Science & Medicine
Here we bring you the latest on all things science from physical science, evolution, astronomy, space, physics, chemistry, and medicine.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Reveals Mars’ Watery Past and Clues to Ancient Life
Rice University – SciTechDaily
NASA’s Perseverance rover has uncovered powerful new evidence that Mars’ Jezero Crater once hosted multiple rounds of flowing water, each creating conditions that could have supported life.
Using an advanced mineral analysis algorithm called MIST, scientists found 24 distinct mineral types revealing that Mars’ surface chemistry shifted from acidic and harsh to neutral and then alkaline, much like Earth’s habitable waters. These transitions suggest that Mars didn’t just have water once — it experienced several wet periods that progressively became more life-friendly.
Discovering Mars’ Hidden Water Story: New findings from NASA’s Perseverance rover reveal compelling evidence that Mars’ Jezero Crater once experienced several distinct periods of water activity, each offering conditions that may have supported life.
By studying high-resolution geochemical data gathered by the rover, researchers identified…Read more here.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Scientists discover how hair cells can help heal skin faster
Rockefeller University / ScienceDaily
The skin contains two main types of adult stem cells: epidermal stem cells and hair follicle stem cells. Normally, each type has a clear role — one maintains the skin while the other supports hair growth. However, research from Rockefeller University has revealed that hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are surprisingly adaptable. When the skin is injured, these cells can switch from growing hair to helping repair the wound.
So what tells them when it’s time to make that switch?
A Stress Signal That Changes Cell Behavior… The same Rockefeller research team has now identified the key signal behind this transformation. Hair follicle stem cells respond to what’s called an integrated stress response (ISR) — a cellular alert system that helps them conserve energy and focus on survival tasks.
In the skin, this stress response is tied to the amino acid serine, a non-essential nutrient found in common foods like meat, grains, and milk. In their study published in Cell Metabolism, the scientists showed that when serine levels fall, the ISR activates and hair production slows down. Read more here.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Why This New “Super-Earth” Has Scientists So Excited About Alien Life
By Penn State – SciTechDaily
A giant exoplanet orbiting a nearby dwarf star has been found in an ideal location for next-generation telescopes to search for potential signs of life.
The discovery of a potential “super-Earth” located less than 20 light-years from Earth is giving scientists fresh optimism in their search for planets that could support life. The newly identified world, named GJ 251 c, has been classified as a “super-Earth” because observations suggest it is nearly four times more massive than our planet and is probably a rocky world.
“We look for these types of planets because they are our best chance at finding life elsewhere,” said Suvrath Mahadevan, the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Astronomy at Penn State and co-author on a paper about the discovery published in The Astronomical Journal. “The exoplanet is in the habitable or the ‘Goldilocks Zone,’ the right distance from its star that liquid water could exist on its surface, if it has the right atmosphere.”…Read more here.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When to Treat and When to Observe Smoldering Multiple Myeloma
Medically reviewed by Dr. Andrea Cziffer Paul, M.D. / MD Newsline
Early treatment for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (sMM) significantly delays progression to symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM), with manageable safety and stable quality of life.
Key Findings:
- Early therapy reduced the risk of progression or death compared with observation.
- The time to progression to symptomatic MM was prolonged with early therapy.
- Early therapy showed a potential overall survival advantage in trials with mature data.
- Grade 3–4 adverse events were more frequent with treatment, without higher secondary primary malignancies.
- Health-related quality of life remained similar between treatment and observation.
Introduction: Can Early Interventions Help Prevent sMM from Progressing to MM?… Smoldering multiple myeloma (sMM) is an asymptomatic precursor between monoclonal gammopathy…Read more here.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
