NASA restores Hubble spectrograph and more: Understand the world in 9 images

Scientists found that ivermectin is effective in treating endangered Australian sea lions for hookworm, which causes up to 40 percent of seal pup deaths. Ivermectin became notorious during the Covid-19 pandemic when it was claimed as a cure by conspiracy theorists.

Researchers used a new, non-destructive CT scanning method to identify bone disease in a T. rex jaw fossil. The proof-of-concept study shows that this new type of CT analysis could give scientists better insight into fossils without damaging them.

Though the Arecibo Telescope collapsed last year, astronomers used archival data on 564 galaxies, refining a model that explains how a galaxy’s rotation and stellar mass determine its development. The finding could help scientists better understand the evolution of our own galaxy.

Researchers discovered a new species of snake after a student found one in their backyard and posted it on Instagram. The team determined it was a new species using DNA analysis and tomography scans.

Astronomers captured images of the closest supermassive black hole pair to Earth ever found, using ESO’s Very Large Telescope. The black holes are 89 million light-years from Earth and are expected to merge within the next 250 million years.

Scientists identified a new species of parasitoid wasp after finding its unique star-shaped cocoon mass in Japan. The Meteorus stellatus’ cocoon masses can contain up to 100 individual cocoons.

Researchers discovered a new species of extinct ichthyosaur, an ancient, swordfish-like marine animal. Hailing from the early Cretaceous period, Kyhytysuka sachicarum was one of the last surviving ichthyosaur species.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope team restored the telescope’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, bringing three of its four active instruments back online. The telescope suspended operations in October when its instruments entered safe mode after an error.

Researchers identified chemical compounds that bind to coronavirus RNA, preventing it from replicating. They’re still working to understand how molecules called amilorides block replication, but the finding could help fight Covid-19.