An ancient shellfish is key to modern medicine

+ Super El Niño is coming US Edition - Today's top story: Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won't bleed this unique species dry [View in browser]( US Edition | 12 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How did Israeli intelligence miss Hamas’ attack?]( - [America’s farmers are aging – who will replace them?]( - [How you can help prevent the next tripledemic]( Lead story Many medical products come from living creatures, but horseshoe crabs play a unique role. The milky-blue blood of these living fossils that have barely changed for hundreds of millions of years contains a protein called LAL that drug developers use to test their products for common toxins. Thousands of the crabs are harvested every year, bled in labs and returned (mostly) alive to the ocean. Kristoffer Whitney and Jolie Crunelle, researchers who study science and public policy at Rochester Institute of Technology, explain why conservationists are worried about this use of horseshoe crabs, and the growing call to shift to synthetic substitutes for LAL. It’s a controversy that cuts across multiple regulatory fields and requires [striking a balance between protecting nature and human health](. One last thing: If you value The Conversation’s international coverage, we think you’ll also like the DailyChatter. This daily newsletter covers more than 150 countries by highlighting trusted sources like The Conversation from around the world. Subscribe today and [get the world in your inbox tomorrow](. Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor Horseshoe crabs in spawning season at Reeds Beach, N.J., on June 13, 2023. AP Photo/Matt Rourke [Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won’t bleed this unique species dry]( Kristoffer Whitney, Rochester Institute of Technology; Jolie Crunelle, Rochester Institute of Technology Horseshoe crabs play a unique role in medicine, but they’re also ecologically important in their home waters along the Atlantic coast. Can regulators balance the needs of humans and nature? Environment + Energy - [What is a strong El Niño? Meteorologists anticipate a big impact in winter 2023, but the forecasts don’t all agree]( Aaron Levine, University of Washington An atmospheric scientist explains how El Niño works, this year’s oddities and why this phenomenon doesn’t last long. Health + Medicine - [Vaccines against COVID-19, the seasonal flu and RSV are our best chance of preventing a winter surge]( Libby Richards, Purdue University Newly approved and updated vaccines are the best tools available to combat COVID-19, the flu and RSV, as infections and hospitalizations tick upward and cold and flu season gets underway. Ethics + Religion - [How Chicana women artists have often used the figure of the Virgin of Guadalupe for political messages]( Judith Huacuja, University of Dayton Over the past decades, many Chicana artists have used Guadalupe to emphasize issues of justice around immigration. Science + Technology - [Astronomers have learned lots about the universe − but how do they study astronomical objects too distant to visit?]( Luke Keller, Ithaca College Controlled experiments are impossible in astronomy, as are direct measurements of physical properties of objects outside our solar system. So how do astronomers know so much about them? Economy + Business - [America’s farmers are getting older, and young people aren’t rushing to join them]( David R. Buys, Mississippi State University; John J. Green, Mississippi State University; Mary Nelson Robertson, Mississippi State University It’s part of a decadeslong trend. Politics + Society - [How did Israeli intelligence miss Hamas’ preparations to attack? A US counterterrorism expert explains how Israeli intelligence works]( Javed Ali, University of Michigan Israel’s intelligence capacities are considered some of the best in the world – but unlike the US, it does not have a central organization coordinating all intelligence. Trending on site - [The Gaza Strip − why the history of the densely populated enclave is key to understanding the current conflict]( - [Chandrayaan-3’s measurements of sulfur open the doors for lunar science and exploration]( - [Sea glass, a treasure formed from trash, is on the decline as single-use plastic takes over]( Today's graphic 📈 [The previous record flood level for the Mendenhall River at Auke Bay was 11.99 feet during a glacial lake outburst flood in July 2016. The August 2023 flood was 3 feet higher.]( From the story, [Glacial lake outburst floods in Alaska and the Himalayas show evolving hazards in a warming world]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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