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New Study: Gene Therapy Can Effectively Eliminate HIV Infection

Lead Image: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight off infections and diseases. HIV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact, sharing of needles, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. If left untreated, HIV can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can be fatal. Researchers from Temple University and UNMC collaborate in a study recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Gene-editing therapy targeting both HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS, and CCR5, the co-receptor assisting viral entry…

Astronomers Witness a Star Devouring a Planet – “We Are Seeing the Future of the Earth”

This artist’s impression shows a doomed planet skimming the surface of its star. Astronomers used a combination of telescopes to spot the first direct evidence of an aging, bloated sun-like star, like the one pictured here, engulfing its planet. These telescopes included the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, the W.M. Keck Observatory, and NASA’s NEOWISE mission. Credit: Image: K. Miller/R. Hurt (Caltech/IPAC) Earth will meet a similar fate in 5 billion years. As a star runs out of fuel, it will billow out to a million times its original size, engulfing any matter — and planets —…

Nanoscale Changes Reveal Clues To Boost Solid-State Battery Performance

Lead Image: An international research team discovered nanoscale changes in solid-state batteries that could lead to improved performance. They identified high-frequency vibrations at the electrolyte-electrode interface that hinder lithium ion movement, potentially paving the way for new strategies to enhance ionic conductivity. A global team of scientists, including nanoengineers from the University of California San Diego, has discovered nanoscale changes within solid-state batteries that could provide new insight into enhancing battery efficiency. By utilizing computer simulations and X-ray experiments, the researchers were able to “see” in detail why lithium ions move at a slow pace within a solid electrolyte, particularly…

The Great Coral Divide: Atlantic Reefs Are Struggling and Indo-Pacific Reefs Aren’t

Corals in the Indo-Pacific may be more resilient to climate change than those in the Atlantic, according to a new study describing multiple species of thermally tolerant algal symbionts that enable corals to acquire energy from sunlight. Credit: Allison Lewis In a study exploring the various species of algal symbionts associated with reef corals throughout the Indo-Pacific region, researchers discovered a high degree of flexibility in these relationships. This flexibility may enhance these coral systems’ long-term resilience to climate change’s impacts. Facing the effects of global warming and other environmental shifts, corals in the Atlantic Ocean have experienced a sharp…

Scientists Discover a Teeming World of Life at the Ice Cap

Lead Image: Danish researchers have found more than 4,000 different species of microorganisms in melt holes in the ice like these. Credit: Laura Halbach Greenland’s ice is abundant with life, both above and below its surface. Until recently, science was unaware of the existence of certain microscopic organisms living there. Recent findings even suggest that these tiny creatures are responsible for adding color to the ice and accelerating its melting process. The Greenland glaciers are widely considered as ice deserts, where life is scarce due to the extreme conditions. With the lack of plants and only a limited number of…