Photo: NASA/Daniel Rutter

The Kepler telescope was deactivated in 2018, ending its mission almost a decade after its launch. However, its observations continue to teach us new things about the universe. NASA reports that astronomers have found a system of seven planets thanks to the data gathered by the Kepler telescope.

Known as Kepler-385 due to the involvement of the telescope in its discovery, this seven-planet system has a Sun-like star at the center. However, it is about 10% larger and 5% hotter than our Sun; and it creates scorching conditions throughout the system. NASA even points out that each of the planets is bathed in more radiant heat from their host star per area than any planet in our solar system.

As for these seven exoplanets (planets that orbit a star outside the solar system), the inner two are both slightly larger than Earth, probably rocky with thin atmospheres. The other five planets are thought to be larger, with a radius about twice the size of Earth’s but smaller than Neptune, and surrounded by thick atmospheres.

Kepler-385 is part of a new catalog of 4,400 planet candidates and 700 multi-planet systems discovered by the telescope. A planet candidate is a planet that has been discovered by a telescope, but not yet confirmed to actually exist. Among all the planet candidates and systems listed, Kepler-385 caught the astronomer's attention as it's rare for there to be a system with more than six planet candidates.

“The ability to describe the properties of the Kepler-385 system in such detail is testament to the quality of this latest catalog of exoplanets,” writes NASA. “While the Kepler mission’s final catalogs focused on producing lists optimized to measure how common planets are around other stars, this study focuses on producing a comprehensive list that provides accurate information about each of the systems, making discoveries like Kepler-385 possible.”

With Kepler having provided the first steps in the long process to further studying neighbor systems and planets, researchers will turn to other resources to confirm their existence and learn more about them. “We’ve assembled the most accurate list of Kepler planet candidates and their properties to date,” says Jack Lissauer, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and lead author on the paper presenting the new catalog. “NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered the majority of known exoplanets, and this new catalog will enable astronomers to learn more about their characteristics.”

NASA reports that astronomers have found a system of seven planets thanks to the data gathered by the Kepler telescope.

Photo: NASA/Daniel Rutter

All images via NASA.

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READ: NASA Discovers New “Scorching” Seven-Planet System Orbiting Distant Star

Photo: Courtesy of Lisa Fryklund/Society for Science

When it comes to innovation, inspiration can come from anywhere. For 12-year-old Shanya Gill, innovation for a life-saving invention came from a nearby tragedy. When a fire burned down a nearby restaurant, she wondered what could have gone differently. This difficult event then motivated the sixth-grader to design a fire detection system that works faster than the average smoke detector. Now, her clever invention has earned her the top spot in a national science competition.

To bring her fire detection system to life, Gill used two key components: a thermal camera and a Raspberry Pi computer. “I coded the Raspberry Pi with Python and the thermal camera gives images to the Raspberry Pi to analyze,” Gill told Insider. “The whole purpose of the device is to detect an unattended fire and send a text message to you.”

Unlike common smoke detectors, the computer analyzes the thermal readings from the camera, determining if a heat source comes from a person or an animal by whether it moves horizontally or vertically (like smoke rising). The device then sends an alert to the owner's phone, wherever they may be. After putting it to the test, her invention had 97% accuracy in detecting heat sources.

Gill was awarded first place at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC), organized by Society for Science. On top of the title, the young inventor also received $25,000, which she hopes to use to take her device to the market, as well as supporting those who have already been affected by a fire. “I definitely want to put some in some charities that help people that may have gotten their homes destroyed by fires,” the budding inventor shares, “because that's really just my whole purpose of this project: for this invention to reach as many people as possible and to also save as many people as possible and rebuild the things that people need.”

On her way to the top spot, the young innovator beat 65,000 middle schoolers in STEM. The key to the win was not only her device, but also the leadership and science skills she displayed during a national science fair, which featured the top 30 finalists. At the end of the competition, other projects also developed by students, were awarded $10,000. These include a smartphone app to detect cancer, designed by Keshvee Sekhda; a device that generates electricity from energy of two objects when they are separated, built by Adyant Bhavsar; and an eco-friendly fabric for reusable menstrual products, created by Elizabeth Olvera.

As for Gill, her future looks promising, and those who have seen her work in action can't wait to see what's next for her. “She's got a really interesting device. I mean, it detects fires earlier than smoke detectors,” said Maya Ajmera, president & CEO of the Society for Science. “She not only had a brilliant project but just carried those leadership and collaboration skills and her challenges and stood out. We can't wait to see what her journey looks like over the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years.”

12-year-old Shanya Gill designed a fire detection system that works faster than the average smoke detector.

Photo: Jessica Yurinko/Society for Science

To bring her fire detection system to life, Gill used two key components: a thermal camera and a Raspberry Pi computer, which sends an alert to the owner's smartphone.

Photo: Jessica Yurinko/Society for Science

Gill was awarded the first place title and prize of $25,000 at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC), and hopes to use her winnings to take her design to the market.

Photo: Courtesy of Lisa Fryklund/Society for Science

Society for Science: Website | Instagram

All images via Society for Science.

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Given that cancer is one of the deadliest diseases out there, any new development in our fight against it is highly commendable. The latest breakthrough was made by Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old student from Annandale, Virginia. The student has created a bar soap to treat melanoma, the most common kind of skin cancer. Now, his findings have earned him the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.

“I made this soap by fusing regular medicinal soap with a 50/30/20 ratio of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin, which are all keratolytic agents that slowly reactivate dendritic cells,” Bekele said during his presentation at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. “After the Melanoma Treating Soap (MTS) is used, the soap releases toll-like receptors into your skin. These receptors latch onto dendritic cells which reactivate them. The now reactivated dendritic cells then join with TN io12 cells to fight infected HPV cells.”

Rather than a cure, Bekele's soap aims to help the patient's immune cells stay active while fighting melanoma. While similar remedies are available for skin cancer treatments, the boy decided to work on a more affordable alternative, especially for those in developing countries. For now, the product is very promising on paper, but studies would have to be carried out to test its efficiency in the real world.

Bekele, who competed against nine other youth-led projects, was paired with a mentor. Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist and expert in abrasives, helped him develop his concept into a prototype and guided him through a series of challenges, which included a presentation of their creation. Among the other projects in the competition were a glove to detect epilepsy and an affordable electronic braille display device.

As a winner, Bekele was awarded a $25,000 cash prize. For now, the young scientist hopes to refine his invention and create a non-profit to distribute the MTS among those who need it the most.

“I applied for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world,” Bukele said. “I have always been interested in biology and technology, and this challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas. The opportunity to work with 3M mentors and show my project to a panel of judges was an exciting prospect. I am passionate about finding sustainable solutions to global problems, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.”

Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old student, developed a soap that can help treat skin cancer.

“I made this soap by fusing regular medicinal soap with a 50/30/20 ratio of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin, which are all keratolytic agents that slowly reactivate dendritic cells.”

Young Scientist Lab: Website
h/t: [IFL Science]

All images via 3M.

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READ: 14-Year-Old Is Named “America’s Top Young Scientist” for Developing Soap To Treat Skin Cancer

Photo: AntonMatyukha/Depositphotos

If you're someone who likes to cook, then you likely understand the importance of spices. A dash of this or that, and food can taste very different. There are numerous spices with unique flavours, and many of them come with a hefty price tag. However, did you know that there is a spice that is so expensive, it even costs more than gold?

It's very possible that you've tried this spice before, as a little can go a long way in the kitchen. Saffron, which derives from the purple saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) flowers costs between $2,000 and $10,000 per pound. The reason for its high value is the amount of time and labor involved in harvesting it. The plant grows in select countries across the Mediterranean as well as places like Iran and India; however, it blooms for only a few weeks every year. The actual spice comes from the three stigmas at the center of the flower, and as such, requires that every flower be individually picked and handled with extraordinary care.

An estimated 40 hours of labor are needed for the picking process of 150,000 flowers. Next, the stigmas are dried over charcoal fires, but this step can also take significant time. When it’s finally cultivated though, it bears a distinct red-yellow coloring and rich, earthy aroma. About 75,000 flowers are needed to produce just one pound of saffron. Fortunately, a little bit of this pricey spice is usually all that's needed to produce delicious dishes.

There is a spice that is so difficult to harvest that it makes it more expensive than truffles and gold.

Photo: vverve/Depositphotos

Saffron—which derives from purple saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) flowers—costs between $2,000 and $10,000 per pound.

Photo: Nik_Merkulov/Depositphotos

The plant grows in only certain areas of the world for a couple of weeks. Not only that, but the flowers have to be individually picked.

Photo: elizavetasprinceana/Depositphotos

The actual saffron part of the spice comes from the the three stigmas in the center of each flower. So one pound of saffron requires around 75,000 flowers.

Photo: Ivenks/Depositphotos

h/t: [IFL Science]

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READ: Did You Know the Most Expensive Spice in the World is Worth More Than Gold?

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There are few sights as romantic as a full moon. For those who love to stargaze or those who simply consider themselves astronomy enthusiasts, there's now a special watch that lets you wear a piece of the Moon on your wrist. Creative brand Interstellar, which belongs to Col&MacArthur, has designed a line of beautiful timepieces which honors past and future lunar missions.

The series of watches is called LUNAR1,622, deriving its name from lunar and the number 1,622 which represents the surface gravity on the Moon. “It's more than a watch; it's a reminder that the sky is not the limit, but just the beginning,” Interstellar says. Additionally, what makes these watches even more collectible is that they are officially approved by NASA, meaning that the space agency's iconic logo is included on the back of the watch, and the accessories include NFC (near-field communication) technology.

Of course, the crowning jewel of these watches is the genuine moon dust that is tucked away at the three o'clock mark. The Advanced and Premium version of these timepieces feature meteorite moon dust that was collected in Northwest Africa and certified by Britain-based MSG Meteorites. While the standard model does not come with this stellar touch, it does have a recreation of Neil Armstrong's footprint in the same three o'clock slot.

There are many other details for astronomy fans to find. For instance, all of the successful Apollo landings on the Moon are written in gold lettering on the edge of the dial, while orbital missions are added in white. Furthermore, Neil Armstrong's famous words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” are inscribed on one side of the frame, as well as his initials, and the Apollo II mission's name and date.

The Earlybird prices for the moon watch start at $399 for the standard model, $599 for the advanced model, and $999 for the premium. You can pre-order them via Kickstarter. Orders are expected to be delivered in December 2023.

Creative brand Interstellar has designed a spectacular timepiece which honors the Apollo II mission.

The LUNAR1,622 line features watches inspired by the Moon and past and future lunar exploration.

Advanced and premium versions of the watch include genuine moon dust in the three o'clock mark.

The standard version includes a rendering of Neil Armstrong's footprint.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Interstellar (@interstellar_watches)

Interstellar: Interstellar | Website | Instagram
h/t: [DesignTAXI]

All images via Interstellar.

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Most students study at least one other language in school. While most learn French or Spanish—popular languages that are commonly spoken today—some may choose to study a “dead language” like Latin. Learning an ancient language, however, can be a strange endeavor for many people, since in many cases, it is unclear what the pronunciation was for words. Well, a YouTube channel called Equator AI seeks to demystify history by using AI to bring ancient languages to life.

Their videos feature artificially created portraits of people dressed in the clothing from different eras who recite ancient texts in the most likely pronunciation. While it is hard to be completely certain about how some of these languages were spoken, the clips do help these distant cultures feel much more real. In addition to Latin and Ancient Greek, their videos include Old English, Akkadian, Sumerian, Ancient Egyptian, Phoenician, and Etruscan.

One of their videos displays the written text that the AI characters are reading on one side of the screen, so those who are familiar with the written version (or people who are curious about the written text) can follow along. People in the comments were quick to point out the familiarity between some ancient languages and their modern descendant. “The [ancient] Greek at the end is actually quite easy to understand. He speaks to us from almost two thousand years ago, and still sounds like someone we met today,” comments one person. Another writes, “Latin sounds really cool the way it is pronounced here as a Proto-Italic language. At school we learned and spoke it not so rhythmically, stiffer.”

However, not all of the ancient languages sound so familiar. Old English—which some might expect to be easier to understand—sounds dramatically different to what is spoken today. One of the reasons for this startling change is the Great Vowel Shift, which took place between 1400 and 1700. During this time, English speakers altered the pronunciation of their long vowels as well as some consonant sounds.

Scroll down to see more educational videos, and be sure to subscribe to Equator AI's YouTube channel for more.

YouTube channel Equator AI brings ancient languages to life using artificial intelligence.

Latin, Ancient Greek, Old English, and many other languages are spoken in these fascinating videos.

Equator AI: YouTube
h/t: [IFL Science]

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1st Place, Hassanain Qambari & Jayden Dickson., The Lions Eye Institute Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Rodent optic nerve head showing astrocytes (yellow), contractile proteins (red) and retinal vasculature (green). Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking, 20X (Objective Lens Magnification)

A look at a rodent's optic nerve under the microscope took home the top prize at the 49th annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. Taken by Hassanain Qambari, who was assisted by Jayden Dickson, the psychedelic image won out over nearly 1,900 entries from 72 countries.

The image is not only beautiful, but medically important, as it provides an important contribution to the study and reversal of diabetic retinopathy, which affects one in five persons with diabetes worldwide. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar damages the retina, leading to blurry vision or loss of eyesight.

“Current diagnostic criteria and treatment regimens for diabetic retinopathy are limited to the late-stage appearance of the disease, with irreversible damage to retinal microvasculature and function,” said Qambari. “The visual system is a complex and highly specialized organ, with even relatively minor perturbations to the retinal circulation able to cause devastating vision loss. I entered the competition as a way to showcase the complexity of retinal microcirculation.”

Qambari hopes that this win will spotlight the issue, as well as inspire a new generation to pursue a career in STEM. As usual, all of the top 20 images highlight the artistry of science. With a wide variety of subjects and photomicrography techniques, the winning scientists and researchers are certainly inspirational.

From the head of a matchstick being struck to the fangs of a tarantula, some photos show familiar objects in a new light. Others explore cells, embryos, and cytoskeletons in a way that wouldn't be possible without the help of a microscope.

Keep scrolling to see the top 15 photos from the 2023 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition and view the full winner's gallery online.

These are the winners of the 2023 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.

2nd Place, Ole Bielfeldt, Macrofying, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Matchstick igniting by the friction surface of the box. Brightfield, Image Stacking, 2.5X (Objective Lens Magnification)

4th Place, John-Oliver Dum, Medienbunker Produktion, Bendorf, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Venomous fangs of a small tarantula. Image Stacking, 10X (Objective Lens Magnification)

9th Place, Vaibhav Deshmukh, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA. Cytoskeleton of a dividing myoblast; tubulin (cyan), F-actin (orange) and nucleus (magenta). Fluorescence, Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), 63X (Objective Lens Magnification)

11th Place, Dr. Diego García, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Real Sociedad Española de Física, Madrid, Spain. Crystallized sugar syrup. Polarized Light, 25X (Objective Lens Magnification)

6th Place, Timothy Boomer, WildMacro.com, Vacaville, California, USA. Slime mold (Comatricha nigra) showing capillitial fibers through its translucent peridium. Image Stacking, 10X (Objective Lens Magnification)

Now in its 49th year, the contest highlights the artistry of science.

7th Place, Dr. Grigorii Timin & Dr. Michel Milinkovitch, University of Geneva, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Geneva, Switzerland. Mouse embryo. Light Sheet, 4X (Objective Lens Magnification)

13th Place, Satu Paavonsalo & Dr. Sinem Karaman, University of Helsinki, Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. Blood and lymphatic vasculatures in the ear skin of an adult mouse. Confocal 10X, (Objective Lens Magnification)

12th Place, Sherif Abdallah Ahmed. Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Department of Zoology, Tanta, Egypt, Arab Republic. “Cuckoo wasp” standing on a flower. Image Stacking, 4X (Objective Lens Magnification)

14th Place, John-Oliver Dum, Medienbunker Produktion, Bendorf, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Sunflower pollen on an acupuncture needle. Image Stacking, 40X (Objective Lens Magnification)

Nearly 1,900 images from 72 countries were entered into this year's photo contest.

3rd Place, Malgorzata Lisowska, Independent, Value Based Healthcare Consultant, Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. Breast cancer cells. Brightfield, Image Stacking, 40X (Objective Lens Magnification)

10th Place, Melinda Beccari & Dr. Don W. Cleveland, UC San Diego, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA. Motor neurons grown in microfluidic device for separation of cell bodies (top) and axons (bottom). Green – microtubules; Red – growth cones (actin). Confocal, Fluorescence, 20X (Objective Lens Magnification)

8th Place, Stefan Eberhard, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. Caffeine crystals. Polarized Light, 25X (Objective Lens Magnification)

5th Place, Dr. David Maitland, Feltwell, Norfolk, United Kingdom. Auto-fluorescing defensive hairs covering the leaf surface of Eleagnus angustifolia exposed to UV light. Fluorescence, Image Stacking, 10X (Objective Lens Magnification)

15th Place, Dr. Pichaya Lertvilai. UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA. Fluorescent image of an Acropora sp. showing individual polyps with symbiotic zooxanthellae. Darkfield, Fluorescence, Image Stacking, 5X (Objective Lens Magnification)

Nikon Small World: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Nikon Small World.

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READ: Psychedelic Image of Optic Nerve Wins Nikon Small World Photomicrography Contest

Asteroid belt illustration. (Photo: JohanSwanepoel /Depositphotos)

At some point in school, we all learned about the elements of the periodic table. However, as with all classification tools, it has its limitations. While it's very helpful in identifying elements, many in the universe are still unknown. A recent study published in EJP Plus demonstrates this beautifully by looking at asteroids.

A team of researchers from the Department of Physics at the University of Arizona, Tucson, is looking into certain asteroids with densities higher than any element known to exist on Earth. Specifically, they've been investigating the 33 Polyhymnia asteroid belt, which is located between Mars and Jupiter. Discovered in 1854, it has an estimated mass of 75 g/cm³.

To put this into perspective, we need to explore the current periodic table and the elements it contains. Elements with an atomic number (Z) higher than 104 are considered superheavy elements. Elements with atomic numbers between 105 and 118 are on the periodic table but have only been created experimentally. They are radioactive and unstable, with a very short lifespan. Elements higher than 118 have some predicted characteristics but have not yet been observed.

Osmium crystals (Photo: Periodictableru via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)

The densest naturally-occurring element is Osmium, which has an atomic number of 76. Its density is 22.59 g/cm³, making is about twice as dense as lead. Any object with a density higher than this is considered a “compact ultradense object” or CUDO.

So when the research team considered the proposed density of 33 Polyhymnia, they naturally concluded that it must contain elements higher than Z=118. Now, the team led by Jan Rafelski will use the Thomas-Fermi model of the atom to try and calculate the structure and properties of these ultraheavy elements.

Specifically, they are interested in an “island of nuclear stability” that the model predicts around Z=164. Their calculations confirm this island of stability and predicted a density between 36.0 and 68.4 g/cm³ for the proposed stable element. This approaches the density of 33 Polyhymnia and puts forth the idea that these asteroids could be made of substances currently unknown on Earth. It's a tantalizing idea for anyone interested in precious metals and their potential usages.

“All super-heavy elements—those that are highly unstable as well as those that are simply unobserved—have been lumped together as ‘unobtainium,’ ” concludes Rafelski. “The idea that some of these might be stable enough to be obtained from within our Solar System is an exciting one.”

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Photo: NASA

In 2009, astronaut José Hernández saw his dream come true—travel to space as a member of NASA's STS-128 mission. But his path was unlike that of most astronauts. Born to immigrant parents, he spent his early years picking produce in California. Unrelenting about his passion for the stars, Hernández was rejected by the space program 11 times before he was finally accepted. Now, his inspiring life story has been turned into a movie titled A Million Miles Away, directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella.

Born in French Camp, California, Hernández used to spend half the year with his family in Michoacán, Mexico, before returning to the U.S. to follow the seasonal harvests. “My childhood was typical of a migrant farm working family, a family that spends nine months out of the year picking fruits and vegetables from Southern California to Northern California,” Hernández told CNN in 2016. “While others looked forward to summer vacation, I hated it. Summer vacation meant working seven days a week in the fields.”

His earliest memory of space was watching the landing of Apollo 17 on his family’s black and white television. Ever since that moment, he was set on becoming an astronaut. Since the traveling lifestyle led him to miss school and relocate often, his second-grade teacher called for them to settle in one place so their kids could have a good education—an act that set Hernández on the right track to achieve his dream.

Hernández went on to get a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of the Pacific in 1984. Two years later,  he earned a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Hernández then joined the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Northern California, where he developed equipment for the first full-field digital mammogram.

But his dream to become an astronaut didn't fade, and so, he applied the five “ingredients” his dad had taught him about for pursuing a dream, which are also the five chapters featured in the movie:

•       Find your goal
•       Know how far you are
•       Draw a roadmap
•       If you don’t know how, learn
•       When you think you’ve made it, you probably have to work harder

And so Hernández persisted through every rejection letter—and kept on polishing his skills. He obtained his pilot’s license, became a certified scuba diver, and even learned to speak Russian. Finally, in 2004, at age 42, his coveted acceptance letter came. After completing Astronaut Candidate Training, he was selected as a mission specialist on the STS-128 mission, bound to launch in August 2009. During the 14-day journey aboard the shuttle Discovery, Hernández helped transport seven tons of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station.

Today, Hernández serves as Regent of the University of California and runs Tierra Luna, the aerospace consulting firm he co-founded. He is also a motivational speaker and is back to picking fruit—this time, on his own terms, as he owns a vineyard, where he and his father make and sell their own line of wines, Tierra Luna Cellars, inspired by the stars he saw in space.

Now that his life has been turned into a movie, he hopes his story gives a push to those pursuing a goal that looks impossible. He said, “I hope the film serves as a way of motivating many people to pursue their own dreams with the kind of passion I had to pursue mine.”

A Million Miles Away is now streaming on Prime Video.

In 2009, astronaut José Hernández saw his dream come true—travel to space as a member of NASA's STS-128 mission.

Photo: NASA

But his path there was unlike that of most astronauts. Born to immigrant parents, he spent his early years picking produce in the fields of California.

Photo: NASA

Now, his inspiring life story has been turned into a movie titled A Million Miles Away, directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella.

Photo: NASA

NASA: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [NBC DFW]

All images via NASA

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READ: The True Story of José Hernández, the Latino Astronaut That Inspired the Movie “A Million Miles Away”

The Nobel Prize is the peak achievement in many fields. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Since 1901, Nobel Prizes have honored achievements which change the world. Laureates include Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, Niels Bohr, and Malala Yousafzai. These awardees spread their expertise across fields from Medicine to Physics to Peace. Yet relatively few of these Nobel Laureates existed in circumstances where their discovery was as publicly discussed as the mRNA vaccine developed in recent years to combat COVID-19. A raging global pandemic, rampant anti-vaccine misinformation, and the more mundane yet no less tricky technical barriers of scientific practice make the achievement of these scientists all the more impressive. Now, Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman are being honored for their work towards the development of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2023, awarded jointly.

The award, recently announced, comes almost four years after the airborne COVID-19 pandemic began. Spreading like wildfire around the globe and leaving millions dead, the race to develop a vaccine was virtually unprecedented in timeline, intensity, and universality. Vaccines were first developed in the 18th century and perfected in the 20th century to virtually eliminate many formerly common diseases. They were created with weakened or dead forms of a pathogen. Research into mRNA vaccines, a new approach, dates back almost to the discovery of mRNA itself in the 1960s. However, using mRNA (also known as messenger RNA) was not easy, as it had to be delivered into our very cells. Trials on mice took place in the 1990s, and human trials in the 2010s. However, the global pandemic changed the regulatory and scientific context, necessitating emergency authorizations of a vaccine which has since proved incredibly successful and safe.

Karikó and Weissman's contributions are described as discovering “nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19,” according to the Nobel Committee in a press statement. “Through their groundbreaking findings, which have fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system, the laureates contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times.” The two researchers are an ideal academic match, having worked together since meeting in the 1990s. “With Weissman’s background in immunology and Karikó’s expertise in RNA biochemistry, the two scientists complemented each other well and shared a passion for exploiting the use of mRNA in medical applications.”

Both new laureates are currently professors at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The Nobel Prize—while presitigious and valuable through its very name—comes with an award of 11 million Swedish kronor (slightly over US$1 million). With COVID-19 vaccine production becoming more regular like flu shots, mRNA technology will likely continue to influence new and improved vaccines for years to come. In a new age of vaccine skepticism and the unfortunate reappearance of diseases like polio in places where they were previously eradicated, cutting edge science is just as important as accurate public health information.

Distinguished scientists Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman have been jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work developing the mRNA vaccine technology that led the fight against COVID-19.

Before the COVID-19-inspired mRNA developments, thsi is how vaccines worked. (Photo: © The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine. Ill. Mattias Karlén)

These researchers' discovery saved millions of lives.

h/t: [IFL Science]

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READ: Developers of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Technology Win Nobel Prize