Black Hole Nurtures Baby Stars a Million Light-Years Away

Black holes are famous for ripping objects apart, including stars. But now, astronomers have uncovered a black hole that may have sparked the births of stars over a mind-boggling distance, and across multiple galaxies. via NASA https://ift.tt/2rrDlUR

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Dengue fever –Spain

On 6 November 2019, the Spanish authorities reported a likely sexual transmission of dengue between two men who have sex with men (MSM) in the municipality of Madrid in central Spain.

Published on November 29, 2019
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 – African Region

Outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported in several countries in West Africa, central Africa and Horn of Africa (for more information, please see the disease outbreak news published on 31 July 2019(2005)). This report provides a situational update on current cVDPV2 outbreaks in newly affected countries in Africa. No wild poliovirus has been detected on the continent since September 2016.

In West Africa and the Lake Chad sub-region, a cVDPV2 outbreak originating from Jigawa state, Nigeria, continues to spread. Following detection of this outbreak in Cameroon, Ghana, Benin and the Republic of Niger earlier this year and in 2018, the virus has now been detected in Chad, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.

Published on November 29, 2019
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Six new confirmed cases were reported between 20 to 26 November in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Published on November 28, 2019
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Lassa Fever – The Netherlands (ex –Sierra Leone)

Sierra Leone health officials, supported by WHO, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, are responding to an outbreak of Lassa fever.

On 20 November 2019, WHO was informed by The Netherlands’ International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point of one imported case of Lassa fever from Sierra Leone. The patient was a male doctor, a Dutch national who worked in a rural Masanga hospital in Tonkolili district, Northern province in Sierra Leone.

Published on November 28, 2019 at 12:10AM
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 – Pakistan

Through national disease surveillance, an outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type-2 (cVDPV2) has been confirmed in Pakistan in 2019. Between 7 July and 3 November 2019, 11 children have been paralysed from cVDPV2 in Pakistan – four in Diamir district, Gilgit-Baltistan province, three in Kohistan, two in Torghar and one in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, and one in Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad. The median age for these cases was 22 months ranging from 8 to 66 months .

The virus was also isolated in stool samples from two contacts of one patient from Diamir, one contact of one patient from Torghar, as well as from 16 healthy children from Diamir, Kohistan and Rawalpindi districts. In addition, the virus was also isolated in seven environmental samples collected between 21 August and 25 October 2019 in Rawalpindi and Lahore districts, Punjab province; Diamir and Gilgit districts, Gilgit-Baltistan province; and Site Town, district West, Karachi, Sindh province.

Published on November 28, 2019
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Thanksgiving 2019 Aboard the Space Station

See what the holiday means to NASA’s Christina Koch, Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan aboard the International Space Station. via NASA https://ift.tt/35EhND1

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Measles – Global situation

Many countries around the world are experiencing measles outbreaks. As of 5 November 2019, there have been 440,263 confirmed cases reported to WHO through official monthly reporting by 187 Member States in 2019.

Data Source: IVB Database - This is surveillance data, hence for the last month(s), the data may be incomplete.

Published on November 27, 2019
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Inspiring a New Generation of Astronauts

Native American NASA Astronaut, John Herrington is pictured here with Lucasti and Caibiya Tsabetsaye in front of the NASA Artemis banner at the 2019 American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s National Conference. via NASA https://ift.tt/33nQtHL

Astronauts Complete 2nd Phase to Repair Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Astronaut Andrew Morgan is tethered to the Starboard-3 truss segment work site during the second spacewalk to repair the International Space Station's cosmic particle detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. via NASA https://ift.tt/2pNSW0j

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Dengue fever – Republic of the Sudan

On 10 October 2019, the Sudan International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) notified WHO of 99 suspected cases of dengue fever in Kassala State. The first reported case presented to the health facilities on 8 August 2019 with symptoms including high-grade fever, headache, and joint pain, with or without vomiting.

From 8 August through 4 November 2019, a total of 1,197 suspected cases of dengue fever including five deaths have been reported from seven states: Kassala (1,111 cases; 3 deaths), West Darfur (43 cases; 1 death), North Darfur (29 cases; 1 death), Red Sea (9 cases; 0 deaths), South Darfur (3 cases; 0 deaths), Gadarif (1 case; 0 deaths) and North Kordofan (1 case; 0 deaths).

Published on November 22, 2019
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Hubble Eyes an Emitting Galaxy

For this image, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope turned its powerful eye toward an emission-line galaxy called NGC 3749. It lies over 135 million light-years away and is moderately luminous. via NASA https://ift.tt/2KLnsz9

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Yellow fever – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

On 13 November 2019, the Venezuela International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) and the Venezuela PAHO/WHO Country Office shared information about a confirmed case of yellow fever in Bolivar State. The case-patient is a 46-year-old male resident of the municipality of Gran Sabana, Bolivar State. He was in the locality of Uriman municipality of Gran Sabana within the 19 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Symptom onset was on 14 September 2019, and included fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, epistaxis, petechiae, and diarrhoea. On 26 September 2019, he visited a public hospital in the municipality of Heres where his condition deteriorated, with moderate dehydration, bleeding from the gums, jaundice, choluria, abdominal pain, and hepatomegaly. As of 13 November 2019, the patient remains hospitalized with chronic renal failure and moderate anaemia.

On 26 September 2019, the first serum sample was sent to the National Reference Laboratory, the National Institute of Hygiene “Rafael Rangel” per its acronym in Spanish, IHRR¹ , in Caracas. On 13 November 2019, the sample tested positive for yellow fever by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and negative for dengue on 14 November 2019 by RT-PCR. On 10 October 2019, a second serum sample was taken and sent to the IHRR; for which the results are still pending.

Published on November 21, 2019
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Seven new confirmed cases were reported in the past week (13 to 19 November) in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Published on November 21, 2019
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Edward Gonzales: Advocating for Underserved Communities

Eddie Gonzales works to mentor Native American students and others in underserved communities. via NASA https://ift.tt/2QCKwDZ

Stars Are Being Born in the Depths of a Black Hole

In the Phoenix Constellation, astronomers have confirmed the first example of a galaxy cluster where large numbers of stars are being born at its core. via NASA https://ift.tt/2s2szVk

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Dengue fever – Pakistan

Health authorities in Pakistan are responding to an ongoing outbreak of dengue fever. This outbreak was first reported on 8 July 2019 by the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. Since then, three other provinces (Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh), as well as Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK; one of the two autonomous territories) have also reported cases of dengue fever.

From 8 July to 12 November 2019, a total of 47,120 confirmed cases of dengue fever, including 75 deaths, were reported from the four provinces (KP, Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh), Islamabad, and AJK.

Published on November 19, 2019
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George Gorospe: From Intern to Research Engineer

Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, George Gorospe was taught by his parents to take pride in his Native American heritage. via NASA https://ift.tt/2CW6jhV

Astronauts Complete First Excursion to Repair Cosmic Particle Detector

Station Commander ​​Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency conducts repairs, while attached to the Canadarm during the first spacewalk to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. via NASA https://ift.tt/2KxxHHk

Hubble Spots a Curious Spiral

Many galaxies we see through telescopes such as the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, the source of this beautiful image, look relatively similar: spiraling arms, a glowing center, and a mixture of bright specks of star formation and dark ripples of cosmic dust weaving throughout. This galaxy, a spiral galaxy named NGC 772, is no exception. via NASA https://ift.tt/2rNn1Om

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Six new confirmed cases were reported in the past week (6 to 12 November) in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Published on November 14, 2019
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Apollo 12 Sees a Solar Eclipse

Fifty years ago, on Nov. 14, 1969, Apollo 12 launched at 11:22 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. via NASA https://ift.tt/2XjNTRF

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Rift Valley Fever – Republic of the Sudan

On 10 October 2019, the National IHR Focal Point for Sudan notified WHO of 47 suspected cases of Rift Valley Fever (RVF), including two deaths in Arb’aat Area, Towashan Village, in El Qaneb locality, Red Sea State. The suspected cases presented with high-grade fever, headaches, joint pain, vomiting. There were no hemorrhagic signs or symptoms observed. The first case presented to the health facility on 19 September 2019.

On 28 September 2019, a total of 14 samples were sent to the National Public Health Laboratory in Khartoum, and 5 tested positive for RVF by Immunoglobulin M (IgM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These samples were also tested for malaria and were found negative.

Published on November 14, 2019
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Powtawche Valerino: Supporting NASA’s Space Launch System Program

Powtawche Valerino is a guidance engineer who works for Aerodyne Industries at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, supporting the agency’s Space Launch System program. via NASA https://ift.tt/2qL6R7z

Mercury's Solar Transit

The planet Mercury is seen in silhouette, low center, as it transits across the face of the Sun, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. via NASA https://ift.tt/2NI2nHG

Building the Rover of the Future

A student from Sinte Gleska University works to build a model rover for a NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars. via NASA https://ift.tt/2pJXuoJ

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Fifteen confirmed cases were reported in the past week (30 October – 5 November) in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces

Published on November 07, 2019
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This Week in NASA History: First Launch of Saturn V – Nov. 9, 1967

This week in 1967, the Apollo 4 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. via NASA https://ift.tt/36I5cQw

The Cygnus space freighter is attached to the Unity module

The U.S. Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman is pictured in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm as it was installed to the Unity module for 70 days of cargo transfers. via NASA https://ift.tt/2JVlN9U

Orson John: A NASA Pathways Student Becomes a Reliability Engineer

Orson John helps prepare Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) for encapsulation in the United Launch Alliance Delta II payload fairing on Sept. 4, 2018, at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. via NASA https://ift.tt/2JUXFV0

Northrop Grumman Resupply Mission Bringing Science, Cargo to Station

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Saturday, November 2, 2019. via NASA https://ift.tt/33jpAFG

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Zika virus disease – France

On 9 October 2019, the French authorities reported an autochthonous Zika virus (ZKV) case in Hyeres, Var department, France. The case had reported symptom onset on 29 July 2019. No travel history to Zika endemic countries was reported for the patient or partner. Since this notification, French authorities reported an additional two probable autochthonous ZKV cases, identified through active case finding, in Hyeres, in the same area and same timeframe (symptom onsets of the three cases from 6 to 15 August 2019). All three patients have recovered.

Epidemiological and entomological field investigations by French authorities are still ongoing to determine the possible route(s) of transmission for these cases, prevent further spread and detect possible associated cases.

Published on November 01, 2019
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