Science Wrap: New Covid variants, a zombie virus, and monks on meth! 

When it comes to our weekly science recaps, Artemis has become an almost annoyingly recurring trope. But now that the NASA lunar mission is finally up in the air, we can't help but give you updates every week. 

So, apart from the usual Artemis talk, this week in science has had some interesting and scary updates in the medical field. While research points to a potential Alzheimer's cure, China is facing the potential spread of new Covid variants! Oh, also Russia reveals an archaic "zombie virus" while a bunch of monks in Thailand are having their own Breaking Bad moment! 

1. Orion spacecraft reaches halfway point of its maiden mission 

Covering over 4,32,000 kilometers away from Earth, Orion has now travelled further than any other spacecraft ever. The spaceracft was a part of Artemis-1’s payload along with the SLS rocket, both of which exhibit the most cutting-edge space tech as of now. 

In its journey so far, Orion has captured some stunning images of the Moon and Earth with the natural satellite appearing to eclipse the Blue Planet in one of the visuals. NASA administrator Bill Nelson is glad that despite all the setbacks behind its launch, the mission is going pretty smoothly so far. In a press statement, he said, “...it’s incredible just how smoothly this mission has gone, but this is a test. That’s what we do – we test it and we stress it.”

2. A possible cure for Alzheimer's? 

A new drug called lecanemab is being hailed as a potential cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia that affects those parts of the brain that focus on memory and language. It is being argued now that lecanemab can be a major gamechanger in slowing down the “destruction of the brain” that happens during Alzheimer’s. 

However, its impact on daily lives is yet to be studied and the drug works only during the early stages of the disease. The drug is basically an antibody that has the potential to instruct the immune system to clear the brain of amyloids, basically sticky outgrowths that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. 

With most of the research on Alzheimer’s cures yielding negative results, the effects of lecanemab on amyloids are being hailed as “momentous” by Alzheimer’s Research UK. Results of the drug’s clinical trials were conducted by scientists involved with its makers, the Tokyo-based company Eisai, and American biotech giant Biogen. These findings were announced in this month’s New England Journal of Medicine. 

3. There's a possibility of new Covid variants as China struggles with rising cases

China is facing an ongoing Covid crisis as its highly authoritarian zero-Covid policy isn’t yielding the desired results, with cases only going on an upward curve. In the midst of rising coronavirus cases in the country, Chinese scientists have detected two new Omicron sub-variants, namely BF.7 and BA.5.1.7.

Both are being regarded as highly infectious with greater transmissibility even though the fatality rate is not that concerning...for now! But should Indians be worried? Based on what Kolkata-based Dr Abhisheel Das told DailyO, “Indians have herd immunity, which came with time and there is a very rare chance that it could blow into something so explosive.”

4. A 48,500-year-old "zombie virus" discovered in Russia? 

Somewhere in the Siberian permafrost, scientists associated with the French National Centre for Scientific Research have chanced across a virus that dates back to approximately 48,500 years! This is being referred to as the Pandoravirus yedoma, which has somehow been preserved in the ice during all these years. Think of it as Captain America being preserved in the ice and then coming back to life. 

Despite the shock value of its preservation, Pandora shouldn’t be seen as an actual “zombie virus”. So, if you get anxious about a zombie apocalypse, you can calm down! The scientists have also discovered 12 other viruses in the permafrost but none are as old as Pandoravirus. 

Bonus: Thai temple monks disgraced after testing positive for meth!

Thailand has been in the “drug” news this year for its marijuana legalisation but now a harder drug like meth is in conversation, that too for the most absurd of reasons. It has been reported that all monks from a small Buddhist temple in north Thailand have been barred from the institution as all of them failed a drug test, testing positive for methamphetamine. 

This was part of an ongoing investigation by local law enforcement regarding drug activities in the Phetchabun province to not only catch addicts but also send them for rehabilitation. Apparently, the unruly behaviour of the monks gave it away! Was this just another case of meth addiction or were the monks trying to find a spiritual gateway through the drug? That’s some m̶e̶t̶h̶ food for thought.