GS-5734 is effective against a diverse array of human and zoonotic CoV in HAE.
(A) Neighbor-joining trees created with representatives from all four CoV genogroups showing the genetic similarity of CoV nsp12 (RdRp) and CoV spike glycoprotein, which mediates host tropism and entry into cells. Text color of the virus strain label corresponds to virus host species on the left. The heatmap adjacent to each neighbor-joining tree depicts percent amino acid identity (% A.A. identity) against SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV.

A new antiviral drug candidate inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including the SARS and MERS coronaviruses. The findings support further development of the drug candidate for treating and preventing current coronavirus infections and potential future epidemic outbreaks.

Coronavirus...

This is a timelapse image of the walking device. Credit: Bart van Overbeeke

Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology and Kent State University have developed a new material that can undulate and therefore propel itself forward under the influence of light. To this end, they clamp a strip of this polymer material in a rectangular frame. When illuminated it goes for a walk all on its own. This small device, the size of a paperclip, is the world’s first machine to convert light directly into walking, simply using one fixed light source.

The maximum speed is equivalent to that of a caterpillar, about 0.5cm/s. They think it can be used to transport small items in hard-to-reach places or to keep the surface of solar cells clean...

This is an artist’s representation of a conceptual design for the color detector, which uses thermoelectric structures with arrays of nanoscale wires that absorb different wavelengths of light based on their width. Credit: Harry Atwater and Kelly Mauser/Caltech

Engineers at Caltech have for the first time developed a light detector that combines 2 disparate technologies – nanophotonics, which manipulates light at the nanoscale, and thermoelectrics, which translates temperature differences directly into electron voltage – to distinguish different wavelengths (colors) of light, including both visible and infrared wavelengths, at high resolution...

Merging black holes generate gravitational waves. These ripples in space-time might be used to unveil hidden dimensions. Credit: © Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes (SXS)

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute/AEI) in Potsdam found that hidden dimensions– as predicted by string theory could influence gravitational waves. In a recently published paper they study the consequences of extra dimensions on these ripples in space-time, and predict whether their effects could be detected.

LIGO’s first detection of gravitational waves from a black-hole binary in September 2015 has opened a new window onto the universe...