Science News Summary: SpaceX Prepares to Send First All-Civil Crew into Orbit; “Flying Dragon” also roamed the southern skies, say scientists and more

Below is a summary of the latest scientific news.

Scientists are trying to harvest ice cores while the glaciers are melting

Scientists are trying to collect ice cores – along with long frozen records of climate cycles – as global warming melts glaciers and ice sheets. Some say they are running out of time. And in some cases it’s too late. At the end of last year, the German-born chemist Margit Schwikowski and a team of international scientists tried to collect ice cores from the Grand Combine glacier high on the Swiss-Italian border for climate monitoring supported by the United Nations.

Exclusive Lab-Bred Fish Fingers Anyone? Birds Eye owner researches cell-cultured seafood

Europe’s largest frozen food company and manufacturer of Birds Eye fish fingers has teamed up with the US company BlueNalu to develop seafood products that are grown from cells in the laboratory and not harvested from the sea. Nomad Foods, which also owns its Findus, Iglo, La Cocinera and Green Cuisine brands, told Reuters on Monday that it aims to market cell-cultured seafood to meet growing demand and efforts to secure the long-term Sustainability of the fish of the planet to support stocks.

SpaceX is preparing to send the first all-civilian crew into orbit

Another billionaire entrepreneur is set to fly into space this week, strapped into the capsule of a SpaceX rocket as part of an astro-tourist team ready to make history as the first all-civilian crew to orbit. Jared Isaacman, the American founder and CEO of the e-commerce company Shift4 Payments, will lead three other aerospace newbies on a three-day trip from blastoff in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the splash of water in the Atlantic.

Virgin Galactic sees postponement of space mission with Italian Air Force (September 10)

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc announced on Friday a delay in its first commercial research mission with the Italian Air Force until mid-October due to a possible manufacturing defect. The company said the delay in the Unity 23 mission was unrelated to the impending resolution of an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

mRNA vaccines not associated with miscarriage; COVID-19 syringes in the US still protect against serious illness

Below is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. This includes research that warrants further studies to confirm the results and that has yet to be certified through peer review. mRNA vaccines not associated with loss of pregnancy

“Flying Dragon” also roamed the southern skies, say scientists

Scientists in the Chilean Atacama Desert have unearthed the fossil remains of a so-called “flying dragon”, a pterosaur from the Jurassic period that was previously only known to the northern hemisphere. The flying reptile belonged to a group of early pterosaurs that roamed the earth 160 million years ago. It had a long, pointed tail, wings, and sharp, outward-pointing teeth.

(With contributions from agencies.)