Science news this week: Artemis II lifts off, diabetes cured in mice, and smog in China shapes Arctic storms

This week included a few historic firsts, including the Artemis II mission heading for the moon and scientists curing Type 1 diabetes in mice. (Image credit: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images and BSIP via Getty Images) Jump to: Scientists cured type 1 diabetes in mice Life's Little Mysteries China's push to reduce air pollution had unexpected results Also in science news this week Science long read Something for the weekend Science news in pictures Science in motion Follow Live Science on social media Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter The long-awaited launch of NASA 's Artemis II mission dominated science news this week, with the excitement peaking Wednesday (April 1) as the space agency's first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Millions tuned in around the world as the towering Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule rose off the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. EDT. Live Science covered the launch live , with reporters following the action both remotely and directly from Florida's Space Coast. The liftoff mostly went off without a hitch, though the launch team had to resolve one unusual range issue before takeoff . The four Artemis II crewmembers are now well into their 10-day journey around the moon, during which they'll run tests aimed at building NASA's capacity to execute its planned lunar surface missions . Live Science will be covering highlights from the mission, including its expected reentry on April 10, so stay tuned for updates. Back in the realm of Earthbound science, chemists have discovered a method to turn breadcrumbs into hydrogen for use in chemical manufacturing. Archaeologists found the world's oldest evidence of gambling in the form of dice invented by Indigenous people in the western U.S. more than 12,000 years ago. Another archaeological discovery out of Vietnam may challenge the presumed history of syphilis . And a new study suggests that quantum computers don't need to be nearly as powerful as we thought to break the world's most secure encryption algorithms. Scientists cured type 1 diabetes in mice Scientists cured type 1 diabetes in mice by creating a blended immune system In type 1 diabetes, the immune system has learned to attack islet cells in the pancreas and relentlessly destroy them.