livescience--2020-10-07--Dead animals are washing ashore on a remote Russian peninsula. What’s going on?

Thousands of dead octopuses , starfish and other sea creatures have recently washed up on the shores of the remote Russian peninsula of Kamchatka .
The normally pristine waters surrounding Kamchatka have become discolored and developed an odd smell , say locals .
Surfers say the water is mildly burning their eyes .
It turns out an unidentified pollution event may have spilled a slew of toxic chemicals into the water , according to recent news reports .
After reports from surfers and locals surfaced , divers confirmed a widespread mass die-off , and Greenpeace Russia called it an `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian .
Widely circulated photos and videos of the dead creatures sparked outcry from the public and speculation from local news outlets as to what could have caused it , .
Related : 8 ways that air pollution can harm your health The pollution seems to have badly hit the sea creatures that live at the bottom of the seafloor , wiping out as many as 95 % of them in Kamchatka 's Avacha Bay , Ivan Usatov , a researcher at the Kronotsky Reserve and the Pacific Institute of Geography Kamchatka Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamchatka government website .
Usatov and other researchers studied the area around Avacha Bay by taking samples and diving to the sea-floor .
`` Some large fish , shrimps , crabs have survived , but in very small numbers , '' Usatov said .
But `` the condition of marine mammals and birds is normal .
On the shore , we also did not find any emissions of large dead sea animals , birds . ''
It 's likely that this event severely disrupted the food chain as the animals that feed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers said .
Last week , officials blamed the scores of dead animals on stormy weather .
But a recent analysis of water samples revealed that it was contaminated with a number of potentially dangerous substances .
The samples contained petroleum products , some of which were at levels that were four times above normal , Aleksei Kumarkov , the region 's acting Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology said , according to CBS News .
The water also had more than twice the expected levels of compounds called phenols , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes , nose , throat and , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
At high enough doses , phenols can cause liver or kidney damage , skin burns , tremors , convulsions and twitching , according to the CDC .
There are `` no grounds to talk about any specific version '' of what might have killed all of these animals , Solodov told reporters at a news conference on Monday ( Oct. 5 ) , according to CBS News .
Solodov posted on Instagram that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into the issue and fire any official who tries to cover up the scale of the pollution .
As part of this investigation , he said there would be investigations on Tuesday ( Oct. 6 ) at two military testing sites , Radygino and Kozelsky , both near a local river with `` yellow film '' on it , according to The Guardian .
The containers holding old rocket fuel stored in Radygino , about 6 miles ( 10 kilometers ) from the sea , could have rusted , leaking fuel into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biologist said in Russia ’ s opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta , according to The Guardian .
Kozelsky , where toxic chemicals and pesticides are buried , could have also had a leak , according to The Guardian .
Multiple different groups are continuing to investigate the incident .

Researchers report that up to 95% of the creatures on the seafloor of Kamchatka Peninsula's Avacha Bay may have been killed off by the pollution. Avacha Bay is shown here on Oct. 5.
Thousands of dead octopuses, starfish and other sea creatures have recently washed up on the shores of the remote Russian peninsula of Kamchatka. The normally pristine waters surrounding Kamchatka have become discolored and developed an odd smell, say locals. Surfers say the water is mildly burning their eyes.
It turns out an unidentified pollution event may have spilled a slew of toxic chemicals into the water, according to recent news reports.
After reports from surfers and locals surfaced, divers confirmed a widespread mass die-off, and Greenpeace Russia called it an "ecological disaster," according to The Guardian . Widely circulated photos and videos of the dead creatures sparked outcry from the public and speculation from local news outlets as to what could have caused it, CBS News reported .
Related: 8 ways that air pollution can harm your health
The pollution seems to have badly hit the sea creatures that live at the bottom of the seafloor, wiping out as many as 95% of them in Kamchatka's Avacha Bay, Ivan Usatov, a researcher at the Kronotsky Reserve and the Pacific Institute of Geography Kamchatka Gov. Vladimir Solodov, according to the Kamchatka government website. Usatov and other researchers studied the area around Avacha Bay by taking samples and diving to the sea-floor. "Some large fish, shrimps, crabs have survived, but in very small numbers," Usatov said. But "the condition of marine mammals and birds is normal. On the shore, we also did not find any emissions of large dead sea animals, birds."
It's likely that this event severely disrupted the food chain as the animals that feed on those bottom-dwelling creatures will also die, the researchers said.
Last week, officials blamed the scores of dead animals on stormy weather. But a recent analysis of water samples revealed that it was contaminated with a number of potentially dangerous substances. The samples contained petroleum products, some of which were at levels that were four times above normal, Aleksei Kumarkov, the region's acting Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology said, according to CBS News.
The water also had more than twice the expected levels of compounds called phenols, which can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, throat and nervous system , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . At high enough doses, phenols can cause liver or kidney damage, skin burns, tremors, convulsions and twitching, according to the CDC.
There are "no grounds to talk about any specific version" of what might have killed all of these animals, Solodov told reporters at a news conference on Monday (Oct. 5), according to CBS News.
Solodov posted on Instagram that he would lead a "transparent" investigation into the issue and fire any official who tries to cover up the scale of the pollution. As part of this investigation, he said there would be investigations on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at two military testing sites, Radygino and Kozelsky, both near a local river with "yellow film" on it, according to The Guardian.
The containers holding old rocket fuel stored in Radygino, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the sea, could have rusted, leaking fuel into the water, Vladimir Burkanov, a biologist said in Russia’s opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, according to The Guardian. Kozelsky, where toxic chemicals and pesticides are buried, could have also had a leak, according to The Guardian. Multiple different groups are continuing to investigate the incident.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-07--2 women earn Chemistry Nobel Prize for gene-editing tool CRISPR

The 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry went to two women who developed a gene-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9 , which snips DNA like a pair of molecular scissors .
The technique `` has not only revolutionized basic science , but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments , '' Claes Gustafsson , chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry , .
With the ability to deftly slice specific sequences from the genome , scientists can pinpoint the functions of genes ; these discoveries both add to our basic understanding of how those genes work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for growing drought- and pest-resistant crops and developing therapies for cancer and genetic disorders .
The genetic cut-and-paste system is also being used in new COVID-19 diagnostic tests .
The Nobel `` for the development of a method for genome editing '' went to Emmanuelle Charpentier , director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens , and Jennifer Doudna , a professor of biochemistry , biophysics and structural biology of the University of California , Berkeley .
This is the first science Nobel to be awarded to an all-female team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serendipitously when Charpentier was studying the Streptococcus pyogenes , which causes a range of diseases from tonsillitis to sepsis , according to a .
The bacteria contain a molecule called tracrRNA , Charpentier discovered , which protects S. pyogenes against infection by , according to a 2011 report in the journal .
It turned out that tracrRNA was just one component in a larger defense mechanism known as the CRISPR/Cas system , which bacteria use to slice and dice the of viruses that try to infect them , .
After a viral attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral DNA into their own genome ; these battle trophies line up in the genome , appearing repeatedly , and are known as `` clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats , '' abbreviated as CRISPR .
These archived genes are thought to help bacteria recognize the viruses and ward off future attacks .
But to first slice up the viral DNA , bacteria use `` CRISPR-associated '' proteins , called Cas proteins , under the guidance of tracrRNA and other molecules .
After her discovery of tracrRNA , Charpentier began collaborating with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bacteria 's genetic scissors in a test tube .
In their seminal work , published in 2012 in the journal , they simplified the system into a handy gene-editing tool , capable of targeting and snipping specific DNA sequences from the genome .
The tool has since been further refined and used for a wide range of applications , including the recent development of diagnostic tests for COVID-19 , .
`` This discovery , originally derived from a natural defense mechanism in bacteria against viruses , will have untold applications in treating and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as impacts on agricultural and other areas , '' Luis Echegoyen , president of the American Chemical Society , .
`` The future for this technique is indeed bright and promising . ''
Some scientists expected that biochemist Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute might share the Nobel with Charpentier and Doudna , as shortly after their discovery , he demonstrated that CRISPR also works in mammalian cells , Science Magazine reported .
Based on Zhang 's work , the Broad Institute received the first patent for the use of CRISPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclei to hold their DNA — but Charpentier 's and Doudna 's institutions continue to fight for their own patents , according to The Scientist Magazine .

The 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry went to two women who developed a gene-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9, which snips DNA like a pair of molecular scissors.
The technique "has not only revolutionized basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments," Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said in a statement . With the ability to deftly slice specific DNA sequences from the genome, scientists can pinpoint the functions of genes; these discoveries both add to our basic understanding of how those genes work and can have practical applications, such as for growing drought- and pest-resistant crops and developing therapies for cancer and genetic disorders. The genetic cut-and-paste system is also being used in new COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
The Nobel "for the development of a method for genome editing" went to Emmanuelle Charpentier, director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, and Jennifer Doudna, a professor of biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology of the University of California, Berkeley. This is the first science Nobel to be awarded to an all-female team, according to Science Magazine .
Related: Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 1901-Present
The development of CRISPR-Cas9 began serendipitously when Charpentier was studying the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, which causes a range of diseases from tonsillitis to sepsis, according to a statement from the Nobel Committee . The bacteria contain a molecule called tracrRNA, Charpentier discovered, which protects S. pyogenes against infection by viruses , according to a 2011 report in the journal Nature .
It turned out that tracrRNA was just one component in a larger defense mechanism known as the CRISPR/Cas system, which bacteria use to slice and dice the DNA of viruses that try to infect them, Live Science previously reported . After a viral attack, the bacteria incorporate a piece of viral DNA into their own genome; these battle trophies line up in the genome, appearing repeatedly, and are known as "clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats," abbreviated as CRISPR. These archived genes are thought to help bacteria recognize the viruses and ward off future attacks.
But to first slice up the viral DNA, bacteria use "CRISPR-associated" proteins, called Cas proteins, under the guidance of tracrRNA and other molecules.
After her discovery of tracrRNA, Charpentier began collaborating with Doudna, and the two recreated the bacteria's genetic scissors in a test tube. In their seminal work, published in 2012 in the journal Science , they simplified the system into a handy gene-editing tool, capable of targeting and snipping specific DNA sequences from the genome. The tool has since been further refined and used for a wide range of applications, including the recent development of diagnostic tests for COVID-19, BBC reported .
"This discovery, originally derived from a natural defense mechanism in bacteria against viruses, will have untold applications in treating and curing genetic diseases and fighting cancer, as well as impacts on agricultural and other areas," Luis Echegoyen, president of the American Chemical Society, said in a statement . "The future for this technique is indeed bright and promising."
Some scientists expected that biochemist Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute might share the Nobel with Charpentier and Doudna, as shortly after their discovery, he demonstrated that CRISPR also works in mammalian cells, Science Magazine reported. Based on Zhang's work, the Broad Institute received the first patent for the use of CRISPR gene-editing technology in eukaryotes — complex cells with nuclei to hold their DNA — but Charpentier's and Doudna's institutions continue to fight for their own patents, according to The Scientist Magazine .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-07--Save up to 55% on the world's leading science, tech and history magazines

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livescience--2020-10-08--1,200-year-old pagan temple to Thor and Odin unearthed in Norway

The remains of a 1,200-year-old pagan temple to the Old Norse gods such as Thor and Odin have been discovered in Norway — a rare relic of the Viking religion built a few centuries before Christianity became dominant there .
Archaeologists say the large wooden building — about 45 feet ( 14 meters ) long , 26 feet ( 8 m ) wide , and up to 40 feet ( 12 m ) high — is thought to date from the end of the eighth century and was used for worship and sacrifices to gods during the midsummer and midwinter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and feared by some a century later , after bands of Norse sailors and warriors known as the started trading , raiding and colonizing throughout Europe and into Iceland , and Canada .
Related : Did the Vikings think the gods were watching them ?
This is the first Old Norse temple found in the country , said archaeologist Søren Diinhoff of the University Museum of Bergen .
`` This is the first time we 've found one of these very special , very beautiful buildings , '' Diinhoff told Live Science .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know them from Denmark .
… This shows that they also existed in Norway . ''
The Norse began building these large `` god houses , '' as they 're called , in the sixth century .
The god houses were much more complex than the simple sites , often outdoors , that the people previously used to worship the Old Norse gods .
`` It is a stronger expression of belief than all the small cult places , '' he said .
`` This is probably something to do with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built these as a real ideological show . ''
Archaeologists unearthed the foundations of the ancient building last month at Ose , a seaside village near the town of Ørsta in western Norway , ahead of preparations for a new housing development .
Their excavations revealed traces of early agricultural settlements dating to between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago , including the remains of two that would have each been the center of a small farm for a family and their animals , Diinhoff said .
The remains of the god house at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later time when the area began to be dominated by an elite group of wealthy families — a distinction that arose as Scandinavian societies began to interact with the more stratified societies of the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes of northern Europe .
`` When the new socially differentiated society set in , in the Roman Iron Age , the leading families took control of the cult , '' he said .
Norse religious worship became more ideological and organized , and god houses at Ose were patterned on Christian basilicas that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
As a result , Old Norse temples featured a distinctive high tower above the pitched roof , which was a copy of the towers of early Christian churches , he said .
Although the wooden building is now long-gone , the post-holes that remain show its shape , including the round central posts of its tower — a very distinctive construction that was only ever used in god houses , Diinhoff said .
`` It would have been very impressive . ''
The purpose of the site is also revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food for religious feasts was prepared , and numerous bones — the remains of animal sacrifices .
A large white `` phallus '' stone , roughly representing the male genital organ , was also found nearby several years ago and was probably part of the Old Norse fertility rituals , Diinhoff said .
Ceremonies would have been held in the god house for important festivals on the religious calendar , such as the midsummer and midwinter solstices — the shortest and longest nights of the year , respectively .
Meat , drink and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered to wooden figurines within the building that represented the Old Norse gods — in particular the war god Odin , the storm god Thor , and the fertility god Freyr , who were commonly worshipped in the Old Norse religion and gave their names in English to Wednesday , Thursday and Friday .
As the gods could only partake of the festival food in spirit , the physical food and drink would be enjoyed by their worshippers .
`` You would have a good mood , a lot of eating and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think they would have had a good time . ''
The Old Norse religion was suppressed from the 11th century , when Norway 's kings forcibly imposed the Christian religion and tore down or burned buildings like the god house at Ose to enforce worship in the new Christian churches .
So far , there 's no evidence that the god house at Ose was part of that purge , Diinhoff said .
Further work could reveal the house was among the pagan buildings destroyed at the time .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain that , '' he said .
`` But we 're not there yet . ''

The god house (shown here in a digital reconstruction) was strongly built of beams and walls of wood; some lasted for hundreds of years. It included a central tower, patterned on Christian churches seen in lands further south.
The remains of a 1,200-year-old pagan temple to the Old Norse gods such as Thor and Odin have been discovered in Norway — a rare relic of the Viking religion built a few centuries before Christianity became dominant there.
Archaeologists say the large wooden building — about 45 feet (14 meters) long, 26 feet (8 m) wide, and up to 40 feet (12 m) high — is thought to date from the end of the eighth century and was used for worship and sacrifices to gods during the midsummer and midwinter solstices.
Old Norse culture was famous and feared by some a century later, after bands of Norse sailors and warriors known as the Vikings started trading, raiding and colonizing throughout Europe and into Iceland, Greenland and Canada.
Related: Did the Vikings think the gods were watching them?
This is the first Old Norse temple found in the country, said archaeologist Søren Diinhoff of the University Museum of Bergen.
"This is the first time we've found one of these very special, very beautiful buildings," Diinhoff told Live Science. "We know them from Sweden and we know them from Denmark. … This shows that they also existed in Norway."
The Norse began building these large "god houses," as they're called, in the sixth century. The god houses were much more complex than the simple sites, often outdoors, that the people previously used to worship the Old Norse gods.
"It is a stronger expression of belief than all the small cult places," he said. "This is probably something to do with a certain class of the society, who built these as a real ideological show."
Image 1 of 6 The god house was the religious link between local people and the Old Norse gods. The gods were said to live in the realm of Asgard, which was connected to the earthly realm Midgard by a "rainbow bridge" called Bifröst. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen) The remains of the ancient god house were found at Ose, a seaside village near the town of Ørsta in western Norway, on land earmarked for a housing development. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen) Excavations at the site revealed the remains of two longhouses – probably family farms – from more than 2000 years ago, before the god house was built at the end of the eighth century A.D. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen) The Old Norse "god house" was built from wood about 1200 years ago to worship gods like Odin, Thor, and Freyr. Post-holes that show its distinctive shape, including its central tower, have been unearthed at the site. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen) The interior of the god house (shown here in a digital reconstruction) at Ose may have been lit by hearths for sacrificial fires and had wooden statues of the Old Norse gods, such as the war god Odin, the storm god Thor, and the fertility god Freyr. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen) The site is beside the coast among mountains and inlets, about 150 miles south-west of the modern city of Trondheim. Boathouses would have been built along the shore in ancient times. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen)
God house
Archaeologists unearthed the foundations of the ancient building last month at Ose, a seaside village near the town of Ørsta in western Norway, ahead of preparations for a new housing development.
Their excavations revealed traces of early agricultural settlements dating to between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago, including the remains of two longhouses that would have each been the center of a small farm for a family and their animals, Diinhoff said.
The remains of the god house at Ose, however, are from a later time when the area began to be dominated by an elite group of wealthy families — a distinction that arose as Scandinavian societies began to interact with the more stratified societies of the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes of northern Europe.
"When the new socially differentiated society set in, in the Roman Iron Age, the leading families took control of the cult," he said.
Related: Photos: Viking outposts possibly found in Canada
Norse religious worship became more ideological and organized, and god houses at Ose were patterned on Christian basilicas that travelers had seen in southern lands, he said.
As a result, Old Norse temples featured a distinctive high tower above the pitched roof, which was a copy of the towers of early Christian churches, he said.
Although the wooden building is now long-gone, the post-holes that remain show its shape, including the round central posts of its tower — a very distinctive construction that was only ever used in god houses, Diinhoff said. "It would have been very impressive."
The Old Norse "god house" was built from wood about 1200 years ago to worship gods like Odin, Thor and Freyr. Post-holes that show its distinctive shape, including its central tower, have been unearthed at the site. (Image credit: University Museum of Bergen)
Ancient worship
The purpose of the site is also revealed by a concentration of cooking pits where food for religious feasts was prepared, and numerous bones — the remains of animal sacrifices.
A large white "phallus" stone, roughly representing the male genital organ, was also found nearby several years ago and was probably part of the Old Norse fertility rituals, Diinhoff said.
Related: 25 cultures that practiced human sacrifice
Ceremonies would have been held in the god house for important festivals on the religious calendar, such as the midsummer and midwinter solstices — the shortest and longest nights of the year, respectively.
Meat, drink and sometimes precious metals like gold would have been offered to wooden figurines within the building that represented the Old Norse gods — in particular the war god Odin, the storm god Thor, and the fertility god Freyr, who were commonly worshipped in the Old Norse religion and gave their names in English to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
As the gods could only partake of the festival food in spirit, the physical food and drink would be enjoyed by their worshippers. "You would have a good mood, a lot of eating and a lot of drinking," Diinhoff said. "I think they would have had a good time."
The Old Norse religion was suppressed from the 11th century, when Norway's kings forcibly imposed the Christian religion and tore down or burned buildings like the god house at Ose to enforce worship in the new Christian churches.
So far, there's no evidence that the god house at Ose was part of that purge, Diinhoff said.
Further work could reveal the house was among the pagan buildings destroyed at the time. "It would be ideal if we could explain that," he said. "But we're not there yet."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-08--Earth just had its hottest September on record

This year , our planet has been setting records with extreme wildfires , storms and spiking temperatures .
Now , it 's set another record : The hottest September since record-taking began over 30 years ago .
The globe was 0.05 degrees Celsius ( 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit ) warmer this September than it was in September 2019 , the previous record-holder , according to a statement from the Climate Change Service , which is part of the European Union 's Earth Observation Program known as Copernicus .
Many countries experienced higher-than-average temperatures but there were `` unusually high '' temperatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Middle East and in parts of South America and Australia , according to the statement .
Europe has also had its warmest September ever , with temperatures about 0.2 C ( 0.36 F ) higher than the previous warmest September of 2018 .
Related : 10 signs Earth 's climate is off the rails Both January and May have also broken temperature records this year .
In June , a town in Siberia recorded a temperature of 100.4 F ( 38 C ) , the hottest temperature ever recorded above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Winter and spring in Siberia were also `` unusually warm , '' with temperatures up to 18 F ( 10 C ) higher than normal in May , according to the statement .
In August , California 's Death Valley hit 130 F ( 54.4 C ) , its hottest temperature in over a century and one of the hottest temperatures in the world , according to another Live Science report .
Los Angeles County recorded its highest temperature ever in the beginning of September at 121 F ( 49.4 C ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Warming has also led to weather more intense weather events .
This year , wildfires in California have burned a record-breaking 4 million acres ( 1.6 million hectares ) , and the wildfire season is far from over .
In fact , the area burned by wildfires in California has been increasing each year since 1950 , according to California Environmental Protection 's Agency 's Air Resources Board , Live Science previously reported .
September also recorded the second lowest amount of sea ice in the world , according to the statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as sea ice extent has been declining for several decades , and September is the month that tends to show the lowest values for the year , '' officials with the Copernicus Climate Change Service wrote in the statement .
The data that 's used to monitor surface air temperatures is part of a dataset known as the `` ERA5 '' which has data reaching back to 1979 , according to the statement .
But the entire ERA5 dataset starting in 1950 will be available in 2020 , according to the European @ @ @ @ @ @

This year, our planet has been setting records with extreme wildfires, storms and spiking temperatures. Now, it's set another record: The hottest September since record-taking began over 30 years ago.
The globe was 0.05 degrees Celsius (0.09 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer this September than it was in September 2019, the previous record-holder, according to a statement from the Climate Change Service, which is part of the European Union's Earth Observation Program known as Copernicus.
Many countries experienced higher-than-average temperatures but there were "unusually high" temperatures off the coast of northern Siberia, in the Middle East and in parts of South America and Australia, according to the statement. Europe has also had its warmest September ever, with temperatures about 0.2 C (0.36 F) higher than the previous warmest September of 2018.
Related: 10 signs Earth's climate is off the rails
Both January and May have also broken temperature records this year.
In June, a town in Siberia recorded a temperature of 100.4 F (38 C), the hottest temperature ever recorded above the Arctic Circle, Live Science previously reported. Winter and spring in Siberia were also "unusually warm," with temperatures up to 18 F (10 C) higher than normal in May, according to the statement. In August, California's Death Valley hit 130 F (54.4 C), its hottest temperature in over a century and one of the hottest temperatures in the world, according to another Live Science report.
Los Angeles County recorded its highest temperature ever in the beginning of September at 121 F (49.4 C), according to another Live Science report.
Warming has also led to weather more intense weather events. This year, wildfires in California have burned a record-breaking 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares), and the wildfire season is far from over. In fact, the area burned by wildfires in California has been increasing each year since 1950, according to California Environmental Protection's Agency's Air Resources Board, Live Science previously reported.
September also recorded the second lowest amount of sea ice in the world, according to the statement. "This is not totally unexpected, as sea ice extent has been declining for several decades, and September is the month that tends to show the lowest values for the year," officials with the Copernicus Climate Change Service wrote in the statement.
The data that's used to monitor surface air temperatures is part of a dataset known as the "ERA5" which has data reaching back to 1979, according to the statement. But the entire ERA5 dataset starting in 1950 will be available in 2020, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-09--Major Hurricane Delta set to batter Louisiana, where many are still homeless after Laura

Delta is on pace to make landfall in western Louisiana Friday evening ( Oct. 9 ) , not far from the still-devastated area where Hurricane Laura made landfall in late August .
Delta is a major , Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph ( 185 km/h ) and still strengthening and growing in size as it churns over the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico , according to the .
Its storm surge threatens an area extending from High Island , Texas , to Ocean Springs , Mississippi .
And in Louisiana 's worst-hit region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 11 feet ( 2.1 to 3.4 meters ) .
The storm 's winds are expected to peak overnight at around 125 mph ( 200 km/h ) and then weaken slightly just before landfall .
There is still an outside chance that it could go through a `` rapid intensification '' process before landfall and grow even more powerful , the NHC said , but that 's not likely .
Texas and Louisiana residents could experience hurricane force winds as soon as Friday afternoon , the NHC said .
This will be its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Yucatan Peninsula , which prompted tens of thousands to evacuate in a region still recovering from the deadly Tropical Storm Gamma , according to .
The flood risk from this storm is at least as serious as the potential for wind damage .
Significant flash flooding and river flooding are expected across much of the central Gulf Coast and possible across an inland region including east Texas , Arkansas , Mississippi , Alabama , Tennessee , Kentucky , Georgia and the Florida panhandle over the next three days .
Tropical storm-force winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arkansas by Friday evening , though the storm is expected to weaken significantly after the eye reaches the coastline .
Right now , Delta 's eye is forecast to make landfall just 10 miles ( 16 km ) east of where Hurricane Laura did six weeks ago , in the region of Lake Charles .
Southeastern Louisiana residents were and many are living in tents , . ''
, '' an 8,400-member Facebook group where impacted people share resources and discuss efforts to salvage damaged homes , now features posts from people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrives .
Delta and Laura are n't even the full story of this hurricane season for Louisiana .
Hurricane Sally and Tropical Storm Beta both hit the Gulf Coast after Laura — Sally prompted evacuations and caused flooding in a region stretching from New Orleans to Florida , and Beta slammed into Texas and caused heavy rain and wind across Louisiana .
Bill Karins , an NBC meteorologist , compared Lake Charles ' 2020 hurricane season to 2004 , when three storms hit a single county in Central Florida .
Hurricanes have n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States this year , with apocalyptic wildfires blanketing the West Coast in .
But the 2020 season has been by far the busiest on record up to this point .
Delta is named for a Greek letter because the alphabetical list of names the NHC prepared for Atlantic storms ran out before the end of the season .
That 's only happened once before , in 2005 , when there were 28 storms , with the 25th forming on Nov. 15 .
In 2020 , there have been 25 so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hurricane season left to go .
, like worsening wildfires , are consequences of .
And as Earth continues to warm , it 's likely that future hurricane seasons will feature even worse storms than 2020 or 2005 .

Hurricane Delta is on pace to make landfall in western Louisiana Friday evening (Oct. 9), not far from the still-devastated area where Hurricane Laura made landfall in late August.
Delta is a major, Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and still strengthening and growing in size as it churns over the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) . Its storm surge threatens an area extending from High Island, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. And in Louisiana's worst-hit region, the storm surge could reach 7 to 11 feet (2.1 to 3.4 meters).
The storm's winds are expected to peak overnight at around 125 mph (200 km/h) and then weaken slightly just before landfall. There is still an outside chance that it could go through a "rapid intensification" process before landfall and grow even more powerful, the NHC said, but that's not likely.
Texas and Louisiana residents could experience hurricane force winds as soon as Friday afternoon, the NHC said. This will be its second landfall, after a strike on the Yucatan Peninsula, which prompted tens of thousands to evacuate in a region still recovering from the deadly Tropical Storm Gamma, according to Univision .
The flood risk from this storm is at least as serious as the potential for wind damage. Significant flash flooding and river flooding are expected across much of the central Gulf Coast and possible across an inland region including east Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and the Florida panhandle over the next three days.
Tropical storm-force winds could reach as far north as Tennessee and Arkansas by Friday evening, though the storm is expected to weaken significantly after the eye reaches the coastline.
Related: A history of destruction: 8 great hurricanes
Right now, Delta's eye is forecast to make landfall just 10 miles (16 km) east of where Hurricane Laura did six weeks ago, in the region of Lake Charles. Southeastern Louisiana residents were without power for weeks and many are living in tents, according to KPLC .
" Hurricane Laura Aftermath ," an 8,400-member Facebook group where impacted people share resources and discuss efforts to salvage damaged homes, now features posts from people documenting their evacuation before this new storm arrives.
Delta and Laura aren't even the full story of this hurricane season for Louisiana. Hurricane Sally and Tropical Storm Beta both hit the Gulf Coast after Laura — Sally prompted evacuations and caused flooding in a region stretching from New Orleans to Florida, and Beta slammed into Texas and caused heavy rain and wind across Louisiana.
Bill Karins, an NBC meteorologist, compared Lake Charles' 2020 hurricane season to 2004, when three storms hit a single county in Central Florida.
#HurricaneDelta Forecast to make landfall only 10 miles east of where #HurricaneLaura made landfall six weeks ago. Only thing I can compare this to is the 2004 season when Charley, Jeanne, and Frances all crossed over the same county in Central Florida. pic.twitter.com/nOoYIFPAumOctober 8, 2020 See more
Hurricanes haven't been the most attention-grabbing natural disasters in the United States this year, with apocalyptic wildfires blanketing the West Coast in dangerous smoke . But the 2020 season has been by far the busiest on record up to this point.
Delta is named for a Greek letter because the alphabetical list of names the NHC prepared for Atlantic storms ran out before the end of the season. That's only happened once before, in 2005, when there were 28 storms, with the 25th forming on Nov. 15. In 2020, there have been 25 so far with Delta, and there's plenty of hurricane season left to go.
More intense hurricanes , like worsening wildfires, are consequences of climate change . And as Earth continues to warm, it's likely that future hurricane seasons will feature even worse storms than 2020 or 2005.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-08--1 in 4 Americans aren't washing their hands regularly

More Americans are washing their hands amid the COVID-19 pandemic , but 1 in 4 do n't lather up when they need to , such as after blowing their nose , according to a new report .
The report , from the , examined Americans ' hand washing behaviors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The authors analyzed the results of two nationally-representative surveys , with the first administered in October 2019 , and the second in June 2020 .
The surveys asked participants about situations where they usually remember to wash their hands , such as after using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bathroom in public ; after coughing , sneezing , or blowing your nose ; before eating at home ; before eating at a restaurant and before preparing food at home .
The report found that , thankfully , the vast majority of people remember to wash their hands after using the bathroom .
In both 2019 and 2020 , more than 85 % of participants said they remembered to wash their hands after using the bathroom at home , and 95 % said they remembered to wash their hands after using a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , about 86 % of participants said they remembered to wash their hands before preparing food .
Related : Coronavirus can survive on skin for 9 hours However , things went downhill from there .
In 2019 , about 63 % said they washed hands before eating at home , 55 % said they washed their hands before eating at a restaurant and 53 % said they washed their hands after coughing , sneezing or blowing their nose .
During the pandemic , more people reported washing their hands in these situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideal — 74 % said they remembered to wash their hands before eating at home , 70 % said they remembered to wash their hands before eating at a restaurant and 71 % said they remembered to wash their hands after coughing , sneezing or blowing their nose .
And in general , some demographic groups were less likely to remember to wash their hands , including men , young adults and white people .
For example , in 2020 , 65 % of men reported after coughing , sneezing or blowing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women .
And 69 % of white adults said they washed their hands after coughing , sneezing or blowing their nose , compared with 83 % of Black adults and 72 % of Hispanic adults .
`` These findings underscore the importance of promoting frequent hand-washing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , especially after coughing , sneezing and blowing one 's nose , '' the authors wrote .
`` Men , young adults , and white adults continue to be less likely to remember to wash their hands , despite improvements made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclude that more work is needed to identify ways to get people to wash their hands , not only to prevent COVID-19 , but also to reduce transmission of other diseases that spread via coughs , sneezes or poop .

More Americans are washing their hands amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but 1 in 4 don't lather up when they need to, such as after blowing their nose, according to a new report.
The report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , examined Americans' hand washing behaviors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors analyzed the results of two nationally-representative surveys, with the first administered in October 2019, and the second in June 2020.
The surveys asked participants about situations where they usually remember to wash their hands, such as after using the bathroom at home; after using the bathroom in public; after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose; before eating at home; before eating at a restaurant and before preparing food at home.
The report found that, thankfully, the vast majority of people remember to wash their hands after using the bathroom. In both 2019 and 2020, more than 85% of participants said they remembered to wash their hands after using the bathroom at home, and 95% said they remembered to wash their hands after using a public restroom. Similarly, in both years, about 86% of participants said they remembered to wash their hands before preparing food.
Related: Coronavirus can survive on skin for 9 hours
However, things went downhill from there.
In 2019, about 63% said they washed hands before eating at home, 55% said they washed their hands before eating at a restaurant and 53% said they washed their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose. During the pandemic, more people reported washing their hands in these situations, but the numbers were still not ideal — 74% said they remembered to wash their hands before eating at home, 70% said they remembered to wash their hands before eating at a restaurant and 71% said they remembered to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose.
And in general, some demographic groups were less likely to remember to wash their hands, including men, young adults and white people.
For example, in 2020, 65% of men reported washing their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose; compared with 76% of women. And 69% of white adults said they washed their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose, compared with 83% of Black adults and 72% of Hispanic adults.
"These findings underscore the importance of promoting frequent hand-washing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, especially after coughing, sneezing and blowing one's nose," the authors wrote. "Men, young adults, and white adults continue to be less likely to remember to wash their hands, despite improvements made from 2019 to 2020."
The authors conclude that more work is needed to identify ways to get people to wash their hands, not only to prevent COVID-19, but also to reduce transmission of other diseases that spread via coughs, sneezes or poop.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-08--Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

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90-year-old woman in the UK receives first dose of Pfizer vaccine, FDA review confirms vaccine is safe and effective A 90-year-old woman (who will turn 91 next week) became the first in the world to be given Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, according to the BBC. Margaret Keenan, who is originally from Northern Ireland, was given the vaccine at the University Hospital in Coventry, England. She received the first of 800,000 doses expected to be administered in the U.K. in the coming weeks, according to the BBC. "I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," Keenan said, according to the BBC."It's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year." "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too," she added. Up to four million doses of Pfizer's vaccine is expected to be given to people in the U.K. by the end of the month. Meanwhile, a 53-page Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review published Tuesday (Dec. 8) confirmed that Pfizer's vaccine is safe and effective, according to The Washington Post.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine starts to work just 10 days after 1st dose Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine starts to protect people from the novel coronavirus just 10 days after the first dose, according to new documents from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The documents were released on Tuesday (Dec. 8), two days before a meeting of the FDA's vaccine advisory panel, which will vote on whether to recommend authorization of the vaccine in the U.S, Live Science reported . The FDA analyzed data from Pfizer's phase 3 clinical trial, which included some 44,000 people in the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Turkey, about half of whom received the vaccine while the other half received a placebo. Both groups received two shots, 21 days apart. About 10 days after the first dose, there was a noticeable drop-off in new COVID-19 cases in the vaccine group compared with the placebo group, indicating that even one dose provides some protection, the report said. However, scientists don't know how long the protection from a single dose will last, so it will still be important for people to receive two shots, according to The New York Times . Overall, the vaccine was 52% effective after the first dose and 95% effective after the second dose, the report said.
People with significant allergies should avoid Pfizer vaccine, UK warns The U.K.'s Regulatory Agency is advising people with a history of "significant" allergic reactions to avoid Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, after two National Health Service members developed severe allergic reactions to it on Tuesday (Dec. 8), Live Science reported. "As is common with new vaccines the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday," Stephen Powis, the national medical director for England's National Health Service said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9). Both workers have a history of severe allergies and carry adrenaline auto injectors (such as EpiPens) around with them, according to The Guardian. Shortly after receiving the vaccine, both NHS workers developed anaphylaxis-like symptoms, or severe allergic reactions, but have recovered after receiving treatment. The MHRA will investigate further and Pfizer and BioNTech will support their investigation, according to Reuters. "Allergic reaction occurs with quite a number of vaccines, and perhaps even more frequently with drugs. So it is not unexpected," Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said in remarks to journalists published by Britain's Science Media Center. “What would be wise, as the MHRA have already advised, would be for anyone who has known severe allergic reaction such that they need to carry an EpiPen, to delay having a vaccination until the reason for the allergic reaction has been clarified," he said. For the general population this does not mean that they would need to be anxious about receiving the vaccination, he added. "One has to remember that even things like marmite [a quintessential British food spread] can cause unexpected severe allergic reactions.”
Canada approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Canada has authorized Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine, with the first doses expected to be administered there as early as next week. Health Canada, the country's health regulatory agency, said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9) that it had determined that the vaccine "meets the Department's stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada," according to CTV News . "We expect vaccines to arrive maybe as early as Monday [Dec. 14]. It takes time to prepare the vaccine," said Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the top military general leading the vaccine rollout for the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to CTV News. The first doses could be administered by the middle of next week, he said. Canada is the third country in the world to authorize the Pfizer vaccine, following the United Kingdom and Bahrain. The country should receive up to 249,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of December, and has purchased 20 million doses total, with the option to purchase more, CTV News reported.
Daily COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. reaches record-high, surpassed 9/11 On Wednesday (Dec. 9), the U.S. recorded 3,124 new COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily death toll to date, according to CNN . In comparison, 2,977 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. has now recorded 280,488 deaths related to the virus, according to The COVID Tracking Project . A forecast from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that the total death toll can increase to between 332,000 and 362,000 by January 2, according to CNN. There are currently 106,671 people hospitalized with the virus in the U.S.; 20,903 of them are currently in the ICU and 7,621 are currently on a ventilator, according to the COVID Tracking Project. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is set to meet to discuss an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
FDA panel recommends authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine A panel of experts for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the agency authorize Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the panel voted 17 to 4 to recommend that the vaccine receive emergency use authorization (EUA) for people ages 16 and older, according to The New York Times . The FDA typically follows the advice of its panels, and so today's vote is an important step towards the vaccine's authorization. It is anticipated that the agency will officially authorize the vaccine on Saturday (Dec. 12), the Times reported. Several countries have already authorized Pfizer's vaccine, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Bahrain.
Vaccine approval could come this weekend, as U.S. continues to record high daily death tolls On Thursday (Dec. 10), the U.S. recorded another 2,902 COVID-19 deaths, a day after the country set a record of 3,253 deaths, according to Reuters . “Probably for the next 60 to 90 days, we’re going to have more deaths per day than we had on 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, according to Reuters. "The reality is the vaccine approval this week is not going to really impact that, I think, to any degree for the next 60 days." On Thursday, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee discussed, voted and recommended that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should grant an emergency use authorization for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has already been approved in the U.K. and in Canada, and FDA approval for use in the U.S. could come this weekend.
Australia abandons local COVID-19 vaccine after it caused false-positive HIV tests An Australian COVID-19 vaccine that had shown promising results in early trials is being abandoned after researchers found that the shot caused false-positive results on HIV tests. On Friday (Dec. 11), Australian officials said they had canceled an order for some 51 million doses of the vaccine, which was being developed by The University of Queensland and CSL Ltd., a local biotech company, according to The New York Times . In an early trial with 216 participants, the vaccine appeared to be safe and to produce a robust immune response against COVID-19, according to a statement from CSL . But some volunteers falsely tested positive for HIV, which officials feared would undermine trust in the vaccine, the Times reported. The vaccine contained small fragments of an HIV protein, which helped stabilize the vaccine. Some of the participants developed antibodies against these fragments, and these antibodies triggered false positive results on some HIV tests. It's important to note that there is no way for the vaccine to cause an HIV infection, because it contains harmless fragments of the virus.
ICU nurse in New York becomes first person in the US to receive a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials New York, the worst-hit state at the start of the pandemic, just became the first to administer a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, kicking off a long, massive effort to vaccinate the American people, Live Science reported. Around 9 a.m. E.T. on Monday (Dec. 14), the very first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine was given to Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse in Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, according to The New York Times. This comes as the U.S. continues to battle a massive wave of the virus that has more than 109,000 people currently hospitalized, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Since the start of the pandemic, New York has recorded more than 780,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 35,100 deaths, according to The Times. "This vaccine is exciting because I believe this is the weapon that will end the war," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a live broadcast of the first vaccination. "It's the beginning of the last chapter of the book, but now we just have to do it."
FDA analysis confirms Moderna's vaccine is safe and effective, emergency authorization is likely to come Friday A new briefing document from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released on Tuesday (Dec. 15) confirmed that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, according to NPR . Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective and has "a favorable safety profile," according to the document. A panel of experts is set to meet on Thursday (Dec. 17) to discuss the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine and vote on whether or not the FDA should grant emergency approval to the vaccine. Last week, the same panel voted that the FDA should grant emergency approval to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine; the authorization came a day late and the first doses were given on Monday (Dec. 15). The FDA will likely approve Moderna's vaccine for emergency use on Friday (Dec. 18), according to The New York Times .
FDA authorizes first over-the-counter COVID-19 test The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test, which can be done at home and does not need a prescription. The test, made by the Australia-based company Ellume, provides results in as little as 20 minutes, according to a statement from the FDA . It is a "lateral flow antigen test," meaning it works in a similar way to a home pregnancy test, by running a "liquid sample along a surface with reactive molecules," the FDA said. The test works in conjunction with a smartphone app. Users take a nasal swab and place their sample in an analyzer, which communicates to the smartphone app via Bluetooth. The results are delivered through the app, and also reported to public health authorities (based on a user's zip code) through a secure cloud connection, the company said . Ellume is ramping up production of its test, and expects to produce three million tests in January 2021, and 20 million within the first half of 2021.
A wild mink tested positive for the coronavirus, it may be the first wild animal to have a confirmed case A wild mink in Utah may be the first "free-ranging, native wild animal" confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Live Science reported. The mink was found near a mink farm and likely picked up the infection from the farmed mink. There's no evidence that the virus spread to other minks or wild animals; but if the virus does begin circulating in wild animals, it could pick up mutations that COVID-19 vaccines may not protect well against if it spreads back to humans, according to the report. "If it does [establish a reservoir], then we've got a long-term issue here, where this virus has the potential to be with us for millennia," Sarah Olson, associate director of the health program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told Vox. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has screened other animal species for the virus near mink farms in Utah, Michigan and Wisconsin, but all of them have tested negative so far, according to a statement.
An FDA advisory panel will meet today to vote on whether to recommend Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval On Thursday (Dec. 17), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee will meet to determine whether to recommend that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval, according to The New York Times . This panel, composed of independent experts, will vote on whether to recommend the vaccine after hearing from the company, FDA scientists and the public, according to The Times. Last week, the same panel of experts met to discuss Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine and voted to recommend emergency authorization; the authorization came the next day. There have now been more than 16.9 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 307,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard . There are currently 113,090 people hospitalized across the country with more than 21,900 of them in the ICU and 7,778 on a ventilator, according to The COVID Tracking Project .
California becomes new epicenter of COVID-19 in U.S. California, once praised for its early pandemic response, is now the new U.S. hotspot for COVID-19 infections. The state has reported an alarming surge in cases, breaking previous records for daily cases. On Thursday (Dec. 17), the state reported some 50,000 COVID-19 infections in 24 hours, and nearly 100,000 in 48 hours, according to The Washington Post . That's more than the daily cases reported in many countries, including India, Germany and Britain, the Post reported. The state also set a record for daily deaths on Thursday, with 379 fatalities reported, up from the previous high of 293. Capacity in intensive care units has also dropped dramatically, with hospitals in Southern California reporting zero percent capacity on Thursday. "I want to be very clear: Our hospitals are under siege, and our model shows no end in sight," said Christina Ghaly, director of Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services, the Post reported.
FDA expected to authorize Moderna's vaccine on Friday The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday (Dec. 18). Once authorized, it will be the second coronavirus vaccine to get the green light from the agency in just a week, with Pfizer's vaccine gaining authorization on Dec. 11. Moderna is expected to begin shipping 5.9 million doses of its vaccine on Sunday (Dec. 20), with the first deliveries arriving Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna's vaccine does not require storage in extremely cold temperatures, and states are hoping to distribute the vaccine to rural hospitals and community health centers, the Times reported.
COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the U.S. There have now been more than 17 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 300,000 deaths, according to The COVID Tracking Project . There are currently 114,237 people hospitalized across the country and 21,900 people in the ICU. California is facing a massive surge in cases; the state reported 41,012 new COVID-19 cases and 300 new deaths on Thursday (Dec. 17), according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard . By comparison, at the start of November, California was reporting a seven-day average of 4,183 cases, compared to an average of 38,774 on Thursday, according to CNN . "We're experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director said, according to CNN. Intensive care unit beds are rapidly filling up across the state; there are only 1,234 ICU beds left available in California, according to the dashboard. Current closures across California are impacting around 98% of the state's population, according to CNN.
London and southeast England are under an emergency lockdown Following concerns of a new version of the coronavirus that might be more transmissible, London and most of southeast England are now under an emergency lockdown, according to The New York Times . Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lockdown on Saturday (Dec. 19) citing concerns that the mutated virus — which was detected a couple of weeks ago in southeast England — may be as much as 70% more transmissible than previous versions, according to the Times. The new version of the coronavirus is detected in more than 60% of new infections in London and have also been detected in several other countries, according to the Times. But it's not yet clear if this coronavirus version is any more infectious than the last and thorough analyses will need to be conducted before conclusions are made, scientists cautioned. In South Africa, a similar version of the virus has been found in up to 90% of new cases detected since mid-November, according to The Times . It's common for viruses to mutate, and this particular coronavirus has mutated many times since the start of the pandemic. But experts told The Times that it would take years for the virus to mutate enough such that it would make the current vaccines developed to fight COVID-19 ineffective.
Biden gets Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine President-elect Joe Biden received a dose of Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine on Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . He received the shot on camera at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. "I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. There's nothing to worry about," Biden said.
Antarctica has its 1st COVID-19 outbreak The first COVID-19 cases have been reported in Antarctica , meaning the disease has now spread to every continent in the world. On Tuesday (Dec. 22), Chilean officials reported an outbreak of 36 COVID-19 cases at the Chilean research base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme on the Antarctic Peninsula, according to the BBC . Of these, 26 cases were military personnel and 10 were maintenance workers, the BBC reported. All of these cases have been evacuated from Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile, according to The Guardian . Antarctica had been COVID-19 free up until the current outbreak. The continent has no permanent residents, but about 1,000 people, including scientists and other workers, stayed there this past winter, The Guardian reported.
Live updates will continue in 2021!


livescience--2020-10-08--Stan the T. rex just became the most expensive fossil ever sold

A 67 million-year-old specimen nicknamed Stan has just shattered a record ; on Monday ( Oct. 6 ) , Stan was for nearly $ 32 million .
That makes it the most expensive fossil ever sold at an auction .
Previously , the priciest fossil to hit the auction block was an incredibly complete , which sold for $ 8.36 million in 1997 ( $ 13.5 million in today 's dollars , given inflation ) to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago .
Meanwhile , the buyer of Stan has not been identified , according to The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Stan sold for so much to an unknown buyer , especially now that many scientific institutions do n't have the money to purchase such fossils and keep them in the public domain .
However , unlike other specimens , Stan had no choice but to go to the auction block , so how did it end up there ?
Normally , the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology ( SVP ) opposes the auction of such fossils .
In 2018 , for instance , SVP asked the Aguttes auction house in Paris to pull @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meat-eating dinosaur , that had been found on private land in Wyoming .
In contrast , Stan came to the auction house not because its owner wanted to turn a profit , but through a court order , which complicated SVP 's response .
Amateur paleontologist Stan Sacrison found Stan in 1987 in the Hell Creek Formation , near the town of Buffalo , South Dakota , according to the Black Hill Institute of Geological Research ( BHI ) , a company that supplies fossils for research , teaching and exhibit .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent more than 300,000 hours excavating and preparing the nearly 40-foot-long ( 12 meters ) T. rex , which they named after its discoverer .
The T. rex became famous , headlining at the T. rex World Exposition , a yearlong tour that opened in Japan in 1995 .
In 2005 , the BBC TV show `` `` created a replica of Stan 's skull and jaws to learn about T. rex bite force ; and researchers reported in 2009 in the journal how they had studied Stan to better understand how dinosaurs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the T. rex had likely been through some vicious brawls ; it had a broken neck , several other broken bones , healed ribs and a scar on its skull the same size and shape as a T. rex tooth , according to BHI .
However , BHI recently ended its relationship with one of its minority shareholders , .
In 2015 , this shareholder filed a lawsuit to liquidate the institute 's assets , and in 2018 a judge ordered that BHI auction Stan off and then pay the proceeds to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In light of the ruling , SVP acknowledged that BHI had no choice but to send Stan to the auction block .
`` In the case of Stan the T. rex the situation is more complex and we understand that the sale is the result of a court ruling , '' SVP .
`` In this instance , we have requested that Christie 's restrict the sale to bidders from institutions committed to curating specimens for the public good and in perpetuity , or those bidding on behalf of such institutions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ house heeded SVP 's request .
`` But if the winning bid for Stan the T. rex came not from a museum but a private collector , then science is the loser — and high-profile auctions like these make that the most likely outcome , driving up the cost and pricing out museums , '' Adam Larson , a volunteer docent at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha , Wisconsin , wrote in an opinion piece for NBC News .
Museums are crucial for fossil preservation , as they employ scientists who know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as make them available to the public and researchers for years to come .
`` But private collectors operate under no such restrictions , '' Larson wrote .
`` They could sell parts of Stan to other collectors and split up the skeleton , or store it in a way that could lead to Stan being damaged , or grind up Stan for 'medicinal ' soup , or even let their dogs chew on Stan if they so desired . ''
Larson called for legislation that would protect rare specimens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found on private lands in the U.S. ( with the landowner 's permission ) are `` finder 's keepers , '' while fossils found on public lands can typically be collected only by trained researchers with a .
Editor 's Note : This story was updated on Oct. 8 to fix the title of Adam Larson , who is a volunteer docent at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum .

A 67 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex specimen nicknamed Stan has just shattered a record; on Tuesday (Oct. 6), Stan was sold at Christie's New York for nearly $32 million. That makes it the most expensive fossil ever sold at an auction.
Previously, the priciest fossil to hit the auction block was an incredibly complete T. rex known as Sue , which sold for $8.36 million in 1997 ($13.5 million in today's dollars, given inflation) to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Meanwhile, the buyer of Stan has not been identified, according to The New York Times .
Many paleontologists are dismayed that Stan sold for so much to an unknown buyer, especially now that many scientific institutions don't have the money to purchase such fossils and keep them in the public domain. However, unlike other dinosaur specimens, Stan had no choice but to go to the auction block, so how did it end up there?
Related: In photos: Bizarre 'bat dinosaur' discovered in China
Normally, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) opposes the auction of such fossils. In 2018, for instance, SVP asked the Aguttes auction house in Paris to pull the plug on auctioning off an Allosaurus , a type of meat-eating dinosaur, that had been found on private land in Wyoming. In contrast, Stan came to the auction house not because its owner wanted to turn a profit, but through a court order, which complicated SVP's response.
Amateur paleontologist Stan Sacrison found Stan in 1987 in the Hell Creek Formation, near the town of Buffalo, South Dakota, according to the Black Hill Institute of Geological Research (BHI), a company that supplies fossils for research, teaching and exhibit. After learning about the specimen, BHI scientists spent more than 300,000 hours excavating and preparing the nearly 40-foot-long (12 meters) T. rex, which they named after its discoverer.
The T. rex became famous, headlining at the T. rex World Exposition, a yearlong tour that opened in Japan in 1995. In 2005, the BBC TV show " The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs " created a replica of Stan's skull and jaws to learn about T. rex bite force; and researchers reported in 2009 in the journal PLOS One how they had studied Stan to better understand how dinosaurs moved.
Anatomical research on Stan revealed the T. rex had likely been through some vicious brawls; it had a broken neck, several other broken bones, healed ribs and a scar on its skull the same size and shape as a T. rex tooth, according to BHI.
However, BHI recently ended its relationship with one of its minority shareholders, according to a BHI statement . In 2015, this shareholder filed a lawsuit to liquidate the institute's assets, and in 2018 a judge ordered that BHI auction Stan off and then pay the proceeds to this shareholder for his interest in the company.
In light of the ruling, SVP acknowledged that BHI had no choice but to send Stan to the auction block. "In the case of Stan the T. rex the situation is more complex and we understand that the sale is the result of a court ruling," SVP said in a statement . "In this instance, we have requested that Christie's restrict the sale to bidders from institutions committed to curating specimens for the public good and in perpetuity, or those bidding on behalf of such institutions."
It's unclear whether the auction house heeded SVP's request. "But if the winning bid for Stan the T. rex came not from a museum but a private collector, then science is the loser — and high-profile auctions like these make that the most likely outcome, driving up the cost and pricing out museums," Adam Larson, a volunteer docent at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin, wrote in an opinion piece for NBC News .
Museums are crucial for fossil preservation, as they employ scientists who know how to properly care for these specimens, as well as make them available to the public and researchers for years to come. "But private collectors operate under no such restrictions," Larson wrote. "They could sell parts of Stan to other collectors and split up the skeleton, or store it in a way that could lead to Stan being damaged, or grind up Stan for 'medicinal' soup, or even let their dogs chew on Stan if they so desired."
Larson called for legislation that would protect rare specimens like Stan. Right now, fossils found on private lands in the U.S. (with the landowner's permission) are "finder's keepers," while fossils found on public lands can typically be collected only by trained researchers with a Bureau of Land Management permit .
Editor's Note: This story was updated on Oct. 8 to fix the title of Adam Larson, who is a volunteer docent at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-10-08--Scientists zoom in on HIV inside a test tube, find critical steps in infection

Scientists have finally recreated the initial steps of HIV infection in a test tube , offering an incredibly zoomed-in view of the virus in action .
The amazing images show a cone-shaped shell of geometric tiles , called the capsid , that sits at the virus 's center and contains its genetic material , known as .
Before infiltrating a cell , the capsid is surrounded by an envelope of fatty molecules ; this envelope fuses to the host cell to let the capsid inside , where it then carries the RNA to the cell 's nucleus .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once inside the nucleus , it invades the host 's DNA .
By granting a closer look at this replication process , the new study highlights that the capsid itself plays a critical role in infection and that specific criteria must be met for the to interweave its genome with the host cell 's .
Knowing how to recreate the initial steps of infection `` means we have many more tools for dissecting the process of replication , '' said study author Wesley Sundquist , a distinguished professor of biochemistry at University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study , published Oct. 8 in the journal , describes a cell-free system that can be used to study how HIV invades the host genome — such a system could `` revolutionize HIV experiments in many labs , '' Leo James , a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology , who was not involved in the study , told Live Science in an email .
`` To have accomplished all this is a real tour de force , '' James said .
Beyond basic research , the system could also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capsid work to limit HIV replication , Sundquist .
Although the test tube experiments capture aspects of HIV infection in superb detail , they can not recreate every step in the process , Sundquist noted .
Infection typically starts when the outer membrane of the virus fuses with the membrane of a host cell , allowing the capsid and its innards to sneak inside .
But with a cell-free system , the authors had to bypass this initial step .
They instead used a compound found in bee venom , called melittin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membrane and release the capsid held within .
The HIV capsid has tiny pores in it , and normally , as a virus particle floats through a human cell 's cytoplasm , it picks up the cellular building blocks of DNA , called deoxynucleotide triphosphates , that are already there , according to a 2017 report in the journal .
As it travels to the nucleus , the virus particle uses those building blocks to make copies of full strands of DNA , thanks to a special enzyme housed inside the capsid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetic material to later insert into the host genome .
How the virus `` knows '' when to start this so-called reverse transcription is still somewhat mysterious , but studies hint that biochemical properties of the host cell act as cues for the reaction to begin .
But a test tube does n't automatically have DNA building blocks in solution , so to jumpstart reverse transcription , the authors added them .
`` This method has been around for a while , but it 's tricky to get the reaction to go until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study authors managed to get reverse transcription running smoothly ; to do so , they learned that the capsid must stay mostly intact throughout the process .
Related : Going viral : 6 new findings about viruses '' The capsid has to be largely intact , and it has to be of the proper stability or flexibility , to support reverse transcription , '' meaning the capsid must be bound tightly enough to not fall apart during reverse transcription , but able to open up when the capsid enters the nucleus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sundquist said .
Fortunately , scientists recently discovered a way to keep the capsid just stable enough .
Study author Owen Pornillos , an associate professor of molecular physiology and biological physics at the University of Virginia , and his colleagues found that a compound called IP6 binds to the capsid 's tiled surface , they reported in 2018 in the journal Nature .
IP6 carries a negative charge , while each tile carries a positive charge on the side that points in toward the center of the capsid ; since opposites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capsid , it helps pull the tiles into a tighter , more stable arrangement .
`` Before the discovery of IP6 , someone would remove the [ viral ] envelope in vitro and everything would fall apart and they could not see anything , '' said João Mamede , an assistant professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity at Rush University , who was not involved in the study .
IP6 is `` quite abundant '' in cells , so in their test tube experiments , the authors added similar concentrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cells , Sundquist said .
`` That was really the trick , '' he added .
`` Until we knew it , we were working with capsids that were far too unstable . ''
Using computer models of molecules and an electron microscope , the authors could literally see that the 240 tiles making up the capsid held their lattice-like structure stable throughout reverse transcription .
As the DNA strands grew larger , their ends sometimes poked through tiny gaps in the lattice weave , the authors noted , and sometimes singular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the capsid stayed intact .
The capsid may need to stay stable to keep the RNA and transcribing enzyme close to each other , said Christopher Aiken , a professor of pathology , microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt University , who was not involved in the study .
The enzyme tends to fall off the RNA during transcription , so `` by keeping the enzyme contained , it can rebind the template and continue DNA synthesis , '' Aiken told Live Science in an email .
With reverse transcription complete , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next step in infection : integration , where the viral DNA infiltrates the host genome .
They introduced DNA strands known as plasmids into their test tubes , to serve as proxies for the DNA in a human nucleus , but integration would not begin without an additional ingredient .
Only `` whole cell extracts , '' a mix of proteins and molecules drawn from cells , would allow the viral DNA to pervade the plasmids .
In the future , the team hopes to pinpoint precisely which ingredients in the cell extracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's likely to be more than one thing , '' he noted .
One challenge is that , in test tube experiments , `` it 's always difficult to know if you 're missing something , '' he said .
One limitation of the study is that it ca n't perfectly recreate cellular conditions , James said .
`` Any in vitro system , however powerful , can only be used to test the components we know about and can add into the reaction , '' James said .
For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to the cell nucleus , where the DNA is held , and then slip through portals known as the nuclear pores .
There may be unknown factors that alter the capsid during this journey , Sundquist noted .
That said , the new cell-free system could help reveal the identity of those unknown factors , Mamede added .
Scientists can now make observations in a cell-free environment and then check to see if the same behavior appears in actual cells , he said .
In addition , the system could be useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test [ new drugs ] more readily with one of these simplified systems than with a cell , '' Mamede told Live Science .
`` This way , you can see mechanistically what it 's really doing to the virus . ''
The pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences currently has a new drug in human trials that targets the HIV capsid specifically , according to .
Based on , the drug appears to alter the capsid at various points of infection , including during reverse transcription .
Sundquist said that the cell-free study underscores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ component '' of HIV infection , and that corrupting the capsid can limit the virus 's ability to multiply .

Scientists have finally recreated the initial steps of HIV infection in a test tube, offering an incredibly zoomed-in view of the virus in action.
The amazing images show a cone-shaped shell of geometric tiles, called the capsid, that sits at the virus's center and contains its genetic material, known as RNA . Before infiltrating a cell, the capsid is surrounded by an envelope of fatty molecules; this envelope fuses to the host cell to let the capsid inside, where it then carries the RNA to the cell's nucleus. On the way, the RNA replicates, and once inside the nucleus, it invades the host's DNA.
By granting a closer look at this replication process, the new study highlights that the capsid itself plays a critical role in infection and that specific criteria must be met for the virus to interweave its genome with the host cell's.
Knowing how to recreate the initial steps of HIV infection "means we have many more tools for dissecting the process of replication," said study author Wesley Sundquist, a distinguished professor of biochemistry at University of Utah Health. In particular, the study, published Oct. 8 in the journal Science , describes a cell-free system that can be used to study how HIV invades the host genome — such a system could "revolutionize HIV experiments in many labs," Leo James, a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, who was not involved in the study, told Live Science in an email.
"To have accomplished all this is a real tour de force," James said. Beyond basic research, the system could also help explain how experimental drugs that target the capsid work to limit HIV replication, Sundquist said in a statement .
Related: 12 amazing images in medicine
Test tube trials
Although the test tube experiments capture aspects of HIV infection in superb detail, they cannot recreate every step in the process, Sundquist noted. Infection typically starts when the outer membrane of the virus fuses with the membrane of a host cell, allowing the capsid and its innards to sneak inside. But with a cell-free system, the authors had to bypass this initial step.
They instead used a compound found in bee venom, called melittin, to "permeabilize" the viral membrane and release the capsid held within.
The HIV capsid has tiny pores in it, and normally, as a virus particle floats through a human cell's cytoplasm, it picks up the cellular building blocks of DNA, called deoxynucleotide triphosphates, that are already there, according to a 2017 report in the journal Nature . As it travels to the nucleus, the virus particle uses those building blocks to make copies of full strands of DNA, thanks to a special enzyme housed inside the capsid. This is how the virus copies its genetic material to later insert into the host genome. How the virus "knows" when to start this so-called reverse transcription is still somewhat mysterious, but studies hint that biochemical properties of the host cell act as cues for the reaction to begin.
But a test tube doesn't automatically have DNA building blocks in solution, so to jumpstart reverse transcription, the authors added them. "This method has been around for a while, but it's tricky to get the reaction to go until completion," James noted. But the study authors managed to get reverse transcription running smoothly; to do so, they learned that the capsid must stay mostly intact throughout the process.
Related: Going viral: 6 new findings about viruses
Detailed images of the HIV capsid taken with cryo-electron microscopy (left) and molecular modeling (right) (Image credit: Owen Pornillos, Barbie Ganser-Pornillos)
"The capsid has to be largely intact, and it has to be of the proper stability or flexibility, to support reverse transcription," meaning the capsid must be bound tightly enough to not fall apart during reverse transcription, but able to open up when the capsid enters the nucleus, in order to unleash its copied DNA, Sundquist said. Fortunately, scientists recently discovered a way to keep the capsid just stable enough.
Study author Owen Pornillos, an associate professor of molecular physiology and biological physics at the University of Virginia, and his colleagues found that a compound called IP6 binds to the capsid's tiled surface, they reported in 2018 in the journal Nature. IP6 carries a negative charge, while each tile carries a positive charge on the side that points in toward the center of the capsid; since opposites attract, when IP6 binds to the capsid, it helps pull the tiles into a tighter, more stable arrangement.
"Before the discovery of IP6, someone would remove the [viral] envelope in vitro and everything would fall apart and they could not see anything," said João Mamede, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity at Rush University, who was not involved in the study.
IP6 is "quite abundant" in cells, so in their test tube experiments, the authors added similar concentrations of the compound as would be found in cells, Sundquist said. "That was really the trick," he added. "Until we knew it, we were working with capsids that were far too unstable."
This is an illustrative diagram of a single viral particle of HIV. Note the labeled lipid membrane (envelope), capsid, viral RNA and reverse transcriptase, the enzyme that transcribes RNA into DNA. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Seeing is believing
Using computer models of molecules and an electron microscope, the authors could literally see that the 240 tiles making up the capsid held their lattice-like structure stable throughout reverse transcription. As the DNA strands grew larger, their ends sometimes poked through tiny gaps in the lattice weave, the authors noted, and sometimes singular tiles could be seen dislodging while the rest of the capsid stayed intact.
The capsid may need to stay stable to keep the RNA and transcribing enzyme close to each other, said Christopher Aiken, a professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt University, who was not involved in the study. The enzyme tends to fall off the RNA during transcription, so "by keeping the enzyme contained, it can rebind the template and continue DNA synthesis," Aiken told Live Science in an email.
With reverse transcription complete, the authors then moved on to the next step in infection: integration, where the viral DNA infiltrates the host genome. They introduced DNA strands known as plasmids into their test tubes, to serve as proxies for the DNA in a human nucleus, but integration would not begin without an additional ingredient. Only "whole cell extracts," a mix of proteins and molecules drawn from cells, would allow the viral DNA to pervade the plasmids.
In the future, the team hopes to pinpoint precisely which ingredients in the cell extracts trigger integration, Sundquist said. "It's likely to be more than one thing," he noted. One challenge is that, in test tube experiments, "it's always difficult to know if you're missing something," he said.
Related: The 12 deadliest viruses on Earth
One limitation of the study is that it can't perfectly recreate cellular conditions, James said.
"Any in vitro system, however powerful, can only be used to test the components we know about and can add into the reaction," James said. For instance, in actual cells, the capsid must travel to the cell nucleus, where the DNA is held, and then slip through portals known as the nuclear pores. There may be unknown factors that alter the capsid during this journey, Sundquist noted.
That said, the new cell-free system could help reveal the identity of those unknown factors, Mamede added. Scientists can now make observations in a cell-free environment and then check to see if the same behavior appears in actual cells, he said.
In addition, the system could be useful in drug development. "You can test [new drugs] more readily with one of these simplified systems than with a cell," Mamede told Live Science. "This way, you can see mechanistically what it's really doing to the virus."
The pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences currently has a new drug in human trials that targets the HIV capsid specifically, according to ClinicalTrials.gov . Based on early data , the drug appears to alter the capsid at various points of infection, including during reverse transcription. Sundquist said that the cell-free study underscores that the capsid is a "critical component" of HIV infection, and that corrupting the capsid can limit the virus's ability to multiply.
Originally published on Live Science.