Science News Roundup: NASA's InSight lands safely on Mars; Scientists in China abhor gene editing claims

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

NASA's InSight lands on Mars to peer into planet's deep interior

NASA's InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, touched down safely on the surface of Mars on Monday with instruments to detect planetary seismic rumblings never measured anywhere but Earth. Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles burst into cheers, applause and hugs as they received signals confirming InSight's arrival on Martian soil - a vast, barren plain near the planet's equator - shortly before 3 p.m. EST.

Make a meal of mealworms, Hong Kong startup says

Pasta prepared with mealworms raised in your own home? The unusual dinner idea could soon be a reality, if Hong Kong entrepreneur Katharina Unger has her way.

Scientists, officials in China abhor gene editing that geneticist claims

Chinese officials and scientists denounced on Tuesday the claims of a geneticist who said he had created the first gene-edited babies, and a hospital linked to his research suggested its ethical approval had been forged. More than 100 scientists said in an open letter the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to edit the genes of human embryos was risky, unjustified and harmed the reputation and development of the biomedical community in China.

(With inputs from Reuters)

(With inputs from agencies.)