A full crew complement returned to the International Space Station on Valentine's Day, while scientists continue to explore the mysteries of ancient Mars and researchers utilize AI in the hunt for new antibiotics. The arrival of four new astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft brought the total number of crew members to seven, according to Ars Technica, giving the US space agency a full complement in orbit. Meanwhile, a recent study suggests that Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago, potentially impacting the search for past life on the planet.
The Crew Dragon docked with the ISS on Saturday evening, February 14th, at 5:14 pm ET (22:14 UTC), as reported by Ars Technica. The new arrivals included Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway of NASA, Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency, and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos. The number of astronauts on the station fluctuates depending on crew rotations and private astronaut visits.
The findings about Mars, detailed in a recent study, challenge previous theories that the planet was primarily cold and icy during the Noachian epoch, which lasted from approximately 4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago, according to Ars Technica. This research is part of a long-standing effort to understand if Mars was once habitable.
In other news, bioengineer and computational biologist César de la Fuente is using AI to hunt for new antibiotics. He warned of a looming post-antibiotic era in which infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria, fungi, and viruses could lead to a surge in deaths, according to MIT Technology Review. De la Fuente, who compiled a list of the world's biggest problems as a teenager, ranked antimicrobial resistance at the top. A recent analysis published in the Lancet predicts that the number of deaths associated with these infections could surpass 8 million by 2050.
While these scientific endeavors continue, other developments are also taking place. The Saatva mattress company provided bedding for Team USA at the 2006 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, according to Wired. Additionally, Wired also reported on Batemates, a social app for men.
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