Sao Paulo authorities plead with China to release vaccines

Authorities in Brazil's most populous state on Wednesday said they have mobilized to try to convince the Chinese government to authorize the export of raw material to make millions of COVID-19 vaccines needed amid a sudden shortage.

Amazon cloud technology aids NFL in schedule making

The process of building the NFL schedule used to be a painstaking one with executives such as Val Pinchbeck spending months slotting the games one by one on his board until there was a final product for the commissioner to approve.

Revamped EPA website shows increased climate change risks

After a gap of more than four years, the Environmental Protection Agency is relaunching a website highlighting evidence of climate change in the United States, including rising temperatures, increased ocean acidity, sea level rise, river flooding, droughts, heat waves and wildfires.

Colonial Pipeline restarts operations days after major hack

The nation's largest fuel pipeline restarted operations Wednesday, days after it was forced to shut down by a gang of hackers.

Napoleonic jewels dazzle in Geneva auction

A jewellery set worn by French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's adopted daughter sold for $1.65 million in Geneva on Wednesday, soaring way above the pre-auction estimate.

Climate harm puts brakes on buying Teslas with bitcoin

Tesla hit the brakes Wednesday on letting people pay for electric cars with bitcoin, saying the computing-intense mining process of creating new cryptocurrency spews climate-harming emissions.

Race for jabs in India's vaccination drive exposes digital divide

It's 2:00 am and Ananya Maskara's face is lit up by her smartphone as she nervously scrolls through a list—looking for a green or yellow tab indicating that a COVID-19 vaccination slot is available in India's capital New Delhi.

Why many COVID experts think Americans can ditch their masks soon

COVID cases are declining quickly while vaccinations continue to rise slowly but surely in the United States, the former epicenter of the pandemic.

Fearing India-like COVID collapse, Kenya scrambles for oxygen

At the peak of Kenya's third wave of COVID-19 in March, hospitals—buckling under the strain of the virus—saw their oxygen reserves fizzle out.

In Colombia, cattle farmer declares truce with jaguar

On the plains of eastern Colombia, an age-old conflict between man and beast plays out near-daily. Jaguars attack cattle. Farmers retaliate with shotguns.

How AIs ask for personal information is important for gaining user trust

People may be reluctant to give their personal information to artificial intelligence (AI) systems even though it is needed by the systems for providing more accurate and personalized services, but a new study reveals that the manner in which the systems ask for information from users can make a difference.

Preliminary data suggests mixing COVID-19 vaccine increases reactogenicity

Researchers running the University of Oxford-led Com-COV study—launched earlier this year to investigate alternating doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine—have today reported preliminary data revealing more frequent mild to moderate reactions in mixed schedules compared to standard schedules.

Measuring brain blood flow and activity with light

A new, noninvasive method for measuring brain blood flow with light has been developed by biomedical engineers and neurologists at the University of California, Davis, and used to detect brain activation. The new method, functional interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, or fiDWS, promises to be cheaper than existing technology and could be used for assessing brain injuries, or in neuroscience research. The work is published May 12 in Science Advances.

Obese people with pattern of later waking, peak activity later in day at higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) shows that people living with obesity with the so called 'evening chronotype' - that is, a pattern of later waking and peak activity later in the day—have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those who both wake and have their peak activity levels earlier (morning or intermediate chronotypes). The study is by Dr. Giovanna Muscogiuri, Assistant Professor in Endocrinology at University Federico II, Naples, Italy, and colleagues.

Study finds reduced risk of cataracts associated with obesity surgery

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online 10-13 May) has found a reduced risk of eye cataracts occurring in patients who have lost weight through obesity (bariatric) surgery. The study is by Dr. Theresa Burkard, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues from Sweden and Switzerland.

Study shows new obesity treatment semaglutide causes similar weight loss across different age groups

The STEP trials published over the past year have established the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in treating patients with obesity. A new study analysing the effects of this treatment in different age groups presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May), shows that it has similar effectiveness across different age groups with regard to weight loss (under 40 years, 40-60 years, and 60 years and over).

Semaglutide found to reduce body weight regardless of patient characteristics

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) shows that treatment with the drug semaglutide reduces body weight in adults with overweight or obesity, regardless of their baseline characteristics.

A new visual library to achieve successful Plus Energy Building design

Researchers from RMIT University, Eurac Research and University Ca' Foscari Venezia have launched an innovative GIS map with a difference: The European Climate and Cultural Atlas for Plus Energy Building Design—the 2CAP-Energy Atlas.

Congestion pricing could shrink car size

Rush hour will likely return when pandemic lockdowns lift, but a new study suggests that congestion pricing—policies that charge tolls for driving during peak hours—could not only cure traffic jams but also convince motorists it is safe to buy smaller, more efficient cars.

Research reveals ancient people had more diverse gut microorganisms

Only an anthropologist would treasure millennia-old human feces found in dry caves.

Previously unknown letter reveals Einstein's thinking on bees, birds and physics

The 1949 letter by the physicist and Nobel laureate discusses bees, birds and whether new physics principles could come from studying animal senses.

Study finds that obesity drug semaglutide supresses appetite, food cravings and energy intake

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) shows that the obesity drug semaglutide reduces appetite, food cravings and energy intake in people given a meal where they could eat as much as they liked. The study is by Dr. Dorthe Skovgaard, Novo Nordisk A/S (the manufacturer of the drug), Søborg, Denmark, and colleagues.

New experimental drug cagrilintide (AM833), when combined with emaglutide, shows potential for treatment of obesity

An early study of a new experimental drug to treat obesity known as cagrilintide shows that, when combined with semaglutide 2.4 mg, the combination leads to more weight loss than semaglutide 2.4 mg alone and is well tolerated. This phase 1 study, which was recently published in The Lancet will be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) by Dr. Lone Enebo, Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark, on behalf of her colleagues. Novo Nordisk A/S is the manufacturer of both drugs in this study.