Major Science Insights: From Sterilised Mosquitoes to Ancient Mummy Mysteries

Exploring recent science news: a Spanish lab combats dengue by sterilizing mosquitoes, CT scans reveal ancient Egypt’s ‘screaming’ mummy likely died painfully, meteorite impacts found to drive the moon's atmosphere, and a primordial spiny slug in China provides insights into mollusk evolution.

A Spanish lab is at the forefront of combating dengue fever, breeding and sterilizing tiger mosquitoes to curb disease transmission in Europe, a byproduct of climate change. The Biological Pest Control Centre in Valencia sterilizes and releases 45,000 male mosquitoes weekly to reduce the population.

New insights from CT scans have solved a mystery from ancient Egypt. The mummy of the 'Screaming Woman' discovered in 1935 at Deir el-Bahari likely died in agony due to a rare form of muscular stiffening known as a cadaveric spasm. This discovery sheds light on her final moments.

Researchers analyzing soil samples from the Apollo missions have identified meteorite impacts as the primary driver of the moon's tenuous atmosphere. By studying forms of potassium and rubidium, they found meteorites striking the lunar surface create and sustain its atmosphere.

Fossils of a spiny slug from 514 million years ago in southern China are unveiling the early evolutionary history of mollusks. This primordial creature offers critical insights into the ancestral forms of today’s diverse mollusk species, including clams, snails, and octopuses.