Science diplomat to lead International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific

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https://council.science/news/science-diplomat-to-lead-international-science-council-regional-focal-point-for-asia-and-the-pacific/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=science-diplomat-to-lead-international-science-council-regional-focal-point-for-asia-and-the-pacific

Human ancestors like Australopithecus – which lived around 3.5 million years ago in southern Africa – ate very little to no meat, according to new research published in the scientific journal Science. This conclusion comes from an analysis of nitrogen isotope isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals. The data revealed that these early hominins primarily relied on plant-based diets, with little to no evidence of meat consumption.

ISC launches initiative to equip science organizations for the digital age

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https://council.science/news/digital-journeys-launch/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=digital-journeys-launch

As far as we've been able to tell, all matter in the universe comes in just of two distinct types: fermions (particles that make stuff)and bosons (particles that mediate a force).

However, physicists from Rice University have developed a mathematical framework for a third type, known as paraparticles, whose behavior could imply the existence of elementary particles nobody has ever considered. While they don't yet have a means for experimentally identifying such particles yet (or even predicting exactly what they'd do), this is the first time that such a model has been found that allows for a new particle family.

Who will shape the digital economy?: Stein Rokkan Prize winner discusses tech giants, power, and democracy

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https://council.science/blog/who-will-shape-the-digital-economy-tech-giants-power-and-the-future-of-democracy/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=who-will-shape-the-digital-economy-tech-giants-power-and-the-future-of-democracy

I missed this before, but apparently we're now nearly a year into Merck and Moderna's Phase-3 trials of a novel mRNA vaccine (mRNA-4157) in combination with Keytruda to slow or halt aggressive melanoma growth. (press release), and about 4 months into a similar Phase 3 trial of the same drug combo for small cell lung cancer (press release). Here's hoping that 2025 is the year we cure (some kinds of) cancer!