Researchers have developed a new membrane-based respiratory mask that captures and deactivates the COVID-19 particles it encounters. The mask filters particles the same way N95 masks do, but the new material also features antiviral enzymes that destroy SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins (which are what allow the virus to enter the body). According to the developer’s tests, 99% of targeted particles were successfully filtered out by the …
Scientists at Rice University have successfully used a remote control to operate the wings of fruit flies, after hacking into their brains. To achieve this, the researchers genetically modified flies to express a specific heat-sensitive ion channel. Then they inserted a heat trigger—magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that heat up in the presence of a magnetic charge—into the flies’ brains. When a magnetic field is switched …
The black hole binary system VFTS243 is nine times the mass of the sun and the first dormant black hole to be discovered outside the Milky Way. Its origins, however, are peculiar. Typically black holes form when stars reach the end of their lifespan and collapse, causing an explosion, but the researchers of the study believe the star that caused VFTS243 vanished without any sign …
