Articles by Ted Ranosa
Takeda Gets $312 Million US Government Funding To Develop Zika Vaccine
Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical is set to receive an initial $20 million funding from the U.S. government to develop a vaccine for Zika. If the vaccine proves successful, the company could receive up to $312 million to manufacture the drug.
2 Billion People In Asia, Africa At Risk Of Zika: Study
Researchers estimate that as many as 2.6 billion people in Asian and African countries are at risk of Zika outbreaks. This is based on an analysis of travel, climate and mosquito patterns related to ongoing transmissions of the virus.
Scientists Spot Possible Giant Ice Volcano On Dwarf Planet Ceres
Researchers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center have spotted a potential ice volcano on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres. The massive rupture measures at about 2.5 miles tall, which is about half the size of Mount Everest.
Watch Video Of SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Explosion: What Are The Implications Of This Unfortunate Event On Space Industry?
A Falcon 9 rocket scheduled for a test fire at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida suddenly exploded on Thursday, Sept. 1. The spacecraft was supposed to launch a communications satellite into orbit intended to be used by Facebook.
Scientists Find Strong Link Between Zika And Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Researchers from the Pan American Health Organization have found a strong connection between the Zika outbreaks and increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome. In some Zika-affected countries, rates of temporarily paralyzed patients rose by as much as 877 percent.
More American Adults Using Marijuana Than Ever: Study
An increasing number of adults in the United States are using marijuana over the past few years, a new study says. This trend coincides with a decrease in people's perception of how harmful the drug could be to their health.
FDA Issues Warning Against Mixing Opioids With Anxiety Meds
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered the adding of black box warning labels on benzodiazepines and narcotic pain relievers. This is to inform consumers about the dangers of using the drug classes in combination with opioid medications.
New Drug Shows Promise In Stopping Alzheimer's From Developing
An experimental drug developed by pharma company Biogen has the ability to breakdown plaque deposits and remove them from the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers believe this could lead to the development of an effective treatment for the brain disorder.
UK, Australia Issue Travel Advisories For Singapore After Zika Outbreak
Several countries have issued warnings to their citizens regarding traveling to Singapore, where a recent outbreak of the Zika virus has been reported. Expectant mothers are advised to take all necessary precautions to avoid contracting the infection.
Scientists Identify Existing Drugs That Can Kill Zika
Researchers have identified three existing drug compounds that can target the Zika virus. These drugs were shown to be able to prevent the infection from replicating itself and killing brain cells during lab tests.
SpaceX To Build New Facility At Port Canaveral For Refurbished Falcon 9 Rockets
SpaceX is eyeing a new facility in Port Canaveral, Florida to serve as a potential location for its refurbished rockets operations. The 52,000-square-foot building was formerly used as a payload processing facility for Spacehab.
CDC Urges Fast Action To Prevent Sepsis Death
The CDC has urged healthcare providers to do more to identify and treat sepsis in their patients. The agency said the blood infection is a serious medical emergency that needs to be addressed early and accordingly.
New Images Show Zika Virus' Devastating Impact On Infant Brains
Researchers have released new images of the devastation that the Zika virus can produce on the brain of babies. The pictures show that the virus can severely damage parts of the brain that are crucial for human emotion and thinking.
Montana Officials Set To Conduct More Tests On Yellowstone River After Massive Fish Kill
Wildlife experts said they need to conduct additional tests on the Yellowstone River to find out if the parasite that caused the recent fish kill has spread to major tributaries. The river could remain closed for the next few weeks.
Researchers Explore Wreckage Of World War II Aircraft Carrier Off California Coast
A team of scientists is looking to explore the wreckage of the USS Independence in the San Francisco coast. The former aircraft carrier was used as a target vessel for atomic bomb testing in the Pacific during the 1940s.
Adult Brain Just As Vulnerable To Zika Virus As Fetal Brain: Study
Despite being known to affect the brain development of unborn children, the Zika virus has been found to damage the brain of adult individuals as well. The infection attacks a particular group of cells responsible for memory and learning.
California Health Officials Warn Against Eating Toxic Shellfish From Half Moon Bay, Monterey Bay
People in California are advised not to consume rock crabs or shellfish caught in Monterey Bay and Half Moon Bay because of a possible domoic acid contamination. The toxin is known to cause severe brain damage and even death.
Gulf Coast States Most At Risk For Zika Outbreak, US Health Official Says
Public health officials warn that people living in Gulf Coast states are the most at risk for a Zika outbreak. This is because conditions in these areas are suitable for the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
NASA Successfully Test-Fires Engine For SLS Rocket
NASA succeeded in test-firing an RS-25 booster rocket for 420 seconds during a test the Stennis Space Center on Aug. 18. The former space shuttle engine will be used to power the Space Launch System rocket into deep space.
NASA Set To Launch Space Mission To Collect Sample From Nearby Asteroid
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is set to make its way to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu this coming September. Its main goal is to collect various samples from the asteroid's surface and bring them back to Earth for analysis.
New Video Shows How Coral Eject Algae During Bleaching Event
Scientists in Australia have photographed a species of coral eject the algae inhabiting its body following an increase in water temperatures. The time-lapse video shows the organism inflate its body to an immense size just before it expels the algae.
Researchers Find Second-Oldest Shipwreck In Lake Ontario: What This Could Mean For American History
New York-based underwater explorers have discovered the second-oldest shipwreck in the Great Lakes. The wreckage belonged to the Washington, a Canadian-owned sloop that sank in Lake Ontario during a storm in 1803.
Police Respond To 26 Heroin Overdose Cases In 4 Hours In West Virginia
Emergency workers in West Virginia responded to 26 cases of heroin overdose in just four hours on Monday, Aug. 15. Officials said the victims used a heroin variant that was laced with a particularly potent yet still unidentified substance.
Women's Risk For Cancer Increases With Years Spent Being Overweight
The longer women spend being obese or overweight, the greater their risk of developing certain types of cancers, such as breast and endometrial, a new study says. For every 10 years they spend overweight, their cancer risk increases by 7 percent.
NASA Clears Asteroid Redirect Mission Despite $150 Million Cost Increase
NASA announced that it has approved the review of the Asteroid Redirect Mission's robot element, allowing it to enter its next development stage. It also said the $150 million cost increase was due to a delay in the launch schedule.
NASA Plans To Build Mars Space Station By 2028
NASA and its partners from the private industry are planning to build a space station in Mars' orbit by 2028. Mission planners intend to use the orbital facility as a base camp for future manned explorations of the red planet.
Substituting One Sugary Drink With Water Per Day Can Help Improve Health: Study
Swapping a sugar-filled beverage with water every day is enough to reduce the body's intake of calories, a new study says. This could lead to a significant improvement in overall health and lower excess body weight.
Walking Long Distances To Buy Cigarettes Can Push People To Quit Smoking: Study
Researchers in Finland have discovered that the distance between a tobacco store and a smoker's home can significantly impact smoking habits. Those who have to walk farther to reach a store are more likely to quit smoking.
Texas Man Tests Positive For Zika After Traveling To Florida
A man in El Paso County, Texas tested positive for Zika infection after a recent trip to Miami, Florida. Health officials say this is the first confirmed case of interstate transmission of the virus in the United States.
86-Year-Old Woman Rescued After Being Left Behind In Dialysis Clinic
An 86-year-old grandmother was left behind in a dialysis center in Massachusetts on Saturday, Aug. 13, after the clinic closed for the day. The elderly woman was later rescued by firefighters after staying in a dark room for three hours.
