“Remarkable” results for new maternal RSV vaccine in Phase 3 trial
Maternal vaccination reduced rates of severe medically attended lower respiratory tract illness due to RSV by 81.8% across the first three months of life.
United States
Trans people in the U.S. can now easily update their gender with the Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration has announced that it is now possible to self-select sex on Social Security records without the need to provide any legal or medical proof of a gender change.
Radioactive implant wipes tumors in unprecedented pre-clinical success
Across all the models tested, the scientists report a 100% response rate. They deployed the treatment against pancreatic cancer specifically, but believe the results bode well for its wider application.
California becomes first U.S. state to ban plastic produce bags
Governor Newsom signed a new bill into law that will ban single-use plastic produce bags starting in 2025. The law requires that all such bags be replaced by recycled paper bags or compostable ones.
Gates Foundation pledges $1.2B to eradicate polio globally
The money will be used to help implement the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s strategy through 2026 and will be focused particularly on Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Vast marine protected area in the Pacific Ocean has led to significant rebound in tuna stocks
A huge marine reserve in the Pacific Ocean, almost four times the size of California, has led to the recovery of tuna and other migratory fish around its borders, according to a new study published in the journal Science.
Anna May Wong to become the first Asian American to be on U.S. currency
Dubbed Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star, Wong championed the need for more representation and less stereotypical roles for Asian Americans on screen.
California legalizes composting human bodies
California has just become the fifth state in the US to legalize the composting of human bodies, a planet-friendly alternative to the toxic process of cremation.
World-first stem cell therapy trial treats spina bifida before birth
The treatment from UC Davis Health involves administering a stem cell patch to the fetus’ spine while still developing in the womb, and early results are promising one year on.
President Biden pardons all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana
More than 6,000 people with prior federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana — and thousands of others convicted under Washington, D.C., law — could benefit.