May 2021 Highlights in Science

Scientists do some awesome things. What new things did we learn in May 2021? That don’t have to do with COVID?

Zhurong, the Chinese God of Fire: In the middle of May, China’s Mars lander and rover (Zhurong) landed on Mars, making China the third country to land a spacecraft on the planet. Zhurong has cameras and other observation equipment to explore the Martian environment. The rover could uncover useful information about the geological history of Mars, and subsequently, of Earth.

Restoring Sight with a Virus: Optogenetics is a process in which “flashes of light are used to control gene expression and neuron firing”. Scientists based in Paris began a clinical trial that involved using a virus to deliver light-sensitive proteins into a man’s eye. Wearing goggles that convert real-time images into a series of dots, the man was able to learn to see images with the help of those light-sensitive proteins. Scientists hope that they will one day improve the procedure enough that goggles won’t be required.

Mice Breathe Through Their Butt: Scientists are looking for better ways to help patients in respiratory distress that can be used when ventilators are not available. Dr. Takanori Takebe of Tokyo Medical and Dental University and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center decided to see if he could get oxygen to mice through their butts. While gaseous oxygen wasn’t very effective without damaging the intestines, a liquid version was very successful at keeping mice oxygenated. Cool.

Have you learned any interesting science this month?