Here is a summary of current scientific news.

DNA search for elephant tusks reveals ivory trafficking networks

DNA tests on seized ivory shipments that reveal family links between African elephants killed for their tusks help identify poaching areas and trafficking networks at the center of an illegal trade that continues to devastate the population of the largest land animal on Earth. Researchers said on Monday they conducted DNA tests on 4,320 elephant tusks from 49 ivory seizures, totaling 111 tons in 12 African countries from 2002 to 2019. The results could help crack down transnational criminal organizations in the origin of the traffic and to strengthen the proceedings.

Prior COVID offers less protection compared to Omicron; Efficiency of mRNA recall declines within months

Here is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that deserves further study to corroborate the findings and that has not yet been certified by peer review. Previous COVID-19 less protective against Omicron variant

Branson’s Virgin Galactic reopens spaceflight ticket sales, stocks soar

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc, owned by billionaire Richard Branson, said on Tuesday it would reopen sales of tickets for upcoming space travel to the general public from February 16, sending its shares soaring more than 10% in premarket trading. The tickets are priced at $450,000 each, including an initial deposit of $150,000.

Oxford scientists to study effects of COVID variants and injections during pregnancy

Scientists at the University of Oxford said on Tuesday they would assess the effects of new coronavirus variants on pregnant women and newborns, as well as the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on complications during pregnancy and after birth. The study comes less than a year after the university found that pregnant women with COVID-19 and their newborns were at higher risk of complications, such as premature birth and risk of organ failure than previously known.

First woman declared cured of HIV after stem cell transplant

A US leukemia patient has become the first woman and third person to date to be cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant from a donor naturally resistant to the virus that causes AIDS, researchers reported on Tuesday. The case of a middle-aged mixed-race woman, presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver, is also the first involving umbilical cord blood, a newer approach that could make treatment accessible to more people. people.

Billionaire e-commerce mogul partners with SpaceX for 3 more crewed flights

The billionaire e-commerce mogul who last year led the world’s first all-private space crew launched into orbit said on Monday he plans to help fund up to three more such missions with SpaceX, regardless of the NASA manned space flight program. Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments Inc, said his new “Polaris” collaboration with fellow billionaire and SpaceX chief Elon Musk could launch its first four-member crew as early as the fourth quarter of this year.

EU presents $6.8 billion satellite communications plan in space race

The European Commission presented a 6 billion euro ($6.8 billion) satellite communications plan on Tuesday, part of an effort to reduce the European Union’s dependence on foreign companies and to protect key communications services and surveillance data from outside interference. The move comes amid growing concerns over Russian and Chinese military advances in space and an increase in satellite launches.

COVID vaccination during pregnancy helps protect babies after birth – US study

Vaccinating pregnant women against the coronavirus can help prevent hospitalizations for COVID-19 in infants after they are born, especially if expectant mothers received the vaccines later in their pregnancies, US researchers reported on Tuesday. The results determined whether the benefits of vaccination during pregnancy extend to infants who would be too young to receive vaccines.

(This story has not been edited by the Devdiscourse team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)