Articles by Diane Samson
Sharp Rise In Fentanyl Deaths Shows Opioid Crisis Far From Over
There has been an exponential increase in the rate of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl. In a new report, the CDC revealed that the number of lives claimed by the synthetic opioid has doubled every year since 2013.
Boeing Pushes Back Test Flights For NASA Human Spaceflight Program Till Later This Year
Boeing CST-100 Starliner's first uncrewed flight was moved to a later date, according to industry insiders. Instead of an April launch, the spacecraft's orbital flight test has been delayed for at least three months.
CDC Study Says Most HIV Infections Are Transmitted By Undiagnosed Individuals
Eight in 10 new HIV infections were transmitted by people who do not receive the care they need to suppress the virus. The CDC launched an initiative to reduce new infections and keep those who are infected in treatment.
Mathematicians Crack Code To Human Sperm Swimming Speed And Strength
New research found that the human sperm has a reinforced tail that gives it the strength and stability to break through the cervical mucus. The findings could aid IVF clinics to develop a better sperm-selection method.
Doctors May Soon Be Prescribing Veggies Instead Of Drugs
Researchers found that insurance-coverage of healthy food could improve the health of beneficiaries and reduce healthcare utilization. It also found that encouraging a healthy diet is more cost-effective than purchasing medicine for chronic illnesses.
Scientists Use Light To Levitate Objects
A spaceship that can cross interstellar space without the need to carry a large amount of fuel? Researchers from Caltech have designed a method that can levitate and propel massive objects to distant locations using only light waves.
Founder Of Modern Geometric Analysis Karen Uhlenbeck Honored With Abel Prize
Karen Uhlenbeck, an American mathematician, was named the 2019 Abel Prize winner. She is the first woman to receive the prestigious award that is regarded as the Nobel Prize of mathematics.
Start-Up Creates Smart Lighter To Help People Stop Smoking
A Lebanese start-up created a smart lighter that promises to help smokers reduce cigarette consumption and eventually quit smoking. The device called Slighter creates a personalized plan based on the user's smoking habits.
Colon Cancer Becoming More Common In Young Adults
Colon Cancer risk among younger adults has increased over the years. Experts believe that unhealthy food consumption and a sedentary lifestyle might be some of the factors contributing to the alarming trend.
Scientists Detect 'Mini-Tremors' On Mars
NASA's InSight lander has detected microseisms, or continuous and ubiquitous tremors, on Mars. The faint humming was discovered in February, a few months after the lander had arrived on the Red Planet.
Superbugs On Space Station Helped Scientists Test Bug Killing Self-Regenerating Surface Coating
A coating called AGXX has been proven effective at killing bacteria in the International Space Station. Researchers said that the coating can be used in future missions to protect astronauts from infection while they journey into deep space.
Chewing Sounds Can Set Off People Suffering From Misophonia
Some people are driven crazy by the sound of a normal activity such as eating or breathing. The condition called misophonia can trigger an intense physical and emotional reaction.
Massive Painted Lady Butterfly Migration Leaves California Residents In Awe
Residents of Southern California were surprised to witness millions of painted lady butterflies migrating to the north. Experts explained that the increased rainfall in the desert fueled the large swarms this year.
Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Replacement Could Lead To Drop In Cardiac Surgery
According to a new study, TAVR might be superior to open-heart surgery even among patients with low operational risks. The researchers found that the rate of death, stroke, and rehospitalization is lower among those who had the minimally invasive procedure.
Scientists Report Record Performance With Affordable Semiconductors
Researchers developed a method to accurately measure the efficiency of quantum dots. The effort hopes to remove any doubts over the particles' performance and make them cheaper alternatives to single-crystal semiconductors.
NASA Is Considering Flying Commercial Space Flights Signaling Shift In Space Industry
NASA might have to change the way it conducts its deep space mission to make next year's Orion uncrewed flight around the Moon possible. The space agency might use a commercial rocket to launch the spacecraft.
Medications And Surgery For Atrial Fibrillation Similarly Effective Says Study
Researchers found that catheter fibrillation, an invasive procedure, significantly improves a patient's quality of life. However, when it comes to preventing stroke and cardiac failure, it is not more effective than drug therapy.
Dementia Related Deaths In US Have Doubled In Recent Years Says CDC Report
Researchers found that the number of deaths associated with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia significantly rose between 2000 and 2017. Last year, over 200,000 people in the United States died because of the neurodegenerative disease.
Archaeologists And Biologists Join Forces To Investigate Sea Otter Tools
A team of researchers observed sea otters in California over a decade to investigate how the sea mammals use stone tools to crack open their meals. One of their findings claimed that sea otters might be right-handed.
Anti-Vax Parents Want Kids Back In School But Judge Disagrees
A federal judge refused the appeal of parents to allow their unvaccinated children back to school in Rockland County. The decision was a response to the current measles outbreak, which has already reached 147 confirmed cases.
Fossils From Hunter-Gatherers Shed New Light On Genetic History Of The Iberian Peninsula
Researchers analyzed the DNA from ancient Iberian individuals to create the most extensive genetic record of the region to date. A paper revealed that the last hunter-gatherer group that survived in the region was more diverse than originally thought.
Gathering Of Top Experts Urge Moratorium On Gene-Editing Experiments Involving Babies
Two of the principal inventors of the CRISPR system signed a new moratorium on germline editing. The move was a direct response to a controversial experiment by Jiankui He in China four months ago.
Researchers Use Quantum Computer To 'Reverse' Time
Researchers claimed that they have successfully turned back time using quantum computers. In an experiment, the team successfully return qubits from their complex chaotic patterns into its original orderly form.
Waterfall That 'Creates' Itself Could Rewrite Geological History Of Earth
Scientists simulated a river in a lab and were able to create a small waterfall, proving that it does not need an external force to form. The findings challenge the perception that waterfalls tell the geologic history of Earth.
SpaceX May Be Likeliest Contender To Win Moon Rocket Contract
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said that the space agency is considering the use of a commercial rocket to launch the Orion crew capsule next year. He told a Senate committee that the SLS will not be ready by June 2020.
NASA Unveils Opportunity Rover's Last Set Of Photos
Mars Opportunity might have perished in a planet-wide dust storm in June, but it continues to provide data about the Red Planet to NASA. The space agency published one of the final photos they received from the 15-year-old rover.
NASA Wants To Open 50-Year-Old Moon Samples From Apollo Missions
NASA is opening lunar samples for the first time since the Apollo program ended nearly 50 years ago. Two teams of scientists were granted permission to study the samples in preparation for the space agency's planned return to the moon.
Health Officials Warn LAX Travelers Of Possible Measles Exposure
A passenger who tested positive for measles had a layover at LAX on Feb. 21. Public health officials warned those who were in the area last month might have been exposed to the contagious disease.
Astronomers Find Dust Ring Floating Around Mercury's Orbit
A pair of solar scientists found Mercury's dust ring while searching for the dust-free region around the sun. The study could aid scientists to understand how planets formed in the solar system billions of years ago.
'Earthie' Plushie Toy Sold Out After Making Waves Onboard The ISS
SpaceX's 'super high tech zero-g indicator' plushie has sold out, according to its maker Celestial Buddies. The company promised that the famous toy will go back in stock in April.
