Geochemist duo offer new explanation for dearth of xenon in Earth’s atmosphere Credit: University of Manchester

Scientists have revealed that some of Earth’s atmosphere may have been brought to the planet by comets billions of years ago. The mystery of how the Earth’s atmosphere was formed has long baffled scientists. Some researchers think comets might have originally brought some of the water, organic and atmospheric molecules to Earth that now make up its life. Now a new study from The University of Manchester, UK, Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG) and Université de Lorraine (Nancy, France), has found evidence to back up the theory.

The scientists have been analysing tiny samples of ancient air trapped in water bubbles found in quartz, which dates back >3 b...

Human activities have been changing near-Earth space and weather. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Genna Duberstein

Our Cold War history is now offering scientists a chance to better understand the complex space system that surrounds us. Space weather – which can include changes in Earth’s magnetic environment – are usually triggered by the sun’s activity, but recently declassified data on high-altitude nuclear explosion tests have provided a new look at the mechanisms that set off perturbations in that magnetic system. Such information can help support NASA’s efforts to protect satellites and astronauts from the natural radiation inherent in space.

From 1958 to 1962, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. ran high-altitude tests with exotic code names like Starfish, Argus and Teak...

Healthy liver (left) and diseased liver (right) with infiltrated CD8 T-cells indicated by arrow. Credit: Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Role of NKT and CD8 T-cells demonstrated in mice and humans. A team of investigators led by Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, has identified key inflammatory cells involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Current treatment for the disorder involves changes to diet, yet no medication has been approved for treatment. Findings from this study provide a potential therapeutic target and offer the possibility for developing a treatment.

“The rise in obesity has led to an epidemic of fatty liver disease in both children and adults,” said Kohli, head of the division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition...

Multifunctional scales, will be able to monitor your health and inform about potentially dangerous life conditions, such as arteriosclerosis or cardiac arrhythmia.

KTU Institute of Biomedical Engineering is developing the multifunctional scales, which can monitor your health and inform about potentially dangerous life conditions, such as arteriosclerosis or cardiac arrhythmia. “Hospitals are fully equipped with advanced technologies for diagnosing illnesses and critical conditions, but it is too expensive to use this equipment for everyday health monitoring. On the other hand, people do not have many devices for personal health monitoring at home, and these devices could be very practical,” says Vaidotas Marozas, the Director of the KTU Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

A team of KTU re...