Weekend Edition: The mRNA revolution

mRNA technology has given us a pathway out of the worst pandemic in a century, but this could be just the beginning for mRNA therapy. Rich Haridy delves into the fascinating story of mRNA this weekend, and we catch up on the biggest news of the week including the historic first – and second – flight of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. [Science]( [The mRNA revolution: How COVID-19 hit fast-forward on an experimental technology]( [Years of research has been condensed into less than 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic]( Several hundred million people around the world have safely received a wildly effective COVID-19 vaccine based on mRNA technology. So what exactly is an mRNA vaccine, where did the technology come from, and what other diseases could it be useful for? [Read more]( [Aircraft]( [Airbus pioneers a superconducting powertrain cooled by liquid hydrogen]( [Airbus is working on a number of hydrogen-fueled clean aircraft, including this blended wing concept]( Airbus is working on a number of hydrogen-powered aircraft, and it's just found a new angle on cryogenic liquid H2 fuel: using it to supercool the powertrain down to superconducting temperatures, possibly unlocking huge weight and efficiency savings. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [Evidence of COVID-19 airborne transmission “overwhelming” say experts]( [A year into the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing number of scientists are calling for greater recognition of airborne transmission of the virus]( A review article has presented 10 key scientific reasons why the virus that causes COVID-19 is predominantly spread though the air. The research adds to a growing chorus of experts saying the evidence for airborne transmission is “overwhelming”. [Read more]( [Space]( [NASA's Mars Helicopter makes historic first flight]( [Ingenuity as seen from Perseverance]( NASA has made history today, conducting the very first powered flight on another planet. The Mars Helicopter Ingenuity successfully took to the Red Planet skies for a brief jaunt, which will hopefully be the first of several. [Read more]( [Space]( [Ingenuity helicopter makes first controlled horizontal flight on Mars]( [Ingenuity in flight as seen by Perseverance]( NASA's Ingenuity helicopter made history again today by flying horizontally on Mars for the first time. The rotorcraft lifted off and flew for 51.9 seconds, reaching an altitude of 16 ft and flying laterally for 7 ft before descending safely. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [Short sleep durations in midlife linked to dementia later in life]( [A long-term study found persistent sleep durations of less than six hours in middle age were linked with a 30-percent increased risk of developing dementia later in life]( A long-term observational study is reporting a link between short sleep durations in midlife and increased risk of dementia in old age. The research cannot offer evidence of a causal link but it is one of the longest studies to detect this association. [Read more]( [Medical]( ["Ice cube tray" retinal patch is loaded with cells to restore vision]( [An electron microscope image shows both sides of the newly developed retinal patch material, which is shaped like an ice cube tray]( A team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has engineered a novel type of scaffold that could give efforts to tackle vision loss a boost, by improving the precision with which replacement photoreceptor cells can be delivered into the eye. [Read more]( [Physics]( [Dark matter: What is it, how do we know it's there and will we find it?]( [Dark matter is believed to be responsible for the large-scale structure of the universe we see today]( There’s invisible, undetectable stuff all around us, and we call it dark matter. There’s plenty of evidence that this stuff is very real, but what exactly is dark matter? How do we know it’s there? And how are scientists looking for it? [Read more]( [Science]( [AI tool offers clues to mystery of who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls]( [New researcher reveals strong evidence one of the most well-known Dead Sea Scrolls was written by two separate scribes]( A new method of handwriting analysis is offering fresh clues as to who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. Testing the machine learning tool on one of the most famous ancient scrolls has revealed not one but two scribes were responsible for the ancient text. [Read more]( [Outdoors]( [Tiny Bruno camping trailer lives large inside, outside and on the roof]( [The new Kuckoo trailer combines a homey interior with a few nice outdoor living features]( We've recently seen a few small camper vans that look homier than some houses, and now we have a squaredrop trailer that can say the same. The new Kuckoo Bruno combines some of our favorite RV features into a towable all-weather cabin. [Read more]( [Science]( [Microplastics found to alter shape of and de-cluster human lung cells]( [A study into the effects of microplastics on human lung cells has found that they may alter their function]( A new study has delved into the kind of damage microplastics can cause to human lungs, with researchers observing changes to the shape of lung cells and a slowdown in their metabolism and growth when exposed to these tiny plastic particles. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [Electric Audi A6 e-tron concept beams out video games while charging]( [First look at a future member of the Audi EV family]( Audi is pushing forward with its electric design, adding e-tron power to the A6 lineage. The all-new A6 e-tron concept previews a sporty fastback with a combination of LEDs and OLEDs to light up the road ahead and even host a little outdoor gaming. [Read more]( [Computers]( [Apple launches new iMacs, iPads, AirTag trackers and more]( [Colorful new iMacs led Apple's latest hardware refresh]( Apple's hardware teams have been busy, with new iMac all-in-one computers, iPad Pro tablets, and AirTag trackers among the products revealed at its Spring Loaded event today. The Apple TV 4K gets an upgrade too, and there's a new iPhone 12 color. [Read more]( [Environment]( [Lovebug cat food is the latest to substitute insect protein for meat]( [Made with black soldier fly larvae, Lovebug reportedly provides a "healthy mix" of amino acids, good fats and micronutrients]( More and more, insect protein is being suggested as a more sustainable alternative to meat. Humans aren't the only omnivores, though, which is why a new insect-based cat food should soon be hitting the market – and it won't be the only one. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [Massive meta-analysis uncovers best strategies for improving well-being]( [A meta-analysis has found mindfulness interventions were the most consistently effective technique at improving well-being]( A new meta-analysis has reviewed over 400 clinical trials investigating the efficacy of various psychological interventions on mental well-being in an attempt to empirically categorize the most effective tactics to improve one’s well-being. [Read more]( [Aircraft]( [One with the lot: The folding, electric, street-legal, VTOL flying car]( [The Aska is a four-seat street-legal car concept that auto-folds out into a six-rotor transitioning eVTOL]( Spoiler: it has a hefty price tag. But then, the Aska would be a remarkable vehicle: a spacious, four-seat electric SUV with the ability to stop and fold out a set of wings and props to transform into an electric VTOL/STOL aircraft. [Read more]( [Outdoors]( [Latest Thermacell backyard repeller expands mosquito-free zone]( [The E55 uses visual and audio cues for turn-on, optimum temperature, shut-off and battery life]( Thermacell LPG- and battery-powered repellers offer one of the more convenient ways to keep mosquitos off your skin, without open flames, sprays or pungent odors. Now Thermacell launches its latest repeller with increased range. [Read more]( [Urban Transport]( [Tilting e-trike rides like a land-going personal watercraft]( [The Uready tilting electric trike is currently on Kickstarter]( Ordinarily, riding an electric scooter doesn't feel that much like riding a Jet Ski. Germany-based entrepreneur Oguzhan Abayrak has set out to make it more so, though, with his Uready tilting e-trike. [Read more]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com]( (or [gizmag.com]( before August 2016). [Update profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( Copyright New Atlas © 2021