skeleton of Bryde whale. The skeleton is believed to be around 5000 years old. It was found at an inland site west of Bangkok.

Thai researchers have unearthed a partially fossilised, rare skeleton of Bryde whale. The skeleton is believed to be around 5000 years old. It was found at an inland site west of Bangkok. A cyclist found the 12.5 metre long skeleton. The vertebrae were exposed from the ground. The discovery was made in early November. Excavation is going on since. "This whale skeleton is thought to be the only one in Asia," said Pannipa Saetian, a geologist in the Fossil Protection division of the Department of Mineral Resources. "It’s very rare to find such a discovery in near-perfect condition," said Pannipa, estimating that about 90% of the whale's skeleton had been recovered. "Yesterday we found the right shoulder and fin," she said, noting that about 36 backbone pieces had been unearthed. The bones needed to be carbon-dated in order to determine the exact age of the skeleton, she said. Once the painstaking process of cleaning and preserving the fragile skeleton is complete it will be exhibited. Scientists hope the skeleton will provide more information to aid research into Bryde's whale populations existing today as well as the geological conditions at the time. Bryde's whales, sometimes known as tropical whales for their preference for warmer waters, are found in coastal waters in parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, including in the Gulf of Thailand. (With Reuters inputs)

Thai researchers excavate rare whale skeleton

Scientists have found a really unexpected Molecule in Titan’s atmosphere that has never been detected in any other atmosphere.

The particle is called cyclopropenylidene, or C3H2, and it's made of carbon and hydrogen.

“When I realized I was looking at cyclopropenylidene, my first thought was, ‘Well, this is really unexpected,’” said Conor Nixon, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who led the ALMA search. His team’s findings were published on October 15 in the Astronomical Journal.

It's so rare that it has never before been detected in an atmosphere, in the Solar System or elsewhere. The only other place it can remain stable is the cold void of interstellar space.

The largest of Saturn’s 62 moons, Titan is an intriguing world that’s in some ways the most similar one to Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have found a really unexpected Molecule in Titan’s atmosphere that has never been detected in any other atmosphere. The particle is called cyclopropenylidene, or C3H2, and it's made of carbon and hydrogen.

Scientists have found a really unexpected Molecule in Titan’s atmosphere that has never been detected in any other atmosphere. The particle is called cyclopropenylidene, or C3H2, and it's made of carbon and hydrogen. “When I realized I was looking at cyclopropenylidene, my first thought was, ‘Well, this is really unexpected,’” said Conor Nixon, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who led the ALMA search. His team’s findings were published on October 15 in the Astronomical Journal. It's so rare that it has never before been detected in an atmosphere, in the Solar System or elsewhere. The only other place it can remain stable is the cold void of interstellar space. The largest of Saturn’s 62 moons, Titan is an intriguing world that’s in some ways the most similar one to Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists found unexpected molecule in atmosphere of Saturn’s largest moon

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin.

“I’d personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue,” said Sergei Ryzhikov, the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October.&nbsp;

The space mission of the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which will leave for the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in October, will last 177 days, Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, the head of the crew, said on Thursday, though Roscosmos has said that the mission will last 186 days.

"According to the current plan, the duration of our expedition is 177 days. We are expected to return back [on Earth] on April 9 next year if nothing changes," Ryzhikov said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, More than 60 percent of Russian citizens are not ready to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus to be able to go abroad if vaccination becomes a mandatory condition for travel, according to the results of a recent poll by the travel service website, Tutu.ru.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin.

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin. “I’d personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue,” said Sergei Ryzhikov, the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October. The space mission of the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which will leave for the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in October, will last 177 days, Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, the head of the crew, said on Thursday, though Roscosmos has said that the mission will last 186 days. "According to the current plan, the duration of our expedition is 177 days. We are expected to return back [on Earth] on April 9 next year if nothing changes," Ryzhikov said at a press conference. Meanwhile, More than 60 percent of Russian citizens are not ready to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus to be able to go abroad if vaccination becomes a mandatory condition for travel, according to the results of a recent poll by the travel service website, Tutu.ru. (With inputs from agencies)

Cosmonauts say not ready to try Russia’s virus vaccine

A team of paleontologists have discovered what they believe is the world's oldest animal sperm, frozen inside a tiny crustacean in a blob of tree resin in Myanmar 100 million years ago.

The oldest known examples of fossilised animal sperm were previously a mere 17 million years old, according to the team of experts led by Wang He of the Chinese Academy of Science in Nanjing.

The sperms were found inside an ostracod, a kind of crustacean that has existed for 500 million years and can be found in many oceans today, they said in a paper published Wednesday in the prestigious Royal Society's Proceedings journal.

They were found in the body of a female specimen, indicating that she must have been fertilised shortly before being trapped in amber, the experts said.

To make the find even more special, the sperms were also described as "giants", measuring up to 4.6 times the size of the body of the male.

"This is equivalent to about 7.30 metres in a 1.70-metre human, so it requires a lot of energy to produce them," Renate Matzke-Karasz of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, co-author of the study, told AFP.

The ostracod was also a new species that the scientists have named "Myanmarcypris hui".

Quality over quantity

Fossilised shells of ostracods are common but finding a specimen with "soft parts" is rare, the experts said.

During the Cretaceous period (around 145 to 66 million years ago), the ostracods in question probably lived in the coastal waters of present-day Myanmar where they became trapped in a blob of tree resin.

Most males in the animal world (including humans) generally produce tens of millions of tiny sperm cells, but for ostracods, it's all about quality over quantity. 
There are several conflicting theories about the evolutionary value of such giant sperms.

"For example, experiments have shown that in one group, a high degree of competition between males can lead to a longer sperm life, while in another group, a low degree of competition also led to a longer sperm life," said Matzke-Karasz.

This discovery shows "that reproduction with giant sperm is not an evolutionary extravagance on the brink of extinction, but a serious long-term advantage for the survival of a species," Matzke-Karasz concluded.

A team of paleontologists have discovered what they believe is the world's oldest animal sperm, frozen inside a tiny crustacean in a blob of tree resin in Myanmar 100 million years ago.

A team of paleontologists have discovered what they believe is the world's oldest animal sperm, frozen inside a tiny crustacean in a blob of tree resin in Myanmar 100 million years ago. The oldest known examples of fossilised animal sperm were previously a mere 17 million years old, according to the team of experts led by Wang He of the Chinese Academy of Science in Nanjing. The sperms were found inside an ostracod, a kind of crustacean that has existed for 500 million years and can be found in many oceans today, they said in a paper published Wednesday in the prestigious Royal Society's Proceedings journal. They were found in the body of a female specimen, indicating that she must have been fertilised shortly before being trapped in amber, the experts said. To make the find even more special, the sperms were also described as "giants", measuring up to 4.6 times the size of the body of the male. "This is equivalent to about 7.30 metres in a 1.70-metre human, so it requires a lot of energy to produce them," Renate Matzke-Karasz of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, co-author of the study, told AFP. The ostracod was also a new species that the scientists have named "Myanmarcypris hui". Quality over quantity Fossilised shells of ostracods are common but finding a specimen with "soft parts" is rare, the experts said. During the Cretaceous period (around 145 to 66 million years ago), the ostracods in question probably lived in the coastal waters of present-day Myanmar where they became trapped in a blob of tree resin. Most males in the animal world (including humans) generally produce tens of millions of tiny sperm cells, but for ostracods, it's all about quality over quantity. There are several conflicting theories about the evolutionary value of such giant sperms. "For example, experiments have shown that in one group, a high degree of competition between males can lead to a longer sperm life, while in another group, a low degree of competition also led to a longer sperm life," said Matzke-Karasz. This discovery shows "that reproduction with giant sperm is not an evolutionary extravagance on the brink of extinction, but a serious long-term advantage for the survival of a species," Matzke-Karasz concluded.

Scientists find world's oldest sperm in Myanmar amber

Twenty-six scientists, most of them working at universities in Italy, have signed an open letter questioning the reliability of the data presented in the early-stage trial results of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, named "Sputnik-V".

Addressing the editor of The Lancet, the international peer-reviewed medical journal in which Moscow's Gamaleya Institute published its early-stage trial results, the scientists said they saw patterns in the data that looked "highly unlikely".

The letter, published on the personal blog page of one of the signatories, said the Phase I/II trial results data showed multiple participants reporting identical antibody levels.

"On the ground of simple probabilistic evaluations the fact of observing so many data points preserved among different experiments is highly unlikely," the open letter said.

However, the scientists said they were basing their conclusions on summaries of the Russian trial result data, published in the journal, rather than the original data itself.

"In lack of the original numerical data, no conclusions can be definitively drawn on the reliability of the data presented, especially regarding the apparent duplications detected," the letter said.

The Gamaleya Institute, which developed the vaccine, rejected the critique.

"The published results are authentic and accurate and were examined by five reviewers at The Lancet," Denis Logunov, a deputy director at the institute, said in a statement.

He said his institute submitted the entire body of raw data on the trial results to The Lancet.

"We presented specifically the data that was produced (by the trial), not the data that is supposed to please Italian experts," Logunov said.

Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who peer reviewed the Russian data, defended his analysis of the research.

"Science must maintain a balance between incredulity, skepticism and trust. That trust is borne out through plausibility, repeatability and falsifiability."

"The results are plausible, and not very different to those seen with other AdV vectored products," he said.

The researchers had provided more detail than was needed for the review and responded to his questions "intelligently and in a matter-of-fact and confident but understated manner".

"Bottom line, I saw no reason to doubt the legitimacy of these results over others I have read and reviewed. But of course one can never know," he said in an email.

A spokeswoman for the Lancet said the journal had invited the study's authors to respond to the questions raised in the open letter. It was following the situation closely, she said.

Russia published results on Friday of its Phase I/II trial, which included 76 participants and was conducted in June-July this year. Participants developed a positive immune response and no serious side effects, the study's authors said.

A Phase III trial, involving 40,000 participants, was launched on Aug. 26. Around 31,000 people have already subscribed to take part, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.

Twenty-six scientists, most of them working at universities in Italy, have signed an open letter questioning the reliability of the data presented in the early-stage trial results of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, named "Sputnik-V".

Twenty-six scientists, most of them working at universities in Italy, have signed an open letter questioning the reliability of the data presented in the early-stage trial results of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, named "Sputnik-V". Addressing the editor of The Lancet, the international peer-reviewed medical journal in which Moscow's Gamaleya Institute published its early-stage trial results, the scientists said they saw patterns in the data that looked "highly unlikely". The letter, published on the personal blog page of one of the signatories, said the Phase I/II trial results data showed multiple participants reporting identical antibody levels. "On the ground of simple probabilistic evaluations the fact of observing so many data points preserved among different experiments is highly unlikely," the open letter said. However, the scientists said they were basing their conclusions on summaries of the Russian trial result data, published in the journal, rather than the original data itself. "In lack of the original numerical data, no conclusions can be definitively drawn on the reliability of the data presented, especially regarding the apparent duplications detected," the letter said. The Gamaleya Institute, which developed the vaccine, rejected the critique. "The published results are authentic and accurate and were examined by five reviewers at The Lancet," Denis Logunov, a deputy director at the institute, said in a statement. He said his institute submitted the entire body of raw data on the trial results to The Lancet. "We presented specifically the data that was produced (by the trial), not the data that is supposed to please Italian experts," Logunov said. Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who peer reviewed the Russian data, defended his analysis of the research. "Science must maintain a balance between incredulity, skepticism and trust. That trust is borne out through plausibility, repeatability and falsifiability." "The results are plausible, and not very different to those seen with other AdV vectored products," he said. The researchers had provided more detail than was needed for the review and responded to his questions "intelligently and in a matter-of-fact and confident but understated manner". "Bottom line, I saw no reason to doubt the legitimacy of these results over others I have read and reviewed. But of course one can never know," he said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Lancet said the journal had invited the study's authors to respond to the questions raised in the open letter. It was following the situation closely, she said. Russia published results on Friday of its Phase I/II trial, which included 76 participants and was conducted in June-July this year. Participants developed a positive immune response and no serious side effects, the study's authors said. A Phase III trial, involving 40,000 participants, was launched on Aug. 26. Around 31,000 people have already subscribed to take part, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.

‘Unlikely patterns in Russia vaccine data’: 26 scientists warn in open letter

Were you hopeful of finding aliens in 2020, in light of all the uncanny stuff that has happened this year? Prepare to be disappointed.

Scientists recently scanned a large swathe of the universe, which spanned over 10 million stars, but did not find any signs of alien technology.

No signals

Published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia on Monday, the study says that scientists used the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) which is a collection of 4096 antennas to detect radio signals from space.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/the-earth-is-contributing-towards-rust-on-the-moon-325381" hreflang="en">The Earth is contributing towards rust on the Moon</a>

"They are little spider-like antennas that sit on the ground," Chenoa Tremblay, who works at CSIRO, Australia’s space research organisation told CNET.

The scientists looked for “techno signatures” which would imply the existence of alien technology in the area surrounding the Vela constellation but found nothing.

They chose this area because a lot of stars in this region had exploded and died, creating conditions for new stars, and possibly new lifeforms to flourish.

17 hours of Vela

No unknown or alien signals were detected in the region after scientists spent 17 hours listening to the Vela region.

The survey scanned over 10.3 million stars.&nbsp; However, this runs on an inherently flawed assumption: that alien civilisations use the same technology as us.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-detect-mysterious-intermediate-mass-black-hole-324807" hreflang="en">Scientists detect mysterious 'intermediate mass' black hole</a>

One of the scientists noted that other forms of life nearby may not be using radio signals to communicate with each other, which is perhaps why nothing was recorded in their journey.

The researchers are hence going beyond radio signals, examining simple molecules of life, and ways to detect them. The ability to trace such molecules may signal existence of alien life.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-detect-most-powerful-black-hole-explosion-ever-324893" hreflang="en">Astronomers detect most powerful black hole explosion ever</a>

On September 2, another group of researchers published a research which could help find intelligent life in the Milky Way. Scientists from the University of Manchester and the Breakthrough Listen collaboration took into account existing data on radio transmissions coming from within our galaxy. They placed new constraints on such transmissions, which could help scientists find out where to exactly listen in for more signals.

Their data showed that less than 0.04 per cent of stars could be hosting alien life which is detectable by our technology.

Were you hopeful of finding aliens in 2020, in light of all the uncanny stuff that has happened this year? Prepare to be disappointed. Scientists recently scanned a large swathe of the universe, which spanned over 10 million stars, but did not find any signs of alien technology.

Were you hopeful of finding aliens in 2020, in light of all the uncanny stuff that has happened this year? Prepare to be disappointed. Scientists recently scanned a large swathe of the universe, which spanned over 10 million stars, but did not find any signs of alien technology. No signals Published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia on Monday, the study says that scientists used the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) which is a collection of 4096 antennas to detect radio signals from space. Also read: The Earth is contributing towards rust on the Moon "They are little spider-like antennas that sit on the ground," Chenoa Tremblay, who works at CSIRO, Australia’s space research organisation told CNET. The scientists looked for “techno signatures” which would imply the existence of alien technology in the area surrounding the Vela constellation but found nothing. They chose this area because a lot of stars in this region had exploded and died, creating conditions for new stars, and possibly new lifeforms to flourish. 17 hours of Vela No unknown or alien signals were detected in the region after scientists spent 17 hours listening to the Vela region. The survey scanned over 10.3 million stars. However, this runs on an inherently flawed assumption: that alien civilisations use the same technology as us. Also read: Scientists detect mysterious 'intermediate mass' black hole One of the scientists noted that other forms of life nearby may not be using radio signals to communicate with each other, which is perhaps why nothing was recorded in their journey. The researchers are hence going beyond radio signals, examining simple molecules of life, and ways to detect them. The ability to trace such molecules may signal existence of alien life. Also read: Astronomers detect most powerful black hole explosion ever On September 2, another group of researchers published a research which could help find intelligent life in the Milky Way. Scientists from the University of Manchester and the Breakthrough Listen collaboration took into account existing data on radio transmissions coming from within our galaxy. They placed new constraints on such transmissions, which could help scientists find out where to exactly listen in for more signals. Their data showed that less than 0.04 per cent of stars could be hosting alien life which is detectable by our technology.

Scientists recently scanned 10 million stars for alien technology, what did they find?

scientists

Scientists, News on Scientists, stories on Scientists, articles on Scientists, Scientists stories at Wion, Scientists news, Scientists latest news