You can celebrate Captain Picard Day in ‘Star Trek Fleet Command’ right now

The mobile “Star Trek” game “Star Trek Fleet Command” is boldly offering a one-week celebration of Jean-Luc Picard, a captain so popular he has helmed two franchise television shows. “Captain Picard makes his much anticipated in-game debut alongside new characters, missions, and in-game giveaways to give fans plenty to celebrate all week long,” developer Scopely said in a statement…

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Humanity fights back in EPIX’s ‘War of the Worlds’ season 2

Mars is foremost on everyone’s mind these days when it comes to humankind’s space exploration goals, so it’s no wonder last year’s “War of the Worlds” miniseries adaptation for the cable channel EPIX was a respectable hit when it arrived in America just before the global pandemic hit.  Season 2 kicked off this month on June 6 and you…

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Killer whales form killer friendships, new drone footage suggests

Aerial footage captures a pod of wild killer whales traveling in an extended family group. Team Trip/Barcroft Media via Getty By Christa Lesté-LasserreJun. 17, 2021 , 4:30 PM In the animal kingdom, killer whales are social stars: They travel in extended, varied family groups, care for grandchildren after menopause, and even imitate human speech. Now, marine biologists are adding…

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What went wrong with CureVac’s highly anticipated new mRNA vaccine for COVID-19?

Peter Kremsner of University Hospital Tübingen injects a participant in CureVac’s efficacy study with the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate or a placebo. Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS By Jon CohenJun. 18, 2021 , 9:10 AM Science’s COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation. The startlingly poor performance revealed this week for a COVID-19 vaccine made by the German company CureVac isn’t…

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Nutrition researchers urge update to lab animal diets

Reformulating the standard mouse diet could make animals healthier and experiments more reliable. Pascal Goetgheluck/Science Source By Mennatalla IbrahimJun. 17, 2021 , 5:00 PM The pile of beige food pellets in a lab mouse’s cage might not be the most exciting part of an experiment, but it’s a detail researchers can’t afford to ignore. Nutrition scientists met last week…

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‘I’m still feeling that we’re failing’: Exasperated WHO leader speaks out about vaccine inequity

As a symbolic protest about COVID-19 vaccine inequity, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, waited until 12 May to get his first shot. @ Louis Briiset/HUG By Jon CohenJun. 18, 2021 , 3:50 PM Science’s COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation. GENEVA—Few have spoken out as forcefully against the global disparity in COVID-19 vaccine…

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Is banning cage diving actually bad for sharks?

Earlier this month the New Zealand court of appeal ruled that shark cage diving is illegal, and as a result cage diving tourism will soon cease in the country. But is a ban an appropriate course of action when shark population numbers are declining globally? The New Zealand ruling centres on the white shark cage diving operations off Stewart…

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What Seinfeld can teach us about science

When Jerry Seinfeld starts his UK tour, listen out for a science joke. From early on in his TV career, the comedian poked fun at science. In his 1981 HBO debut, he said of weather forecasts: “And then my favourite part, the satellite photo. This is really helpful. A photograph of the Earth from 10,000 miles away. Can you…

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National Right-to-Repair Bill Filed in Congress

State of Repair is Motherboard’s exploration of DIY culture, device repair, ownership, and the forces fighting to lock down access to the things you own. On Thursday, Congressman Joseph Morelle (D-NY) filed national right-to-repair legislation with Congress. The Fair Repair Act would require manufacturers to provide device owners and independent repair stores access to the tools, parts, and information…

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