livescience--2020-11-23--Wide-eyed prehistoric shark hid its sharpest teeth in nightmare jaws

Imagine you 're a fish swimming through the ocean millions of years ago , when a shark lunges at you , gaping its mouth to bite .
The horror of your predicament increases as the predator 's lower jaw also stretches downward on both sides , so that newer , sharper teeth that were previously lying flat along the side of the jaw now curve up .
Scientists recently discovered this nightmarish trait in a fossil of a 370 million-year-old shark that once inhabited waters near what is now Morocco .
The previously undescribed species , dubbed Ferromirum oukherbouchi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mouth was closed , and outward when the mouth was open .
Unlike modern sharks , in which worn-down teeth are constantly displaced by new teeth , this shark sprouted its newer teeth in a row on the inside of the jaw , next to the older teeth .
As the new teeth grew , they curved toward the shark 's tongue .
When the shark opened its mouth , cartilage at the back of the jaw flexed so that the sides of the jaw `` folded '' down and newer teeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bite into its prey with as many teeth as possible , according to a new study .
F. oukherbouchi had a small , slender body measuring about 13 inches ( 33 centimeters ) long , and its snout was triangular and short ; its eyes were unusually large , with the orbits taking up about 30 % of the braincase 's total length , the scientists reported .
The shark 's jaw and hyoid arch — cartilage structures behind the jaw — were preserved in 3D , offering intriguing clues about jaw structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jaw was so well-preserved , the researchers were able to scan it with ( CT ) and then digitally model it in 3D to conduct mechanical tests .
They found that the shark 's jaw was n't fused down the center , so it was able to bend outward along this flexible seam when the mouth was open .
`` Through this rotation , the younger , larger and sharper teeth , which usually pointed toward the inside of the mouth , were brought into an upright position .
This made it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said lead study author Linda Frey , a doctoral candidate with the Institut für Paläontologie und Paläontologisches Museum at the University of Zurich in Switzerland .
When the shark 's jaw closed , sea water rushed into its mouth to push the prey down toward the throat .
At the same time , the closing jaw rotated the teeth inward to immobilize and trap the shark 's meal , Frey said .
This pattern of jaw movement is unlike anything known in any living fish , the scientists wrote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early chondrichthyans — the group that includes sharks , skates and rays — were hampered by the poor preservation of fossils .
But just a few well-preserved 3D fossils like this one could help paleontologists piece together a clearer picture of how ancient sharks ' jaws performed in 3D , even if most of the existing fossil specimens are incomplete or `` flattened , '' according to the study .
Understanding how this specialized combination of jaw motion and tooth placement was distributed across the shark family tree could also explain how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern sharks evolved , the researchers reported .
The findings were published online Nov. 17 in the journal .

Imagine you're a fish swimming through the ocean millions of years ago, when a shark lunges at you, gaping its mouth to bite. The horror of your predicament increases as the predator's lower jaw also stretches downward on both sides, so that newer, sharper teeth that were previously lying flat along the side of the jaw now curve up.
Scientists recently discovered this nightmarish trait in a fossil of a 370 million-year-old shark that once inhabited waters near what is now Morocco. The previously undescribed species, dubbed Ferromirum oukherbouchi, had a jaw that rotated inward when the mouth was closed, and outward when the mouth was open.
Unlike modern sharks, in which worn-down teeth are constantly displaced by new teeth, this shark sprouted its newer teeth in a row on the inside of the jaw, next to the older teeth. As the new teeth grew, they curved toward the shark's tongue. When the shark opened its mouth, cartilage at the back of the jaw flexed so that the sides of the jaw "folded" down and newer teeth rotated upward, allowing the shark to bite into its prey with as many teeth as possible, according to a new study.
Related: 8 weird facts about sharks
F. oukherbouchi had a small, slender body measuring about 13 inches (33 centimeters) long, and its snout was triangular and short; its eyes were unusually large, with the orbits taking up about 30% of the braincase's total length, the scientists reported. The shark's jaw and hyoid arch — cartilage structures behind the jaw — were preserved in 3D, offering intriguing clues about jaw structure and function in ancient sharks.
Because the jaw was so well-preserved, the researchers were able to scan it with computed X-ray tomography (CT) and then digitally model it in 3D to conduct mechanical tests. They found that the shark's jaw wasn't fused down the center, so it was able to bend outward along this flexible seam when the mouth was open.
"Through this rotation, the younger, larger and sharper teeth, which usually pointed toward the inside of the mouth, were brought into an upright position. This made it easier for animals to impale their prey," said lead study author Linda Frey, a doctoral candidate with the Institut für Paläontologie und Paläontologisches Museum at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.
Scientists used CT scans to create digital 3D models of Ferromirum oukherbouchi's skull and jaw. (Image credit: Frey, L., Coates, M.I., Tietjen, K. et al. A symmoriiform from the Late Devonian of Morocco demonstrates a derived jaw function in ancient chondrichthyans. Commun Biol 3, 681 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01394-2)
When the shark's jaw closed, sea water rushed into its mouth to push the prey down toward the throat. At the same time, the closing jaw rotated the teeth inward to immobilize and trap the shark's meal, Frey said in a statement . This pattern of jaw movement is unlike anything known in any living fish, the scientists wrote in the study.
Prior studies of jaws in early chondrichthyans — the group that includes sharks, skates and rays — were hampered by the poor preservation of fossils. But just a few well-preserved 3D fossils like this one could help paleontologists piece together a clearer picture of how ancient sharks' jaws performed in 3D, even if most of the existing fossil specimens are incomplete or "flattened," according to the study.
Understanding how this specialized combination of jaw motion and tooth placement was distributed across the shark family tree could also explain how the assembly line of ever-growing tooth clusters in modern sharks evolved, the researchers reported.
The findings were published online Nov. 17 in the journal Communications Biology .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--'Superbolts' are real, and they flash up to 1,000 times brighter than regular lightning

Superbolts — flashes of that are up to 1,000 times brighter than average — really do exist , two new studies confirm .
A landmark study coined the term in the 1970s , but in the intervening years , experts questioned if superbolts are genuinely brighter than most other lightning , or if they simply appear brighter depending on the angle of the satellite observation .
Recently , after evaluating years of data , scientists confirmed these ultrabright bolts can produce at least 100 gigawatts of power ( to put that into perspective , the power produced by all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 was about 163 gigawatts , according to the U.S. Department of Energy ) .
The researchers also discovered that much like comic-book superheroes , superbolts have an unusual origin story .
Lightning forms when electrical charges in and on the ground interact , and in most of these events the clouds are negatively charged .
However , superbolts form during rare cloud-to-ground interactions in which the clouds are positively charged , the scientists reported .
Related : How big can lightning get ?
Superbolts were first described as lightning flashes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than typical lightning , '' according to in the Journal of Geophysical Research .
Lightning data for that study came from observations by Vela satellites , which were launched in 1969 to detect nuclear explosions from space , and operated until 1979 , .
Vela 's instruments recorded thousands of lightning strikes per year , including superbolts that struck around the world , `` with most frequent occurrence over the North Pacific Ocean , '' B. N. Turman , a researcher with the Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick Air Force Base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One superbolt flash near South Africa in 1979 was so powerful that it was thought to be the detonation of a nuclear bomb , that year .
Another superbolt that struck Newfoundland in 1978 left `` a one‐mile swath of damage '' in its wake , the Times reported .
`` Trees were split ; television antennas were twisted beyond recognition ; transformers were shattered and circuit breakers hung from power‐line poles , and there were craters in the new‐fallen snow , '' according to the Times .
But superbolts are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 10 million flashes , Turman wrote in the study .
For the two new studies , both published on Nov. 12 in the Journal of Geophysical Research : Atmospheres , researchers again turned to satellites for superbolt observations .
described the brightest lightning flashes over the Americas , recorded between 2018 and 2020 by a sensor called the Geostationary Lightning Mapper ( GLM ) mounted on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites – R Series ( GOES-R ) .
`` We focused on superbolts that are substantially brighter than normal lightning — at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then looked at the top pulses above that threshold , with the top cases even going beyond 1,000 times brighter , '' said Michael Peterson , lead author on both studies and a remote-sensing researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico .
In , scientists analyzed data collected from 1997 to 2010 by the Fast On‐Orbit Recording of Transient Events ( FORTE ) satellite .
They learned that certain viewing conditions did affect lightning brightness — when the satellite 's view was unobstructed by clouds , a bolt could appear somewhat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did fall into that category , the study authors reported .
However , those circumstances `` are only a problem for the dimmer cases near the minimum superbolt threshold , '' and real superbolts were significantly brighter than that , Peterson told Live Science in an email .
GLM and FORTE are both optical instruments , but they measure slightly different aspects of lightning pulses , Peterson said .
FORTE recorded `` instantaneous peak power '' of the superbolts — the moment they were at their brightest .
By comparison , GLM measured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period .
That might not seem like very long , `` but it is for lightning , where much of the activity happens at microsecond scales , '' Peterson said .
The scientists found that superbolts could emanate from electrical pulses between clouds , as well as from cloud-to-ground pulses .
Superbolts that appeared over the ocean were fueled by the gradual buildup of electrical charges in the stormclouds , so it was n't surprising that bolts would be more powerful when all that was eventually released , according to the study .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ geographic regions where large thunderstorms are common , and superbolt appearance was associated with `` long-horizontal lightning flashes that can span hundreds of kilometers , which have been recently termed 'megaflashes , ' '' Peterson said .
These new findings could help scientists to better understand the scenarios that can shape these unusually powerful strikes .
`` It turns out that these flashes are exceptional in all of their characteristics — not just their size , '' he said .

So-called superbolts are at least 100 times brighter than ordinary lighting, but can be more than 1,000 times brighter.
Superbolts — flashes of lightning that are up to 1,000 times brighter than average — really do exist, two new studies confirm.
A landmark study coined the term in the 1970s, but in the intervening years, experts questioned if superbolts are genuinely brighter than most other lightning, or if they simply appear brighter depending on the angle of the satellite observation.
Recently, after evaluating years of data, scientists confirmed these ultrabright bolts can produce at least 100 gigawatts of power (to put that into perspective, the power produced by all the solar panels and wind turbines in the United States in 2018 was about 163 gigawatts, according to the U.S. Department of Energy ).
The researchers also discovered that much like comic-book superheroes, superbolts have an unusual origin story. Lightning forms when electrical charges in clouds and on the ground interact, and in most of these events the clouds are negatively charged. However, superbolts form during rare cloud-to-ground interactions in which the clouds are positively charged, the scientists reported.
Related: How big can lightning get?
Superbolts were first described as lightning flashes that were "over 100 times more intense than typical lightning," according to a study published in 1977 in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Lightning data for that study came from observations by Vela satellites, which were launched in 1969 to detect nuclear explosions from space, and operated until 1979, according to NASA .
Vela's instruments recorded thousands of lightning strikes per year, including superbolts that struck around the world, "with most frequent occurrence over the North Pacific Ocean," B. N. Turman, a researcher with the Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, wrote in the study.
One superbolt flash near South Africa in 1979 was so powerful that it was thought to be the detonation of a nuclear bomb, The New York Times reported that year. Another superbolt that struck Newfoundland in 1978 left "a one‐mile swath of damage" in its wake, the Times reported.
"Trees were split; television antennas were twisted beyond recognition; transformers were shattered and circuit breakers hung from power‐line poles, and there were craters in the new‐fallen snow," according to the Times.
But superbolts are also super-rare, occurring only about five times in 10 million flashes, Turman wrote in the study.
This animation shows a superbolt-producing lightning flash captured by the Geostationary Lightning Mapper over the southeastern United States on February 19, 2019. The lightning flash spanned several hundred kilometers and lasted nearly 7 seconds. (Image credit: Michael Peterson/Los Alamos National Laboratory)
"The brightest lighting"
For the two new studies, both published on Nov. 12 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, researchers again turned to satellites for superbolt observations.
The first study described the brightest lightning flashes over the Americas, recorded between 2018 and 2020 by a sensor called the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) mounted on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites – R Series (GOES-R).
"We focused on superbolts that are substantially brighter than normal lightning — at least 100 times more energetic — and then looked at the top pulses above that threshold, with the top cases even going beyond 1,000 times brighter," said Michael Peterson, lead author on both studies and a remote-sensing researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
In the second study , scientists analyzed data collected from 1997 to 2010 by the Fast On‐Orbit Recording of Transient Events (FORTE) satellite. They learned that certain viewing conditions did affect lightning brightness — when the satellite's view was unobstructed by clouds, a bolt could appear somewhat brighter — and some suspected superbolt observations did fall into that category, the study authors reported. However, those circumstances "are only a problem for the dimmer cases near the minimum superbolt threshold," and real superbolts were significantly brighter than that, Peterson told Live Science in an email.
GLM and FORTE are both optical instruments, but they measure slightly different aspects of lightning pulses, Peterson said. FORTE recorded "instantaneous peak power" of the superbolts — the moment they were at their brightest. By comparison, GLM measured superbolts' total energy over a 2-microsecond period. That might not seem like very long, "but it is for lightning, where much of the activity happens at microsecond scales," Peterson said.
The scientists found that superbolts could emanate from electrical pulses between clouds, as well as from cloud-to-ground pulses. Superbolts that appeared over the ocean were fueled by the gradual buildup of electrical charges in the stormclouds, so it wasn't surprising that bolts would be more powerful when all that electricity was eventually released, according to the study.
The brightest superbolts tended to cluster in geographic regions where large thunderstorms are common, and superbolt appearance was associated with "long-horizontal lightning flashes that can span hundreds of kilometers, which have been recently termed 'megaflashes,'" Peterson said. These new findings could help scientists to better understand the scenarios that can shape these unusually powerful strikes.
"It turns out that these flashes are exceptional in all of their characteristics — not just their size," he said.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-24--China launches historic Chang'e 5 mission to collect the first moon samples since 1976

The first lunar sample-return mission since the 1970s is underway .
China 's robotic launched today ( Nov. 23 ) from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province , rising into the sky atop a Long March 5 rocket at about 3:30 p.m. EST ( 2130 GMT ; 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 24 local time in Hainan ) .
If all goes according to plan , the bold and complex Chang ' e 5 will haul pristine moon samples back to Earth in mid-December — something that has n't been done since the Soviet Union 's Luna 24 mission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moon !
A History of Chinese lunar missions Chang ' e 5 's short mission will be action-packed .
The 18,100-lb .
( 8,200 kilograms ) spacecraft will likely arrive in lunar orbit around Nov. 28 , then send two of its four modules — a lander and an ascent vehicle — to the lunar surface a day or so later .
( Chinese officials have been characteristically vague about Chang ' e 5 's details , so timeline information has been pieced together from various sources by China space watchers like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles for Space.com . )
The mission will land in the Mons Rumker area of the huge volcanic plain Oceanus Procellarum ( `` Ocean of Storms '' ) , portions of which have been explored by a number of other surface missions , including in 1969 .
The stationary lander will study its environs with cameras , ground-penetrating radar and a spectrometer .
But its main job is to snag about 4.4 lbs .
( 2 kg ) of lunar material , some of which will be dug from up to 6.5 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work will be done over the course of two weeks , or one lunar day — a firm deadline , given that the Chang ' e 5 lander is solar-powered and wo n't be able to operate once night falls at its location .
Mons Rumker harbors rocks that formed just 1.2 billion years ago , meaning that Chang ' e 5 `` will help scientists understand what was happening late in the moon 's history , as well as how Earth and the solar system evolved , '' as the nonprofit Planetary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lbs.
, or 382 kg , of moon rocks brought home by the Apollo astronauts between 1969 and 1972 are considerably older , providing a window in the deeper lunar past . )
The Chang ' e 5 lander will transfer its samples to the ascent vehicle , which will launch them to lunar orbit for a meetup with the other two mission elements , a service module and an attached Earth-return capsule .
The moon material will be loaded into the return capsule , which the service module will haul back toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchdown scheduled for Dec. 16 or Dec. 17 .
`` Whereas human-rated vehicles like NASA 's relied solely on strong heat shielding , Chang ' e 5 will perform a 'skip reentry , ' bouncing off the atmosphere once to slow down before plummeting to a landing in Inner Mongolia , '' the Planetary Society wrote .
`` The landing site is the same used for [ China 's ] returning crewed Shenzhou spacecraft . ''
Pieces of heaven : A brief history of sample-return missions Chang ' e 5 , China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and most ambitious mission in the of robotic lunar exploration , which is named after a moon goddess in Chinese mythology .
China launched the Chang ' e 1 and Chang ' e 2 orbiters in 2007 and 2010 , respectively , and the lander-rover duo touched down on the moon 's near side in December 2013 .
The Chang ' e 5T1 mission launched a prototype return capsule on an eight-day trip around the moon in October 2014 , to help prepare for Chang ' e 5 .
And in January 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ace a soft landing on the moon 's mysterious far side .
Chang ' e 4 's lander and rover are still going strong , as is the Chang ' e 3 lander .
( The Chang ' e 3 rover died after 31 months of work on the lunar surface . )
Chang ' e 5 is part of a recent surge in sample-return missions .
On Dec. 6 , for example , pieces of the asteroid Ryugu collected by Japan 's are scheduled to touch down in Australia .
And NASA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; that material will come down to Earth in September 2023 , if all goes according to plan .
Mike Wall is the author of `` `` ( Grand Central Publishing , 2018 ; illustrated by Karl Tate ) , a book about the search for alien life .
Follow him on Twitter @ michaeldwall .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom or Facebook .

The first lunar sample-return mission since the 1970s is underway.
China's robotic Chang'e 5 mission launched today (Nov. 23) from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, rising into the sky atop a Long March 5 rocket at about 3:30 p.m. EST (2130 GMT; 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 24 local time in Hainan).
If all goes according to plan, the bold and complex Chang'e 5 will haul pristine moon samples back to Earth in mid-December — something that hasn't been done since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission in 1976.
In pictures: China on the moon! A History of Chinese lunar missions
A Chinese Long March 5 rocket launches the Chang'e 5 moon sample-return mission into orbit from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island in southern China on Nov. 24, 2020 Beijing time (Nov. 23 EST). (Image credit: China National Space Administration)
Chang'e 5's short mission will be action-packed. The 18,100-lb. (8,200 kilograms) spacecraft will likely arrive in lunar orbit around Nov. 28, then send two of its four modules — a lander and an ascent vehicle — to the lunar surface a day or so later . (Chinese officials have been characteristically vague about Chang'e 5's details, so timeline information has been pieced together from various sources by China space watchers like Space News' Andrew Jones , who also provides articles for Space.com.)
The mission will land in the Mons Rumker area of the huge volcanic plain Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms"), portions of which have been explored by a number of other surface missions, including NASA's Apollo 12 in 1969.
The stationary lander will study its environs with cameras, ground-penetrating radar and a spectrometer. But its main job is to snag about 4.4 lbs. (2 kg) of lunar material, some of which will be dug from up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) underground. This work will be done over the course of two weeks, or one lunar day — a firm deadline, given that the Chang'e 5 lander is solar-powered and won't be able to operate once night falls at its location.
Related: The latest news about China's space program
Mons Rumker harbors rocks that formed just 1.2 billion years ago, meaning that Chang'e 5 "will help scientists understand what was happening late in the moon's history, as well as how Earth and the solar system evolved," as the nonprofit Planetary Society noted its description of the mission . (The 842 lbs., or 382 kg, of moon rocks brought home by the Apollo astronauts between 1969 and 1972 are considerably older, providing a window in the deeper lunar past.)
The Chang'e 5 lander will transfer its samples to the ascent vehicle, which will launch them to lunar orbit for a meetup with the other two mission elements, a service module and an attached Earth-return capsule. The moon material will be loaded into the return capsule, which the service module will haul back toward Earth, releasing it shortly before a touchdown scheduled for Dec. 16 or Dec. 17.
"Whereas human-rated vehicles like NASA's Apollo capsule relied solely on strong heat shielding, Chang'e 5 will perform a 'skip reentry,' bouncing off the atmosphere once to slow down before plummeting to a landing in Inner Mongolia," the Planetary Society wrote. "The landing site is the same used for [China's] returning crewed Shenzhou spacecraft."
Pieces of heaven: A brief history of sample-return missions
This illustration shows the components of China's ambitious Chang'e 5 lunar sample-return mission. (Image credit: All About Space//Future)
This photo of the moon taken by NASA's Apollo 15 astronauts in 1971.China's Chang'e-5 mission will land a sample-return mission in the region in late 2020. (Image credit: NASA)
Chang'e 5, China's first-ever sample-return effort, is the sixth and most ambitious mission in the Chang'e program of robotic lunar exploration, which is named after a moon goddess in Chinese mythology. China launched the Chang'e 1 and Chang'e 2 orbiters in 2007 and 2010, respectively, and the Chang'e 3 lander-rover duo touched down on the moon's near side in December 2013.
The Chang'e 5T1 mission launched a prototype return capsule on an eight-day trip around the moon in October 2014, to help prepare for Chang'e 5. And in January 2019, Chang'e 4 became the first mission ever to ace a soft landing on the moon's mysterious far side. Chang'e 4's lander and rover are still going strong, as is the Chang'e 3 lander. (The Chang'e 3 rover died after 31 months of work on the lunar surface.)
An artist's illustration of China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return spacecraft. (Image credit: CNSA/NASA)
Chang'e 5 is part of a recent surge in sample-return missions. On Dec. 6, for example, pieces of the asteroid Ryugu collected by Japan's Hayabusa2 mission are scheduled to touch down in Australia. And NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe snagged a hefty sample of the asteroid Bennu last month; that material will come down to Earth in September 2023, if all goes according to plan.


livescience--2020-11-23--Man's 'heart attack' was really side effect from swallowed battery

When a man arrived at the emergency room , it looked to doctors like he was having a .
But that was a false alarm : The man had actually swallowed a battery that messed with his electrocardiogram ( EKG ) , a measure of the heart 's electrical activity , according to a new report of the case .
Once doctors removed the battery , the EKG returned to normal , according to the report , published Monday ( Nov. 23 ) in the journal .
`` If someone swallows a single battery or multiple batteries , the electrocardiogram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ myocardial infarction , or heart attack ] , '' said Dr .
Guy L. Mintz , director of cardiovascular health and lipidology at Northwell Health 's Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset , New York , who was not on the case .
The 26-year-old man was a prison inmate who arrived at the emergency department of Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence , Italy complaining of stomach pain two hours after intentionally swallowing a AA battery .
There , having spotted the battery on an , doctors did an EKG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chest record the electrical activity of the and graph it as a squiggly line on a gridded background .
The EKG showed a sign of a heart attack known as `` ST segment elevation . ''
This means that a particular segment of the EKG which is normally flat is instead elevated , Mintz told Live Science .
The EKG was the inmate 's only sign of heart attack .
He had no history of cardiovascular disease and his only risk factor for heart disease was cigarette smoking , according to the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heart attack ( such as shortness of breath ) , and his levels of cardiac troponin , heart muscle proteins that are released into the blood during a heart attack , were normal .
Previous case reports have documented people swallowing batteries and having EKGs with ST elevation , the authors said .
For example , this effect has been reported in a man who swallowed six AAA batteries , and another man who swallowed 18 AA batteries .
The authors of previous case reports had suggested that perhaps it took more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , this study disproves that hypothesis .
`` [ I ] doubt [ the ] majority of clinicians are aware of this phenomenon , '' Mintz said .
He advises doctors treating patients who 've swallowed batteries to check for biological markers of heart function ( such as troponin levels ) before reacting to the abnormal electrocardiogram , and to remove the batteries as soon as possible .
But how could battery ingestion mimic heart attack ?
The case report suggested that the battery 's contact with stomach acid could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart and affected the EKG .
`` [ This is ] not a proven mechanism , but this is a plausible mechanism , '' Mintz said .
Even though these patients were n't actually having heart attacks , swallowing a battery could still possibly hurt the heart .
`` Prolonged electrical effects could cause damage to the heart , '' Mintz said .
There are , of course , other reasons not to swallow batteries .
`` Swallowing a battery is dangerous as breakdown can cause chemical leakage or even an intestinal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current case , the man had no reported complications from the battery .

When a man arrived at the emergency room, it looked to doctors like he was having a heart attack . But that was a false alarm: The man had actually swallowed a battery that messed with his electrocardiogram (EKG), a measure of the heart's electrical activity, according to a new report of the case.
Once doctors removed the battery, the EKG returned to normal, according to the report, published Monday (Nov. 23) in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine .
"If someone swallows a single battery or multiple batteries, the electrocardiogram can mimic changes consistent with an acute [myocardial infarction, or heart attack]," said Dr. Guy L. Mintz, director of cardiovascular health and lipidology at Northwell Health's Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, New York, who was not on the case.
Related: 11 weird things people have swallowed
The 26-year-old man was a prison inmate who arrived at the emergency department of Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence, Italy complaining of stomach pain two hours after intentionally swallowing a AA battery. There, having spotted the battery on an X-ray , doctors did an EKG, in which electrodes placed on the chest record the electrical activity of the heart and graph it as a squiggly line on a gridded background.
The EKG showed a sign of a heart attack known as "ST segment elevation." This means that a particular segment of the EKG which is normally flat is instead elevated, Mintz told Live Science.
The EKG was the inmate's only sign of heart attack. He had no history of cardiovascular disease and his only risk factor for heart disease was cigarette smoking, according to the report. He did not report symptoms of a heart attack (such as shortness of breath), and his levels of cardiac troponin, heart muscle proteins that are released into the blood during a heart attack, were normal.
Previous case reports have documented people swallowing batteries and having EKGs with ST elevation, the authors said. For example, this effect has been reported in a man who swallowed six AAA batteries, and another man who swallowed 18 AA batteries. The authors of previous case reports had suggested that perhaps it took more than one battery to alter the EKG. However, this study disproves that hypothesis.
Mintz called the report"interesting niche information."
"[I] doubt [the] majority of clinicians are aware of this phenomenon," Mintz said. He advises doctors treating patients who've swallowed batteries to check for biological markers of heart function (such as troponin levels) before reacting to the abnormal electrocardiogram, and to remove the batteries as soon as possible.
But how could battery ingestion mimic heart attack? The case report suggested that the battery's contact with stomach acid could have produced an electric current that traveled to the heart and affected the EKG. "[This is] not a proven mechanism, but this is a plausible mechanism," Mintz said.
Even though these patients weren't actually having heart attacks, swallowing a battery could still possibly hurt the heart. "Prolonged electrical effects could cause damage to the heart," Mintz said.
There are, of course, other reasons not to swallow batteries. "Swallowing a battery is dangerous as breakdown can cause chemical leakage or even an intestinal obstruction," Mintz added.
In the current case, the man had no reported complications from the battery.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--Oxford COVID-19 vaccine up to 90% effective (with the right dose)

A third major coronavirus vaccine candidate has revealed promising results in late-stage trials , as researchers announced the so-called Oxford vaccine is around 70 % effective in preventing COVID-19 ; and it can be 90 % effective when given at a specific dose , released on Monday ( Nov. 23 ) .
The news follows recent announcements from Pfizer and Moderna that their vaccines were both around 95 % effective .
Though showing a relatively lower ( but still promising ) efficacy , the Oxford vaccine is cheaper and easier to distribute than the other two .
The vaccine was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AstraZeneca and is given in two doses , 28 days apart .
The early results are based on 131 participants in late-stage trials who developed COVID-19 after receiving either the Oxford vaccine or a placebo .
No serious safety concerns were found , and none of the participants who developed an infection after receiving the vaccine were hospitalized or had serious disease , according to the statement .
The trials were paused twice before ( this is common in clinical trials ) after two different participants developed neurological symptoms , but they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a link between the vaccine and the symptoms , .
Dosing made a big difference in efficacy , the results suggest : In those who received two full doses , the Oxford vaccine was around 62 % effective , but in those who first received a half dose and then a full dose , the vaccine was 90 % effective , according to the statement .
However , the actual data is yet to be released and peer-reviewed ; the press release did not reveal how many participants received the vaccine and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the groups , crucial data that could be important in interpreting these results .
The half dose wasn ’ t deliberate , Mene Pangalos , the head of AstraZeneca ’ s non-oncology research and development , told Reuters .
Back in the spring , researchers noticed that participants in Britain who were given a dose of the vaccine were reporting milder side effects than expected ; it turned out , “ they had underpredicted the dose of the vaccine by half , ” Pangalos said .
The company decided to go with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lower first dose led to better results .
`` We think that by giving a smaller first dose , that we 're priming the differently — we 're setting it up better to respond , '' Dr. Andrew Pollard , the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group , said in a news conference on Monday , according to the Belfast Telegraph .
`` And what we do n't know at this moment is whether that difference is in the quality or the quantity of the immune response . ''
In vaccines that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically , the higher the dose , the better the immune response , Pollard said .
But for vaccines given in two doses , like this one , the first dose primes the immune system and the second dose boosts it .
`` The different ways in which you prime are known to influence the response to the booster , '' he said .
AstraZeneca will now submit efficacy and safety data from these phase 3 trials to regulatory agencies across the globe , and the University of Oxford will submit the full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their phase 3 clinical trials are continuing across the globe , including in the U.K. , Brazil , South Africa and the U.S .
The Oxford vaccine works differently than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines .
The latter two vaccines are based on a new technology that uses a genetic messenger to prompt the immune system to build the coronavirus 's spike protein , which in turn , prompts the immune system to create an arsenal of cells to attack the virus if a person is naturally exposed .
The University of Oxford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : It is made up of a weakened version of a common cold virus , called an adenovirus , that infects chimpanzees .
The virus is genetically altered so that it ca n't replicate in humans , and it has genes added in that code for the coronavirus 's spike protein .
This , in turn , teaches the immune system to recognize the spike protein and attack the virus if a person is naturally exposed .
While the University of Oxford vaccine showed a lower efficacy than Pfizer 's and Moderna 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For example , the vaccine is much cheaper per dose than the other two and can be stored in regular fridge temperatures of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit ( 2 to 8 degrees Celsius ) .
In contrast , Pfizer 's vaccine has to be stored in ultra-cold conditions that will likely be a roadblock to storage and distribution , .
`` Because the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures , it can be distributed around the world using the normal immunization distribution system , '' Pollard said .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we have a vaccine that was accessible everywhere , I think we 've actually managed to do that . ''
Editor 's note : This article was updated on Nov. 23 to include more information on why some of the participants received different doses .

A third major coronavirus vaccine candidate has revealed promising results in late-stage trials, as researchers announced the so-called Oxford vaccine is around 70% effective in preventing COVID-19; and it can be 90% effective when given at a specific dose, according to a statement released on Monday (Nov. 23).
The news follows recent announcements from Pfizer and Moderna that their coronavirus vaccines were both around 95% effective. Though showing a relatively lower (but still promising) efficacy, the Oxford vaccine is cheaper and easier to distribute than the other two.
The vaccine was developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca and is given in two doses, 28 days apart. The early results are based on 131 participants in late-stage trials who developed COVID-19 after receiving either the Oxford vaccine or a placebo.
Related: The most promising coronavirus vaccines
No serious safety concerns were found, and none of the participants who developed an infection after receiving the vaccine were hospitalized or had serious disease, according to the statement. The trials were paused twice before (this is common in clinical trials) after two different participants developed neurological symptoms, but they were resumed again when investigators didn't find a link between the vaccine and the symptoms, according to Vox .
Dosing made a big difference in efficacy, the results suggest: In those who received two full doses, the Oxford vaccine was around 62% effective, but in those who first received a half dose and then a full dose, the vaccine was 90% effective, according to the statement. However, the actual data is yet to be released and peer-reviewed; the press release did not reveal how many participants received the vaccine and how many received the placebo in either of the groups, crucial data that could be important in interpreting these results.
The half dose wasn’t deliberate, Mene Pangalos, the head of AstraZeneca’s non-oncology research and development, told Reuters. Back in the spring, researchers noticed that participants in Britain who were given a dose of the vaccine were reporting milder side effects than expected; it turned out, “they had underpredicted the dose of the vaccine by half,” Pangalos said. The company decided to go with it.
It's not exactly clear why a lower first dose led to better results.
"We think that by giving a smaller first dose, that we're priming the immune system differently — we're setting it up better to respond," Dr. Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said in a news conference on Monday, according to the Belfast Telegraph . "And what we don't know at this moment is whether that difference is in the quality or the quantity of the immune response."
In vaccines that are given as a single dose, typically, the higher the dose, the better the immune response, Pollard said. But for vaccines given in two doses, like this one, the first dose primes the immune system and the second dose boosts it. "The different ways in which you prime are known to influence the response to the booster," he said.
AstraZeneca will now submit efficacy and safety data from these phase 3 trials to regulatory agencies across the globe, and the University of Oxford will submit the full analysis to an independent peer-reviewed journal. Their phase 3 clinical trials are continuing across the globe, including in the U.K., Brazil, South Africa and the U.S.
The Oxford vaccine works differently than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The latter two vaccines are based on a new technology that uses a genetic messenger to prompt the immune system to build the coronavirus's spike protein, which in turn, prompts the immune system to create an arsenal of cells to attack the virus if a person is naturally exposed.
The University of Oxford's vaccine takes a more traditional approach: It is made up of a weakened version of a common cold virus, called an adenovirus, that infects chimpanzees. The virus is genetically altered so that it can't replicate in humans, and it has genes added in that code for the coronavirus's spike protein. This, in turn, teaches the immune system to recognize the spike protein and attack the virus if a person is naturally exposed.
While the University of Oxford vaccine showed a lower efficacy than Pfizer's and Moderna's, there are advantages to the former. For example, the vaccine is much cheaper per dose than the other two and can be stored in regular fridge temperatures of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 8 degrees Celsius). In contrast, Pfizer's vaccine has to be stored in ultra-cold conditions that will likely be a roadblock to storage and distribution, Live Science previously reported .
"Because the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, it can be distributed around the world using the normal immunization distribution system," Pollard said. "And so our goal … to make sure that we have a vaccine that was accessible everywhere, I think we've actually managed to do that."
Editor's note: This article was updated on Nov. 23 to include more information on why some of the participants received different doses.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--Pinwheel Cave rock art in California may depict hallucinogenic 'trance flower'

Just before going into a hallucinogenic trance , Indigenous Californians who had gathered in a cave likely looked up toward the rocky ceiling , where a pinwheel and big-eyed moth were painted in red .
This mysterious `` pinwheel , '' is likely a depiction of the delicate , white flower of Datura wrightii , a powerful hallucinogen that the Chumash people took not only for ceremonial purposes but also for medicinal and supernatural ones , according to a new study .
The moth is likely a species of hawk moth , known for its `` loopy '' intoxicated flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers said .
Chewed globs that humans stuck to the cave 's ceiling provided more evidence of these ancient trips ; these up to 400-year-old lumps , known as quids , contained the mind-altering drugs scopolamine and atropine , which are found in Datura , the researchers said .
The finding marks `` the first clear evidence for the ingestion of hallucinogens at a rock art site , in this case , from Pinwheel Cave , California , '' the researchers wrote in the study , published online today ( Nov. 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Academy of Sciences .
The artists probably were n't high when they drew the rock art , however .
`` It 's extremely unlikely because of the debilitating effects of Datura , '' study lead researcher David Robinson , a reader in archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire in England , told Live Science .
Rather , just like religious artwork and objects at a church , these rock paintings were likely `` setting the scene , '' and helping people about to go into a trance understand the flower 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hallucinogen in that particular cave , he said .
Archaeologists first learned about the rock paintings in 1999 , when workers at Wild Wolves Preserve , a nature preserve about 90 miles ( 145 kilometers ) northeast of Santa Barbara , found a pinwheel and insect painted with , a reddish mineral used in cave art around the world .
At first glance , the 4-inch by 7-inch ( 10.5 by 17 centimeters ) pinwheel drawing does n't look much like a Datura flower , but any botanist would tell you otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and angel trumpet , unfurls at dusk and dawn when insects pollinate it , but during the heat of the day it twists up .
It 's possible this cave painting features an `` opening Datura flower , '' the researchers wrote in the study .
Researchers already knew that the Chumash people used Datura for ceremonies and in everyday life , according to historic descriptions from missionaries and anthropological work .
Historians think Datura was used to `` gain supernatural power for doctoring , to counteract negative supernatural events , to ward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future or find lost objects , but , most especially , as a mendicant for a variety of ailments , '' the researchers wrote in the study .
It was also put in a tea called toloache for a coming-of-age ceremony for boys , and sometimes girls , who took the trance-inducing plant to mark their entrance into adulthood , Robinson said .
However , Robinson and his colleagues needed more evidence than cave art to suggest that Indigenous people used this site for Datura ceremonies .
So , the team investigated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crevices .
Quids , known from other archaeological sites in the American Southwest , are plants usually chewed for their nutrients or stimulants , including yucca , agave or tobacco .
In this case , 3D digital microscopy revealed that the quids in Pinwheel Cave were also likely chewed .
`` [ The quids ] consistently had indentations that we would expect from molars , so it appears that they had inserted it into their mouth and chewed , '' Robinson said .
Related : Photos : Rock art may depict one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The quid fibers were also matted together , and `` you would expect that to occur through some sort of moisture that would make it adhere , such as human saliva , '' he said .
Meanwhile , a chemical analysis revealed the presence of the Datura 's hallucinogenic compounds atropine and scopolamine , and a scanning electron microscope analysis further identified the quids as Datura , although one quid was made of yucca .
`` Each quid appears therefore to have been a single 'dose , ' inserted into the mouth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ compounds ] , '' the researchers wrote in the study .
After the quids were chewed , they were apparently stuck into the ceiling , like a piece of chewed gum .
Radiocarbon dating shows the cave was used on and off again from about 1600 to the late 1800s .
And Indigenous people used the cave for many other purposes : The archaeologists also found projectile points and an arrow shaft straightener — indicating the cave may have served as a place for preparing hunting tools .
Likewise , ground seeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used for food preparation , storage and communal meals .
The new discovery helps dismantle the myth of the lone shaman , going into a cave by himself to have a mystical experience , Robinson said .
`` This is a community site , '' Robinson said .
He added that today 's Tejon Indian Tribe , composed of the descendants of the Chumash , Yokuts and Kitanemuk peoples , use the site today .
Indigenous people around the world , including ancient cultures in Siberia , North America and South America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Patrick McGovern , the scientific director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Project at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia , who was not involved in the study .
And this study used cutting-edge techniques `` to elucidate an important biocultural issue — the use of hallucinogens by peoples of the Americas , '' McGovern told Live Science in an email .

Just before going into a hallucinogenic trance, Indigenous Californians who had gathered in a cave likely looked up toward the rocky ceiling, where a pinwheel and big-eyed moth were painted in red.
This mysterious "pinwheel," is likely a depiction of the delicate, white flower of Datura wrightii, a powerful hallucinogen that the Chumash people took not only for ceremonial purposes but also for medicinal and supernatural ones, according to a new study. The moth is likely a species of hawk moth, known for its "loopy" intoxicated flight after slurping up Datura's nectar, the researchers said.
Chewed globs that humans stuck to the cave's ceiling provided more evidence of these ancient trips; these up to 400-year-old lumps, known as quids, contained the mind-altering drugs scopolamine and atropine, which are found in Datura, the researchers said.
Related: Trippy tales: The history of 8 hallucinogens
The finding marks "the first clear evidence for the ingestion of hallucinogens at a rock art site, in this case, from Pinwheel Cave, California," the researchers wrote in the study, published online today (Nov. 23) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
The artists probably weren't high when they drew the rock art, however. "It's extremely unlikely because of the debilitating effects of Datura," study lead researcher David Robinson, a reader in archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire in England, told Live Science. Rather, just like religious artwork and objects at a church, these rock paintings were likely "setting the scene," and helping people about to go into a trance understand the flower's power and the shared tradition of taking the hallucinogen in that particular cave, he said.
A photo of the pinwheel, which likely represents the opening hallucinogenic Datura wrightii flower, seen next to a quid nestled in a crevice in the lower left. The scale bar is 10 centimeters long. (Image credit: David Wayne Robinson)
Coming of age ceremony
Archaeologists first learned about the rock paintings in 1999, when workers at Wild Wolves Preserve, a nature preserve about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Santa Barbara, found a pinwheel and insect painted with ochre , a reddish mineral used in cave art around the world.
At first glance, the 4-inch by 7-inch (10.5 by 17 centimeters) pinwheel drawing doesn't look much like a Datura flower, but any botanist would tell you otherwise. Datura, also known as jimsonweed and angel trumpet, unfurls at dusk and dawn when insects pollinate it, but during the heat of the day it twists up. It's possible this cave painting features an "opening Datura flower," the researchers wrote in the study.
An unfurling Datura wrightii flower. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Researchers already knew that the Chumash people used Datura for ceremonies and in everyday life, according to historic descriptions from missionaries and anthropological work. Historians think Datura was used to "gain supernatural power for doctoring, to counteract negative supernatural events, to ward off ghosts, and to see the future or find lost objects, but, most especially, as a medicine for a variety of ailments," the researchers wrote in the study. It was also put in a tea called toloache for a coming-of-age ceremony for boys, and sometimes girls, who took the trance-inducing plant to mark their entrance into adulthood, Robinson said.
However, Robinson and his colleagues needed more evidence than cave art to suggest that Indigenous people used this site for Datura ceremonies. So, the team investigated the mysterious quids stuffed into the ceiling's crevices. Quids, known from other archaeological sites in the American Southwest, are plants usually chewed for their nutrients or stimulants, including yucca, agave or tobacco. In this case, 3D digital microscopy revealed that the quids in Pinwheel Cave were also likely chewed. "[The quids] consistently had indentations that we would expect from molars, so it appears that they had inserted it into their mouth and chewed," Robinson said.
Related: Photos: Rock art may depict one of first volcanic eruptions that humans ever drew
The quid fibers were also matted together, and "you would expect that to occur through some sort of moisture that would make it adhere, such as human saliva," he said. Meanwhile, a chemical analysis revealed the presence of the Datura's hallucinogenic compounds atropine and scopolamine, and a scanning electron microscope analysis further identified the quids as Datura, although one quid was made of yucca.
"Each quid appears therefore to have been a single 'dose,' inserted into the mouth and chewed/sucked in order to extract the hallucinogenic [compounds]," the researchers wrote in the study. After the quids were chewed, they were apparently stuck into the ceiling, like a piece of chewed gum.
A hawk moth known as the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) feeding on a purple flower (not Datura). A drawing of a moth much like this one was found in the cave. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Radiocarbon dating shows the cave was used on and off again from about 1600 to the late 1800s. And Indigenous people used the cave for many other purposes: The archaeologists also found projectile points and an arrow shaft straightener — indicating the cave may have served as a place for preparing hunting tools. Likewise, ground seeds and animal remains suggest the cave was used for food preparation, storage and communal meals.
The new discovery helps dismantle the myth of the lone shaman, going into a cave by himself to have a mystical experience, Robinson said.
"This is a community site," Robinson said. He added that today's Tejon Indian Tribe, composed of the descendants of the Chumash, Yokuts and Kitanemuk peoples, use the site today.
Indigenous people around the world, including ancient cultures in Siberia, North America and South America, are known to have taken mind-altering substances, said Patrick McGovern, the scientific director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Project at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, who was not involved in the study. And this study used cutting-edge techniques "to elucidate an important biocultural issue — the use of hallucinogens by peoples of the Americas," McGovern told Live Science in an email.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--Rebuilding Notre Dame will be incredibly hard

Putting out the inferno that tore through the in April 2019 was only the beginning of saving the iconic cathedral .
From the precarious spaghetti of burnt scaffolding hanging over the building to the potential for the walls to collapse on themselves , architects and conservation experts had — and still have — a daunting task in front of them .
A new special from NOVA , the science series on PBS , takes viewers through the challenges .
It 's a journey that travels from within the cathedral itself , to the catacombs below Paris , to the forests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reconstruct the building 's massive roof .
`` We are thrilled to be able to tell the inside story of the dramatic rescue of Notre Dame , '' NOVA co-executive producer Chris Schmidt said in a statement .
`` In the first days after the fire , no one was sure whether the huge bell towers , walls or flying buttresses would remain standing .
The exhaustive process of diagnosing the damage and embarking on the restoration of the great cathedral relies on new technologies and medieval craftsmanship alike . ''
Related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost in the last 100 years Along with the and , Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most iconic buildings in Paris .
On the evening of April 15 last year , a stream of smoke began to rise from the roof of the Gothic cathedral , which was put in the spotlight by Victor Hugo 's `` . ''
The cathedral was constructed between 1163 and 1345 .
Parisians gathered on the streets to watch in horror as , eventually collapsing the cathedral 's spire ( constructed in the mid-1800s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The new documentary reveals the damage the fire left behind : twisted scaffolding above the building from the renovation project that had been going on at the time , giant holes in the limestone vault ceiling , a mass of from the destroyed roof contaminating everything .
The , in particular , makes repairs challenging .
Workers must don protective gear and respirators to clean up the mess .
Even the cathedral 's stained-glass windows , which were mostly spared the worst of the damage , are covered with a thin layer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simplified , occasionally , by the fact that some windows have n't been washed in more than 100 years , so the lead clings to a thin film of dust instead of the glass itself .
The state of the building after the ashes cooled is almost unfathomable in its precariousness .
There was a chance that should the arches of the vault crumble , the supportive flying buttresses on the outside of the cathedral would push in on the walls , collapsing the entire structure .
Architects had to custom-build timber supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pressure and prevent a potential collapse .
In the meantime , a tangle of scaffolding sways in the breeze above the cathedral , setting off motion alarms that warn workers to evacuate in case of a collapse .
Beyond the massive challenge of stabilizing the building , the team working to save Notre Dame must also search for clues about how the building was constructed in the first place .
In one scene , Historical Monuments Research Laboratory geologist Lise Leroux uses microfossils in the stone from the vault ceiling of Notre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rock in the medieval quarries beneath Paris .
This necessitates a trip deep into the quarry tunnels , which were later turned into the famous catacombs .
Meanwhile , timber experts analyze the burnt timbers from `` the forest '' — the wooden framing that held up Notre Dame 's lead roof .
This roof structure was made from some 1,300 oak trees and was completely destroyed in the fire .
It may be possible , according to NOVA , to source new oak from Normandy .
Oak is a strong wood that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French Senate passed a bill in May 2019 requiring the new roof to hew to traditional construction .
The documentary largely tracks the work done before the COVID-19 .
According to , all work paused between March and early June 2020 due to the pandemic .
Currently , crews are still working to remove the damaged scaffolding from above the cathedral — approximately 30,000 pieces weighing a combined 300 tons .
It may take decades until the full work of repairing the cathedral is complete .
The special , Saving Notre Dame , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 9 p.m. E.T./8 p.m. C.T .
on PBS and will be available for and on the PBS video app .

Putting out the inferno that tore through the roof of Notre Dame in April 2019 was only the beginning of saving the iconic cathedral.
From the precarious spaghetti of burnt scaffolding hanging over the building to the potential for the walls to collapse on themselves, architects and conservation experts had — and still have — a daunting task in front of them. A new special from NOVA, the science series on PBS, takes viewers through the challenges. It's a journey that travels from within the cathedral itself, to the catacombs below Paris, to the forests of Normandy that might provide the wood to reconstruct the building's massive roof.
"We are thrilled to be able to tell the inside story of the dramatic rescue of Notre Dame," NOVA co-executive producer Chris Schmidt said in a statement. "In the first days after the fire, no one was sure whether the huge bell towers, walls or flying buttresses would remain standing. The exhaustive process of diagnosing the damage and embarking on the restoration of the great cathedral relies on new technologies and medieval craftsmanship alike."
Related: 10 historical treasures that the world lost in the last 100 years
Fire at Notre Dame
Along with the Eiffel tower and the Louvre Museum , Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most iconic buildings in Paris. On the evening of April 15 last year, a stream of smoke began to rise from the roof of the Gothic cathedral, which was put in the spotlight by Victor Hugo's " The Hunchback of Notre Dame ." The cathedral was constructed between 1163 and 1345. Parisians gathered on the streets to watch in horror as flames burst from the roof , eventually collapsing the cathedral's spire (constructed in the mid-1800s during a restoration of the building).
The new documentary reveals the damage the fire left behind: twisted scaffolding above the building from the renovation project that had been going on at the time, giant holes in the limestone vault ceiling, a mass of melted lead from the destroyed roof contaminating everything. The lead , in particular, makes repairs challenging. Workers must don protective gear and respirators to clean up the mess. Even the cathedral's stained-glass windows, which were mostly spared the worst of the damage, are covered with a thin layer of lead dust. Cleaning them is simplified, occasionally, by the fact that some windows haven't been washed in more than 100 years, so the lead clings to a thin film of dust instead of the glass itself.
The state of the building after the ashes cooled is almost unfathomable in its precariousness. There was a chance that should the arches of the vault crumble, the supportive flying buttresses on the outside of the cathedral would push in on the walls, collapsing the entire structure. Architects had to custom-build timber supports to place within the buttresses to relieve the pressure and prevent a potential collapse. In the meantime, a tangle of scaffolding sways in the breeze above the cathedral, setting off motion alarms that warn workers to evacuate in case of a collapse.
Melding the modern and medieval
Beyond the massive challenge of stabilizing the building, the team working to save Notre Dame must also search for clues about how the building was constructed in the first place. In one scene, Historical Monuments Research Laboratory geologist Lise Leroux uses microfossils in the stone from the vault ceiling of Notre Dame to trace the source of the rock in the medieval quarries beneath Paris. This necessitates a trip deep into the quarry tunnels, which were later turned into the famous catacombs.
Meanwhile, timber experts analyze the burnt timbers from "the forest" — the wooden framing that held up Notre Dame's lead roof. This roof structure was made from some 1,300 oak trees and was completely destroyed in the fire. It may be possible, according to NOVA, to source new oak from Normandy. Oak is a strong wood that provides good structural support, and the French Senate passed a bill in May 2019 requiring the new roof to hew to traditional construction.
The documentary largely tracks the work done before the COVID-19 pandemic . According to Friends of Notre Dame de Paris , all work paused between March and early June 2020 due to the pandemic. Currently, crews are still working to remove the damaged scaffolding from above the cathedral — approximately 30,000 pieces weighing a combined 300 tons. It may take decades until the full work of repairing the cathedral is complete.
The special, Saving Notre Dame, premieres Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 9 p.m. E.T./8 p.m. C.T. on PBS and will be available for streaming online and on the PBS video app.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--Newfound corpses at Pompeii were a master and servant who died together

More than 150 years after the first remains of the victims of the eruption were discovered , scientists have found two more bodies in the ruins near Pompeii .
The two individuals were men , one in his late teens or early 20s and one in his 30s .
Both apparently died trying to flee a suburban villa as a torrent of hot ash and gases called pyroclastic flow buried the region .
The bones of the victims were removed and analyzed , and then the voids within the hardened ash where the bones had rested were scanned with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the human-shaped spaces , creating casts of the two dead men .
These casts show details such as the folds of the woolen tunics worn by the victims .
The villa sits in a site called Civita Giuliana , which is about 0.4 miles ( 0.7 kilometers ) northwest of Pompeii .
It was originally explored in 1907 , and illegal excavations since then have uncovered a series of rooms and terraces .
Starting in 2017 , archaeologists began a new round of excavations , in part to protect the site from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they that died in its stable , buried by pyroclastic flow .
The new bodies were found in a side room of a cryptoporticus , or covered walkway , in the main part of the villa .
This semi-underground hallway consisted of arches that would have held up the rooms above .
The two men died side-by-side in an L shape , with one man 's feet nearly touching the other 's shoulders .
The younger man was about 5 feet , 1 inch tall ( 156 centimeters ) .
His vertebrae @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy labor ; it 's possible he was a slave .
He wore a short tunic , probably made of wool .
The older man was about 5 feet , 4 inches tall ( 163 cm ) and wore a tunic and woolen mantle .
Near the victims were other voids , which held not bodies , but objects .
Their shapes indicated that they were likely bundles of cloth , perhaps carried by the two men as they tried to flee .
The men had likely been through a harrowing day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 79 , at around 1 p.m. local time , pumice began to rain from the sky as Mount Vesuvius rumbled , according to the team led by Italian archaeologist Luana Toniolo .
This rain of rock continued until about 7 a.m. the next morning .
Rock layers show an initial deposit of white pumice , followed by a layer of grey pumice .
Then the eruption shifted ; a rush of pyroclastic flow swept down Vesuvius ' slopes at around 7 a.m. , flooding Pompeii with a few centimeters of ash .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong enough to destroy buildings .
Likely , many survived these first two phases .
But residents were doomed by the second pyroclastic flow , which hit perhaps half an hour after the first .
This flow collapsed walls as it buried Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum .
Some victims were likely killed by the intense heat of the pyroclastic plume , hot enough to turn brain tissue to glass .
Others probably died by inhaling toxic gases or simply by being crushed by the flow .
There were several more pyroclastic surges throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civita Guiliana were buried under at least 6.5 feet ( 2 meters ) of hardened ash .
They were completely engulfed , meaning that the devastating second pyroclastic flow killed them at once .
The excavations at Civita Guiliana have revealed two bedrooms decorated with stone mosaics , and a large banquet room with marble floors .
The room where the two bodies were found allowed access from the lower-level cryptoporticus to the upper floor .
Toniolo and the rest of the scientific team are using lasers to scan the excavated villa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

More than 150 years after the first remains of the victims of the Mount Vesuvius eruption were discovered, scientists have found two more bodies in the ruins near Pompeii.
The two individuals were men, one in his late teens or early 20s and one in his 30s. Both apparently died trying to flee a suburban villa as a torrent of hot ash and gases called pyroclastic flow buried the region.
The bones of the victims were removed and analyzed, and then the voids within the hardened ash where the bones had rested were scanned with a laser. Finally, archaeologists poured plaster within the human-shaped spaces, creating casts of the two dead men. These casts show details such as the folds of the woolen tunics worn by the victims.
Death at Pompeii
The villa sits in a site called Civita Giuliana, which is about 0.4 miles (0.7 kilometers) northwest of Pompeii. It was originally explored in 1907, and illegal excavations since then have uncovered a series of rooms and terraces. Starting in 2017, archaeologists began a new round of excavations, in part to protect the site from trophy-hunters and grave robbers. In 2018, they discovered the remains of a horse that died in its stable, buried by pyroclastic flow.
The new bodies were found in a side room of a cryptoporticus, or covered walkway, in the main part of the villa. This semi-underground hallway consisted of arches that would have held up the rooms above. The two men died side-by-side in an L shape, with one man's feet nearly touching the other's shoulders. The younger man was about 5 feet, 1 inch tall (156 centimeters). His vertebrae were compressed, indicating a life of heavy labor; it's possible he was a slave. He wore a short tunic, probably made of wool.
The older man was about 5 feet, 4 inches tall (163 cm) and wore a tunic and woolen mantle. Near the victims were other voids, which held not bodies, but objects. Their shapes indicated that they were likely bundles of cloth, perhaps carried by the two men as they tried to flee.
The timeline at Civita Guiliana
The men had likely been through a harrowing day and night before they died. In A.D. 79, likely on Oct. 24 at around 1 p.m. local time, pumice began to rain from the sky as Mount Vesuvius rumbled, according to the team led by Italian archaeologist Luana Toniolo . This rain of rock continued until about 7 a.m. the next morning. Rock layers show an initial deposit of white pumice, followed by a layer of grey pumice.
Then the eruption shifted; a rush of pyroclastic flow swept down Vesuvius' slopes at around 7 a.m., flooding Pompeii with a few centimeters of ash. This first flow was relatively slow and not strong enough to destroy buildings.
Likely, many survived these first two phases. But residents were doomed by the second pyroclastic flow, which hit perhaps half an hour after the first. This flow collapsed walls as it buried Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum. Some victims were likely killed by the intense heat of the pyroclastic plume, hot enough to turn brain tissue to glass . Others probably died by inhaling toxic gases or simply by being crushed by the flow. There were several more pyroclastic surges throughout that morning. The new victims at Civita Guiliana were buried under at least 6.5 feet (2 meters) of hardened ash. They were completely engulfed, meaning that the devastating second pyroclastic flow killed them at once.
The excavations at Civita Guiliana have revealed two bedrooms decorated with stone mosaics, and a large banquet room with marble floors. The room where the two bodies were found allowed access from the lower-level cryptoporticus to the upper floor. Toniolo and the rest of the scientific team are using lasers to scan the excavated villa and create a digital map of the site.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-23--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!