A study led by Cambridge University has identified a hormone called GDF15 is the cause of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly tells Tech & Science Daily that levels of the hormone produced in the placenta as well as the pregnant woman’s sensitivity to it dictate how severe their sickness will be.
Professor O’Rahilly discusses the potential treatment options for pregnant women and those who suffer from extreme sickness, and a condition called hyperemesis.
Elsewhere in the UK, sixteen men are set to be the first in the world to try a new hormone-free contraceptive pill.
The pill, called YCT-529, is a drug called a retinoic acid receptor-alpha inhibitor, and prevents sperm production by blocking access to vitamin A.
Experts from YourChoice Therapeutics said that pre-clinical studies showed YCT-529 was “99% effective and 100% reversible with no side effects”.
Scientists hope that if the tests are successful, the daily pill could broaden shared responsibility for contraception between the sexes.
It’s thought a new substance discovered by scientists could knock diamonds off the top spot, as the hardest material on earth.
They are called carbon nitrides, and are formed when carbon and nitrogen molecules are subjected to extreme heat and pressure.
Researchers have been trying to unlock the potential of carbon nitrides since the 1980s, and the recent discovery showed they were tougher than cubic boron nitride, the second hardest material after diamonds.
Also in this episode:
Tesla recalls more than two million cars in the US over autopilot concerns, how to watch the Geminids meteor shower on Thursday night, social media platform Threads will let you push fact-checked posts further down your feed, and revealed: the cost of replacing the Tesla Cybertruck’s infamous windscreen wiper.
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