2015 Charlie Hebdo Attacks Fast Facts | CNN

CNN  —  Here is a look at the January 2015 terror attacks in Paris. From January 7 to January 9, a total of 17 people were killed in attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a kosher grocery store and the Paris suburb of Montrouge. Three suspects in the attacks…

A glimpse of a cell’s sense of touch

A research team at the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life of TU Dresden and the University of California, Santa Barbara, reveals how cells sense their mechanical environment as they build tissues during embryogenesis. Building tissues and organs is one of the most complex and essential tasks that cells must…

Tissue-specific immunity may be the future, if we can first learn its rules

Recent pressure to maximize vaccine efficacy has stirred up many new discoveries within immunology, revealing numerous paradigms with untapped therapeutic potential. One growing branch of research is focused on tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells), a type of immune cell that provides long-lasting protection against pathogens attacking specific organs and…

Alveolar macrophages help CD8+ T cells go (anti-)viral

The human immune system is a highly complex network of cells, signals, and responses that is tightly regulated to ensure that the body can fight off infection without damaging its own tissues. Now, researchers from Japan report a new way in which the immune system protects lung tissue from viral…

Good and bad feelings for brain stem serotonin

New insights into the opposing actions of serotonin-producing nerve fibres in mice could lead to drugs for treating addictions and major depression. Scientists in Japan have identified a nerve pathway involved in the processing of rewarding and distressing stimuli and situations in mice. The new pathway, originating in a bundle…

Enzyme that protects against viruses could fuel cancer evolution

An enzyme that defends human cells against viruses can help drive cancer evolution towards greater malignancy by causing myriad mutations in cancer cells, according to a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine. The finding suggests that the enzyme may be a potential target for future cancer treatments. In…

Russian troops fighting in Ukraine can freeze their sperm for free | CNN

CNN  —  Russian soldiers taking part in the war on Ukraine will be eligible for free sperm freezing and storage in cryobanks, Russia’s state news agency Tass reported, citing a lawyers union. “The families of those called up for military service as part of the partial mobilization will receive free…

The world’s ‘best’ villages for tourism have been announced

(CNN) — Travel has changed in many ways since the pandemic started, but one change for the better is the new push towards rural tourism. Where before we were intent on ticking off yet another city break, in lockdown we started dreaming of the great outdoors — and that still…

Former Pope Benedict is ‘very sick’, Pope Francis says | CNN

Rome CNN  —  Pope Francis has said that his predecessor Pope Benedict, the 95-year-old former pontiff who resigned from the post nine years ago, is “very sick” after a deterioration in his health on Wednesday. “I want to ask you all for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict who…

New biomarker test can detect Alzheimer’s neurodegeneration in blood

A group of neuroscientists led by a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researcher developed a test to detect a novel marker of Alzheimer’s disease neurodegeneration in a blood sample. A study on their results was published today in Brain. The biomarker, called “brain-derived tau,” or BD-tau, outperforms current blood…

Skiing over Christmas holidays no longer guaranteed — even with snow guns

For many people, holidays in the snow are as much a part of the end of the year as Christmas trees and fireworks. As global warming progresses, however, white slopes are becoming increasingly rare. Researchers at the University of Basel have calculated how well one of Switzerland’s largest ski resorts…

Why ethnic tensions are flaring again in northern Kosovo | CNN

Protesting Serbs in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo erected new barricades on Tuesday, hours after Serbia said it had put its army on the highest combat alert following weeks of escalating tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. Serbia’s defense ministry said that given the latest events in…

Live updates: Russia’s war in Ukraine

As a year dominated by Russia’s war on Ukraine draws to a close, Vladimir Putin has made a point of suggesting he is open to peace talks despite evidence to the contrary, with comments that have been roundly dismissed by Kyiv and the West as a ruse at a time when the prospect of negotiations in…

Why three robot sisters could be the friendly face of AI | CNN

CNN  —  Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our everyday lives, found in everything from social media algorithms to e-commerce and navigation, but not everyone is comfortable with the idea. The key to winning over a skeptical public could be a family of robot “sisters.” Sophia, Grace…

Ethereal color variant of mysterious plant is actually a new species

Green leaves and photosynthesis were once considered essential characteristics of plants. However, some plants have stopped performing photosynthesis and take the nutrients they need from other organisms instead. One such mycoheterotrophic plant is ghostly-looking Monotropastrum humile that is widely found across East and Southeast Asia. It often grows in woodlands…

Live updates: Winter storm, Buffalo snow and flight cancellation news

With freezing temperatures still forecasted for parts of the US, doctors are warning about the dangers of the bitter cold. Many of us feel the effects in our toes and fingertips before elsewhere in the body. This happens as your body works to protect your vital organs from the cold,…

Russia’s foreign minister calls on West for maximum restraint “in order to minimize nuclear risks”

Serhiy Hayday, head of the Luhansk regional military administration, is seen in Dnipro on August 17. (David Goldman/AP) The Ukrainian city of Kreminna, northwest of Lysychansk, continues to experience heavy fighting as the Russian military keeps renewing its forces there, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, Serhiy Haidai, said Tuesday. “The Russian occupation troops managed…