Long-Acting Malaria Pill Now Gets A Step Closer

Scientists have developed a new drug capsule that remains in the stomach for up to two weeks after being swallowed, gradually releasing its payload, paving the way for a long acting pill that may effectively treat malaria and many other diseases. This type of drug delivery could replace inconvenient regimens that require repeated doses, which would help to overcome one of the major obstacles to treating and potentially eliminating diseases such as malaria. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the United States used this approach to deliver a drug called ivermectin, which they believe could aid in malaria elimination efforts.

Pluto Could Have As Much Water As Earth

Scientists have found evidence that tiny, distant Pluto harbors a hidden ocean beneath the frozen surface of its heart shaped central plain contains as much water as all of Earth’s seas. The finding, reported on 16 November in two research papers published in the journal Nature, adds Pluto to growing list of worlds in the solar system beyond Earth believed to have underground oceans, some of which potentially could be habitats for life. Pluto’s ocean, which is likely slushy with ice, lies 150 to 200 km beneath the dwarf planet’s icy surface and is about 100km deep, planetary scientists said in an interview. With its ocean covered by so much ice, Pluto is not a prime candidate for life, added Massachusetts Institute of Technology planetary scientist Richard Binzel another of the researchers. But Binzel added that “one is careful to never say the word impossible.” Liquid water is considered one of the essential ingredients for life. The discovery was made through an analysis of images and data collected by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which flew past Pluto and its entourage of moons in July 2015.

Gene Editing Could Give Longer Life

Scientists have discovered a new way to edit DNA that could fix “broken genes” in the brain, cure previously incurable diseases and potentially even extend the human lifespan. The breakthrough – described as a “holy grail” of generics – was used to partially restore the sight of rats blinded by a condition which also affects humans. Previously researchers were not able to make changes to DNA in eye, brain, heart and liver tissues. But the new techniques allow them to do this for the first time and could also lead to new treatments for a range of diseases associated with the ageing process. One of the researchers said they are very excited by the technology they discovered because it’s something that could not be done before. The possible applications of this discovery are vast. The cells in most of the tissues of an adult body do not divide, making it harder for scientists to introduce changes to the DNA. Researcher said, for the first time, they can enter into cells that do not divide and modify the DNA at will. They now have a technology that allows them to modify the DNA of non dividing cells, to fix broken genes in the brain, heart and liver. It allows then for the first time to be able to dream of curing diseases that they couldn’t before, which is exciting. The researchers used the technique on rats born with a genetic disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which affects about one in 4,000 people in the UK. By altering the genes affecting the eyes, they were able to give the rats a degree of vision. It should be noted, however, that although tests demonstrated improved visual responses after sub retinal injection of (the DNA repair) to three week old rats, the rescue was only partial and not enough to completely restore vision.

NY-London In 3hr 15min On New Supersonic Jet

British entrepreneur Richard Branson has unveiled the prototype for a new supersonic aircraft that promises to have air travel times, and send passengers between London and New York in three hours and 15 minutes (normally a 7 hour flight) or LA to Sydney in 6 hours and 45 minutes (15 hour trip). The XB-1 has been nicknamed ‘Baby Boom’, claimed to be among the world’s fastest civil aircraft ever made, and promises to give passengers “affordable” supersonic travel. While the first commercial flight is not expected until 2023, the price of a flight between London and New York is currently set at £2,500 (approx. Rs 2.12 Lakh as on 16 November). The new aircraft has a cruising speed of Mach 2.2 or 1,451mph (approx. 2,335 kilometres per hour), which is 10% faster than Concorde’s speed of Mach 2 (the speed of sound is measured as Mach 1), and 2.6 times faster than other airliners. A typical Boeing 747 goes at about 560mph (901kmph) and takes eight hours or so to fly the 3,459 miles (approx. 5,567km) across the Atlantic. The new planes are set to carry 40 passengers at a time. There hasn’t been a supersonic commercial jet in operation since the Concorde jet, constructed by French aerospace company Aerospatiale and British Aircraft Corporation, was retired after 27 years of service in 2003. Despite other aerospace companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin developing their own supersonic spacecraft, Virgin and startup Boom are hoping to beat the competition to market as the aircraft uses existing technology that has already been approved by regulators. Boom’s development of the new aircraft has been done in partnership with Dranson’s Spaceship Company, which is attached to Virgin Galactic. The company will provide engineering and manufacturing services to Boom, in addition to test flight support and operations. Branson has signed an option to buy the first 10 airframes. The subsonic test flight of the XB-1 will take place east of Denver, Colorado (US), while the supersonic test flights will take place near Edwards Air force Base in Southern California.