This week’s science news roundup covers several topics, including vaccine safety and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling on pollution regulations.
A recent op-ed by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed the importance of vaccines, sparking concerns among experts. While vitamin A supplementation may be beneficial in treating measles complications, it is not a substitute for vaccination, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
In other environmental news, the Supreme Court sided with San Francisco against the EPA in a 5-4 ruling, weakening the agency’s ability to regulate pollution of the nation’s waterways. The city argued that the EPA’s permit governing sewage discharge into the Pacific Ocean was too vague.
Additionally, research on the ozone layer shows promising results: scientists have confirmed that international agreements, such as the Montreal Protocol, are responsible for the recovery of the ozone layer. A new study also offers hope for treating osteoarthritis with cartilage implants grown from nasal septum cells.
Lastly, biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced its success in editing genes to create “woolly” mice. While this achievement is notable, some experts argue that resources could be better spent on preventing animal extinctions rather than bringing back extinct species through genetic engineering.
This week’s episode of Science Quickly explores these topics and more.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/measles-misinformation-sparks-concern-supreme-court-limits-epa-power-and