The new flagship for Dassault Aviation, the Falcon 8X, flew for the first time in early February, just over a month after the ceremonial first rollout at the factory in Bordeaux, France. The three-engine jet was in the air for about two hours, reaching altitude of 15,000 feet. The program is on track for deliveries to start in the second half of next year. The 8X offers a spacious cabin 42 feet long—3.5 feet longer than the 7X’s—and a range of more than 7,400 miles. Like the 7X, the 8X can fly steep approaches…

Molecular “Eat Now” Sign Makes Cells Devour Dying Neighbors

A team of researchers has devised a Pac-Man-style power pellet that gets normally mild-mannered cells to gobble up their undesirable neighbors. The development may point the way to therapies that enlist patients’ own cells to better fend off infection and even cancer, the researchers say.

A description of the work was published July 15 in the journal Science Signaling.

“Our goal is to build artificial cells programmed to eat up dangerous junk…

Instead of traditional precious gems, Cresta Bledsoe and Jacquie Aiche have turned to unconventional materials—well-preserved shark teeth—as centerpieces for their latest jewelry works, giving the fossils an extraordinary second life.

For decades, relatives of Bledsoe’s combed the shores of Ponte Vedra Beach on the northeast coast of Florida for fossilized shark teeth, eventually accumulating a vast collection that she now sets in recycled 18-karat gold and crafts into earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracel…

Brain might be more resilient with advanced schooling

Better-educated people appear to be significantly more likely to recover from a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), suggesting that a brain’s “cognitive reserve” may play a role in helping people get back to their previous lives, new Johns Hopkins research shows.

The researchers, reporting in the journal Neurology, found that those with the equivalent of at least a college education are seven times more likely than those who didn’t f…

On March 7 at its Oxford location, Bonhams will auction off a 182-lot private collection containing no fewer than 24 antique horse carriages and coaches. If there was any doubt about the exceptional nature of the auction, look to Lot 224. A scarce and coveted mostly original circa-1878 Concord Coach with coachwork by Abbot and Downing, estimated at $240,000 to $270,000 and capable of seating nine passengers, is not even the auction’s top lot.

That honor goes to a circa-1835 traveling landau made by the Lond…

During a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu, Calif., last week, an early-’80s Porsche 911—clearly headed to or from the beach—zipped by. Clean and unadorned, the pre-’90s 911s are the essence of simplicity, without shiny trim, scoops, or spoilers to compromise their perfect profile. But this car, with a quintessentially West Coast Chiffon White paint job and black interior, did sport one very inapposite addition. Extending 6 feet from the sunroof and standing like a dictator in a state limous…

Younger women with diabetes have a higher risk for heart disease

Most women will say they want the same opportunities as men. But they probably don’t feel that way about their heart-disease risk.

Although it’s well established that women without diabetes have a far lower risk of heart disease than men, a new study shows that among women younger than 60 who have diabetes, the risk increases fourfold.

“We were surprised to find that in the presence of diabetes, any gender differences in the risk of hear…

Gin was first distilled in Holland in the 16th century, but it obtained its quintessential British link in 1689 when King William III of England (who was also Prince William of Orange) implemented the Act for Encouraging the Consumption of Malted Corn, which resulted in the greatly accelerated production (and consumption) of what has become known as London dry gin. By contrast, American dry gin, sometimes called “soft gin” because of its lower 80 proof, came later. In its basic form, gin is composed…

Banana Island Resort Doha is Anantara’s new fantasy island in the Persian Gulf.

Why Go: An alternative to staying downtown, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara is convenient to the city but feels worlds away. The man-made island is strategically placed just offshore, with regular ferry service to and from Doha’s Corniche promenade. The tourist destination, geared for Qatari families, features an impressive range of amenities. Some will be familiar to Western travelers and others will be quite novel. The i…

Star-shaped brain cells may help control brain’s focus

A new study from The Johns Hopkins University shows that the brain cells surrounding a mouse’s neurons do much more than fill space. According to the researchers, the cells, called astrocytes because of their star-shaped appearance, can monitor and respond to nearby neural activity, but only after being activated by the fight-or-flight chemical norepinephrine. Because astrocytes can alter the activity of neurons, the findings suggest that astrocytes may…