Failures to scale and retain the economic benefits of research in the United Kingdom are killing the country’s science sector, say lawmakers. Plus, how AI might influence how we define creativity and the biggest black-hole outburst ever seen.
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The slow consumption of a star by a black hole (artist’s illustration) unleashed a blaze of light that remained bright even after five years. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)
Scientists have described a ‘superflare’ from a distant black hole — the most luminous burst of light ever detected from such an object. At its peak, the blaze shone more than 10 trillion times brighter than the Sun and was probably triggered by the black hole’s gravity shredding a star that was at least 30 times as massive as the Sun. The flash also seems to be the farthest ever detected at roughly 10 billion light years away from our Solar System.
Nature | 4 min read
Reference: Nature Astronomy paper
At a pandemic-research conference this week, immune researcher Runhong Zhou presented results from early studies of a dual-target antibody treatment for H5N1 avian influenza in which the treatment neutralized multiple live strains of the virus. Zhou’s research is among a host of antibody therapies in the works, such as those to treat HIV through antibody-driven reactivation of dormant immune cells. Antibodies could also boost the efficacy of other treatments such as vaccines, researchers say, by binding to areas of a virus that don’t mutate.
Nature | 5 min read
Entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has been re-nominated by US President Donald Trump for the post of NASA administrator, five months after the original nomination was withdrawn. Isaacman has been both passenger and bill-payer on private SpaceX missions, and lost the nomination after SpaceX founder Elon Musk had an explosive falling-out with Trump. If confirmed, Isaacman will inherit an ambitious timeline to return to the Moon and rock-bottom morale following the firing or departure of thousands of NASA employees.
Reuters | 6 min read
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