Axios

Google's DeepMind this week reported solving one of biology's long-standing problems: predicting the 3D structure of proteins.

Why it matters: Being able to determine protein structure could help to speed up drug development and aid researchers in understanding the basic biology of disease.

A type of AI can be used to navigate balloons in the unpredictable conditions of the stratosphere, researchers report this week.

Why it matters: It's a demonstration of an AI making decisions in a messy real-world environment.

COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speed, but some experts fear the accelerated regulatory process could interfere with ongoing research about the vaccines.

Why it matters: Even after the first COVID-19 vaccines are deployed, scientific questions will remain about how they are working and how to improve them.

The depths of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds — satellite galaxies of our own Milky Way — can be seen in new photos taken by a dark energy camera.

Why it matters: The images could reveal never-before-known details about our galactic neighbors — and insights into how other dwarf galaxies evolve.

Apocalyptic weather is the new normal because humans are "waging war on nature," the UN declared on Wednesday.

What they're saying: "The state of the planet is broken," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, reports AP. “This is suicidal.”