Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly six months now. And according to the latest reports, they along with other members of the ISS are gearing up to celebrate Thanksgiving (usually a family-focussed holiday) in space this year. As Williams shared in a recent interview, they will enjoy a sumptuous meal consisting of cranberry sauce, apple cobbler, green beans, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes among other dishes. Also, she will be tuning in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Notably, NASA recently released a Thanksgiving message video from the Space Station astronauts. It states that "Suni Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit are living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory. The goal of their mission is to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program."
NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, Don Pettit and Nick Hague sent a joyful Thanksgiving message from the International Space Station, as they geared up for a zero-gravity feast pic.twitter.com/lxdv2IH4Yt
— Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) November 27, 2024
(Credit: Reuters Science News)
Researchers from the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), in collaboration with INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship and WISE Kiran Fellowship of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have examined the role of nanozymes (a type of artificial enzymes) in biological environments and their role beyond small molecule substrates. According to them, nanozymes can be used as catalysts to transform biomaterials for their futuristic use in medicinal and biomedical applications. The findings have been published in the journal, Chemical Science (of the Royal Society of Chemistry).
They are also trying to develop advanced artificial enzymes to overcome the challenges regarding the selectivity, specificity, and efficiency of existing artificial enzymes. Also, they have shown that manganese-based oxidase nanozyme (MnN), when combined with an oxidase nanozyme, can activate collagen and promote the covalent crosslinking of its tyrosine residues.
Aditya-L1 - a coronagraphy spacecraft for studying the solar atmosphere - was launched earlier this year by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Well, scientists have reported its first observations, which could safeguard Earth’s infrastructure from future solar activities. Thanks to the data captured by its Visible Emission Line Coronagraph, or Velc, scientists can estimate the beginning time of a coronal mass ejection (CME), which refers to the explosive burst of charged particles from the Sun. With this, it would be easier to safeguard power grids, satellites, and communication systems.
A CME, made up of charged particles, could weigh up to a trillion kilograms and can attain a speed of up to 3,000km (1,864 miles) per second while traveling.
Researchers have come up with a novel mRNA-based therapy that may help prevent symptoms (including blindness) of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (PVR) without surgery. The findings have been published in the journal, Science Translational Medicine.
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is a serious scar tissue that occurs inside the eyes, as a complication of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Currently, there's no treatment for the same apart from surgery (which itself is highly risky). However, using cell-based, tissue-based, and preclinical models of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and abnormal blood vessel growth, researchers have found that mRNA-based therapeutics could help treat PVR without causing any side effects (particularly inflammation). And it may have implications in other aspects of medical science as well.
