Science

Space Travel

Alexander Gerst press conference: Houston, we have a problem!

"Astro Alex" appeared on screen, smiled at us from space — and was gone. The last Space-to-Earth call with Alexander Gerst before he gets back from ISS lasted five minutes.  

Could pigs' hearts soon beat in human bodies?

Surgeon Bruno Reichart has successfully implanted a pig's heart into a baboon. He tells DW why harvesting from other species could address a chronic shortage of human donor organs.  

Autoimmune diseases

Does gut flora cause multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is insidious, unpredictable and incurable. But how does it develop? The composition of our intestinal microbiome could be the key, researchers have discovered in a study of twins.  

DeepL: Cologne-based startup outperforms Google Translate

A translation startup from Germany is surprising many users by how well it translates texts. It is now offering two more languages: Russian and Portuguese. What is it that makes DeepL better than Google Translate?  

Medicine

First baby born via uterus transplanted from dead donor

Eleven babies have been born through uterine transplants of live donors, but no births had occurred from a uterus of a deceased donor. The mother became pregnant seven months after the transplant surgery.  

Albert Einstein's 'God' letter goes under the hammer at Christie's

The handwritten letter blew past auction estimates, selling for well over $2 million. The page-and-a-half letter details the legendary physicist's feelings about Judaism and God.  

Close encounter

OSIRIS-REx meets Bennu asteroid

After two years hurtling through space, NASA's probe has reached one of the oldest asteroids in our solar system. It could bring back clues to the origins of planet Earth — and perhaps save it from collision.  

First flight since October accident

Soyuz rocket lifts off with new crew for ISS

A Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts is headed for the International Space Station. It is the first liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan since a mission failed in October.  

Soviet moon rocks fetch $855,000 at New York auction

Three pieces of moon rock brought to Earth decades ago have sold at auction, nearly doubling their price. The tiny lumps, collected by a Soviet moon mission, are the only known material of their kind in private hands.  

Psychology

5.3 million Germans suffer from depression each year

Depression can take a massive toll not only on the sufferers, but also on their loved ones. A study by the German Depression Foundation found the illness caused relationship breakdowns for almost half of those affected.  

CRISPR-Cas9

Gene-editing scientist claims 'another potential pregnancy'

A Chinese scientist who claims to have genetically engineered twins has said there could be more coming soon. Fellow scientists have decried the practice of gene-editing humans, saying it is "truly unacceptable."