This week, we finally get a glimpse of a living Sato’s beaked whale, a potential cancer drug has a surprising effect on spinal injuries, and we learn about the revolutionary surgeon who reshaped the faces of WW1 victims.

First Ever Confirmed Sighting Of Living Sato's Beaked Whale Made Near Japan

Whispers of a rare and elusive whale were met, at last, by confirmation of a new species in 2019 when the Sato’s beaked whale came onto the scene. However, the discovery was made based on carcasses as nobody had ever actually made a positive ID from a living Sato's beaked whale before. That was, until now. Read the full story here

A New Record For The Strongest Magnetic Field In The Universe

The surfaces of neutron stars have magnetic fields stronger than anything else we know. All neutron stars are not the same, however, and measuring these fields can be challenging, which means we don't know just how epic these fields can be. A new measurement breaks the previous record by sixty percent. Read the full story here

Potential Cancer Drug Can Also Repair Nerves After Rodents' Spinal Injuries

The hopes of patients suffering very different diseases may rest with a single drug. Already showing encouraging signs of increasing the effectiveness of treatments for brain cancer, the drug AZD1390 has now excelled in preclinical trials for restoring motion after spinal injuries, which could mean many won't need to use wheelchairs. Read the full story here

Self-Organizing Lasers Mimic Living Systems To Achieve Novel Versatility

New research has brought the adaptability of biological systems to lasers. A team of researchers in London UK, have developed a laser that can respond to the environment, by creating a self-organizing programmable laser. Read the full story here

A Drone May Have Broken Record For Longest Uncrewed Flight Ever

A solar-powered pilotless drone has reportedly flown for 26 days non-stop, breaking the longest flight of an uncrewed aircraft. Although the makers of the drone are unusually shy about this feat, its long and winding journey was captured by online flight tracking data. Read the full story here

Feature of the week:

"The Facemaker": The Daring Surgeon Who Rebuilt The Disfigured Faces Of WW1 Soldiers

One visionary surgeon boldly ventured through the dark field of early modern medicine – and in doing so, he restored humanity to the victims of this dreadful war. Read the full story here