Science News Roundup: Relics of huge primordial collision reside in Earth's deep interior; FDA panel says Vertex/CRISPR to assess safety risks of gene therapy in follow-up study and more

These blobs, denser than the material surrounding them, may be relics from a cataclysm early in our planet's history hypothesized to have spawned the moon - the collision between primordial Earth and a Mars-sized object called Theia, researchers said on Wednesday. FDA panel says Vertex/CRISPR to assess safety risks of gene therapy in follow-up study A panel of advisers to the U.S. health regulator said on Tuesday Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics could assess potential safety risks of their sickle cell disease gene therapy after approval.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Relics of huge primordial collision reside in Earth's deep interior

Seismologists have recognized since the 1970s that two mysterious continent-sized blobs reside in the deepest part of Earth's mantle, one under Africa and the other under the South Pacific region. These blobs, denser than the material surrounding them, may be relics from a cataclysm early in our planet's history hypothesized to have spawned the moon - the collision between primordial Earth and a Mars-sized object called Theia, researchers said on Wednesday.

FDA panel says Vertex/CRISPR to assess safety risks of gene therapy in follow-up study

A panel of advisers to the U.S. health regulator said on Tuesday Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics could assess potential safety risks of their sickle cell disease gene therapy after approval. If the therapy is approved, Vertex has proposed a 15-year follow up of patients to evaluate the safety outcomes of the therapy.

Biggest Chinese Antarctic fleet sets off to build research station

Two Chinese icebreaker research vessels and a cargo ship set sail on Wednesday for the Antarctic with more than 460 personnel on board to help complete construction of China's fifth station on the world's southernmost continent. China's biggest flotilla of research vessels deployed to the Antarctic will focus on building the station on the rocky, windswept Inexpressible Island near the Ross Sea, a deep Southern Ocean bay named after a 19th century British explorer.

Explainer-Can solar geoengineering stop global warming?

As the world struggles to renounce its burning of fossil fuels, scientists are studying whether atmospheric geoengineering could help limit warming and avert climate catastrophe. One potential method, solar radiation management (SRM), seeks to reflect the sun's rays back into space, with the most well-known proposal being to blast sulphur dioxide - a coolant - into the higher reaches of the atmosphere.

Europe's space agency boss sees progress on Ariane 6 launcher

Europe's top space official said on Tuesday there was "light at the end of tunnel" in efforts to bring the delayed Ariane 6 to the launchpad and restore Europe's independent access to space. Europe's new heavyweight launch vehicle has been delayed by technical glitches, leaving the continent relying on Elon Musk's SpaceX for some launches until some time in 2024.