So, Let’s delve into the new scientific research that happened in the past month or so and explore the latest technologies that are being created and breakthroughs that were achieved in this field.
In the current blog, you will read about the following science events of the month:
Worlds First Bladder Transplant Surgery Performed At US
Earth’s Oceans Seen Darkening Over Last Two Decades
New Satellite To Weigh The Trees On Earth
Gollum Effect Affecting Various Science Institutions Across World
Physicists Become Midas, Turn Lead Into Gold
Single Particle Used as Quantum Computer To Simulate Molecules
New Contact Lenses Give IR Vision To Users
AI Tool Converts Words Into Subtitles For Hearing Impaired
All Living Beings Found Emitting Light When Alive
Chimps Found Communicating Over Long Distances By Drumming Trees
Scientists Found “Anti-Chilli” Compound That Makes Food Less Spicy
Researchers Exploring The Smell Of Outer Space
Children To Face Worst Effect Of Climate Change
.png "Current Science Report: May 2025")
Current Science Report: May 2025
.png "Current Science Report: May 2025") |
| Current Science Report: May 2025 |
Worlds First Bladder Transplant Surgery Performed At US
In Southern California, surgeons from UCLA and USC have completed the first-ever human bladder transplant, offering new hope for patients with severe bladder conditions. The recipient, 41-year-old Oscar Larrainzar, had lost most of his bladder capacity after treatment for a rare bladder cancer. He described himself as a “ticking time bomb” before the surgery but now feels hopeful.
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This groundbreaking surgery is part of a clinical trial that will include four more patients to study outcomes such as bladder capacity and graft complications before expanding the procedure’s use.
Traditionally, patients who lose their bladders rely on bowel tissue to help pass urine—either via an external bag or an internal pouch. However, this method often causes serious complications because bowel tissue, which contains bacteria, is introduced into the normally sterile urinary tract. These complications can affect up to 80% of patients and may also cause digestive issues.
Inspired by recent advances in transplant surgery, Drs. Inderbir Gill and Nima Nassiri began developing the bladder transplant procedure in 2020. They refined their technique through experiments on pigs, cadavers, and donors declared brain-dead but with a heartbeat.
One major challenge was preserving the complex blood vessels needed to keep the bladder healthy after transplant. To simplify surgery, the surgeons connected the donor’s right and left arteries and veins into just two vessels for the recipient, reducing the number of connections needed.
Oscar Larrainzar was an ideal candidate. Having undergone prior kidney removal due to cancer and bladder surgery that left him with only 10% of normal bladder capacity, he faced fluid buildup and was running out of options.
On the night of the transplant, Drs. Gill and Nassiri joined a team to recover organs from a donor. They performed an eight-hour operation to transplant both a kidney and bladder into Larrainzar. Despite the transplanted bladder lacking nerve connections, early results were promising: two days after surgery, Larrainzar was able to urinate naturally for the first time in seven years.
Dr. Nassiri called the outcome a “miracle,” with Dr. Gill amazed by the immediate success. Larrainzar also showed quick improvement in kidney function and lost significant fluid weight.
Experts caution that immunosuppressant drugs needed to prevent organ rejection carry risks, and bladder transplant may not be suitable for all patients, especially those not already requiring such medications. Still, this milestone opens new possibilities for treating patients with debilitating bladder conditions.
Courtesy: New York Times
Earth’s Oceans Seen Darkening Over The Last Two Decades
Research shows that over the past 20 years, more than 20% of the global ocean has darkened, reducing the depth of the photic zone—the upper layer of water where sunlight penetrates and supports most marine life. This darkened area covers about 75 million square kilometers, roughly equal to the combined landmass of Europe, Africa, China, and North America.
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The photic zone is crucial because it allows phytoplankton, tiny photosynthetic organisms forming the base of marine food webs, to thrive. These organisms produce nearly half the Earth’s oxygen and support many fish, mammals, and other species. When the photic zone shrinks, marine species are forced into a smaller space near the surface, increasing competition.
Scientists used satellite data and light-measuring algorithms to find that in 9% of the ocean, the photic zone has become 50 meters shallower, and in 2.6% it is 100 meters shallower. Darkening near coasts often results from nutrient-rich water upwellings and sediment runoff, but open-ocean darkening likely relates to climate change effects such as warming and altered currents.
Despite the overall darkening, about 10% of the ocean has brightened in certain areas, like off Ireland’s west coast. Marine life relies on light for hunting, mating, and reproduction, so these changes in ocean light levels can disrupt ecosystems and biodiversity.
Experts warn that darkening oceans could severely impact food webs, species distributions, and the ocean’s ability to regulate climate. Coastal seas, heavily affected by human activity, are especially vulnerable.
Courtesy: Guardian
New Satellite To Weigh The Trees On Earth
Rainforests, known as the "lungs of the Earth," store vast amounts of carbon, helping to mitigate climate change. Yet accurately measuring this carbon storage has been difficult, until now. On Tuesday, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a unique satellite equipped with P-band radar that can see beneath the forest canopy.
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Nicknamed "space brolly" for its large 12-meter antenna, the satellite was launched from French Guiana and will survey key forests like the Amazon, Congo, and Indonesia. The radar's long wavelength allows it to penetrate the canopy and detect trunks and branches, unlike traditional radars that only capture treetops.
This technology, similar to a CT scan, will repeatedly scan forest layers to estimate woody biomass — a proxy for stored carbon. Current ground methods, which involve measuring individual trees, are limited and inconsistent. Satellite data offers a more comprehensive and repeatable solution.
The satellite, developed in the UK and led by scientists across Europe and the US, faced challenges, especially in deploying its umbrella-like antenna in space. Experts from the U.S.-based L3Harris helped build the antenna due to their experience with large deployable systems.
Within six months, the team expects to start producing maps showing how much carbon is stored and lost annually through deforestation. Unlike past satellites affected by cloud cover, this radar can see through clouds, providing reliable year-to-year comparisons.
The mission aims to deepen our understanding of how forests influence climate processes, a critical knowledge in addressing climate change.
Courtesy: BBC
Gollum Effect Affecting Various Science Institutions Across World
Nearly half of scientists surveyed have faced territorial and undermining behaviors from colleagues, especially during their PhD studies. These behaviors often come from high-profile researchers or even their own supervisors. Most respondents were ecologists, but experts believe similar issues affect other fields.
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Dubbed the ‘Gollum effect’, named after the possessive character in The Lord of the Rings, this phenomenon describes researchers hoarding data, ideas, or opportunities, and acting to block others from progress. Such gatekeeping damages careers, particularly for early-career and marginalized scientists. Alarmingly, about 20% of those affected reported leaving academia or science entirely.
The survey, involving 563 participants from 64 countries, revealed that these behaviors occur across all career stages, though PhD students suffer the most. Examples include data hoarding, idea theft by supervisors, and unfair restrictions on publishing.
Experts emphasize that addressing this toxic possessiveness and power dynamics is crucial, beyond just targeting overt bullying. The lead author, Jose Valdez, who has personally endured such treatment, stresses that the issue lies in a broken academic culture that often stays silent, urging affected researchers to understand the problem is not their fault.
Courtesy: Nature
Physicists Become Midas, Turn Lead Into Gold
For centuries, gold has symbolized ultimate wealth, power, and mastery, inspiring ancient kings and alchemists alike. Today, particle physics has briefly made the ancient dream a reality. At CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, scientists transformed lead into gold, ‘Although lasting only a nanosecond and yielding a minuscule amount’ but it proved elemental transmutation is possible.
Unlike ancient alchemy’s mystical approach, this process used pure nuclear physics: high-speed collisions stripped protons from lead atoms to create gold. This breakthrough highlights how far science has advanced, turning myth into measurable fact.
Gold’s value extends beyond rarity; it represents beauty, success, and permanence. Its unique physical properties make it irreplaceable, fueling fascination with the idea of manufacturing gold. But if we could mass-produce gold, economies would be upended, prices would collapse, and geopolitical struggles over elemental converters might replace past resource conflicts, or perhaps usher in new equality.
The discovery is as much about human curiosity as about the element itself. Researchers like Uliana Dmitrieva and Marco Van Leeuwen, say that they pursue knowledge, not riches. The tiny amount of gold produced has deepened our understanding of matter at extreme conditions, proving knowledge itself is the true treasure.
Yet, despite advances at CERN, science funding faces threats worldwide, risking future breakthroughs and the scientists who drive them. The value of gold, then, lies not in the metal but in what it symbolizes: the bold quest for understanding, creativity, and wonder that transform dreams into reality. Ultimately, curiosity is the most precious element of all.
Courtesy: Times of India
Single Particle Used as Quantum Computer To Simulate Molecules
Researchers have successfully used a single particle to perform the first complete quantum simulations of how certain molecules respond to light. This streamlined method could speed up the arrival of “quantum advantage,” where quantum computers outperform classical ones in predicting chemical and material behaviors.
Ting Rei Tan, a quantum physicist at the University of Sydney, explains that this approach is extremely efficient because one particle can encode information normally spread over many qubits. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, marks a major breakthrough in simulating complex molecular energy levels, according to computational chemist Alan Aspuru Guzik.
The team simulated three organic molecules: Allene, Butatriene, and Pyrazine and how they react when struck by photons. This interaction causes the molecules’ atoms to vibrate and their electrons to jump to higher energy states, processes important for designing better solar panels and sunscreens.
They encoded these molecular behaviors in a single trapped Ytterbium ion. The ion’s electron excitations represented molecular electron excitations, and its movements in the trap mimicked molecular vibrations. Laser pulses were used to control how these states interacted, allowing the ion’s state to evolve similarly to the molecules after photon impact.
Measurements showed their simulated results matched known data, validating the method. While these molecules are simple enough for classical simulation, more complex molecules with many vibrational modes overwhelm traditional computers.
Quantum engineer Kenneth Brown praised the work, noting it’s the first to tune this technique to specific molecules. While quantum chemistry simulations typically require millions of qubits, this method could enable practical simulations with just a few dozen ions.
Courtesy: Nature
New Contact Lenses Give IR Vision To Users
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China have developed the first contact lenses that allow people to see infrared light, even when their eyes are shut. The lenses contain nanoparticles that convert near-infrared wavelengths (800–1,600 nm) into visible light (400–700 nm), which humans can perceive. Each pair costs about $200 to make.
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Unlike bulky night-vision goggles that produce monochrome green images and need power, these lenses offer multi-colored infrared vision without external devices. However, the images appear blurry due to light scattering by the nanoparticles, a problem partially mitigated by additional corrective lenses in accompanying glasses. Also, the lenses only detect strong infrared sources like LEDs, unlike goggles that amplify weak signals.
Some experts remain skeptical, arguing that traditional infrared goggles are simpler and more practical. But the developers see potential uses in detecting anti-counterfeit marks invisible to the naked eye and aiding surgeons in near-infrared fluorescence procedures to identify cancerous tissue without bulky equipment.
The lenses build on earlier work where infrared vision was granted to mice via nanoparticle injections, but now use a non-invasive polymer lens infused with rare-earth metal nanoparticles like ytterbium and erbium. Tests showed mice and humans could detect infrared light signals and even decipher Morse code. Remarkably, performance improved with eyes closed, as infrared light penetrates eyelids better than visible light.
The researchers aim to increase nanoparticle concentration and improve light conversion efficiency to enhance vision sensitivity, opening “a brand-new window onto the world.”
Courtesy: Nature
AI Tool Converts Words Into Subtitles For Hearing Impaired
A little over thirty years ago, David Howorth suddenly lost all hearing in his left ear. While he managed his demanding job as a litigator with one functional ear, everyday life became isolating. Group conversations were confusing, locating sounds was impossible, and social interactions relied heavily on his wife, Martha. After Martha passed away in 2016, his remaining hearing declined, leading to hearing aids that helped initially but still struggled with multiple speakers or locating sounds. In 2023, he shockingly lost hearing in his right ear too. Steroid treatments failed, and a cochlear implant, while a marvel of technology, delivered distorted sounds , music became unpleasant noise, and even urinating sounded like garbled chatter.
David's true breakthrough came unexpectedly: a free phone app called Google Live Transcribe. This real-time voice-to-text software allowed him to read conversations on his screen. Suddenly, he could actively participate in his weekly lunch group again, simply by placing his phone on the table. While not perfect, its accuracy was still remarkable. His new wife noted it was the first time he didn't seem "aloof and unengaged" socially. For David, and many others with hearing loss, the ability to "subtitle life" through AI-powered transcription became transformative.
This revolution stems from massive investments in artificial intelligence, making transcription vastly superior to clunky early software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking. The technology has evolved beyond phone apps. Innovations like TranscribeGlass and XanderGlasses project real-time captions directly onto eyeglass lenses, allowing users to read conversations while maintaining eye contact and seeing lip movements. For people like Omeir Awan, whose nerve tumors made cochlear implants ineffective and signing difficult due to paralysis, these glasses restored his sense of self. For veteran J.R. Rush, legally blind and hard of hearing, they enabled simple conversations with his wife again, drastically improving their quality of life.
While cochlear implants and hearing aids remain important, they have limitations. Transcription technology, however, offers a different kind of accessibility. It proved vital during the pandemic when masks hindered lipreading. Interestingly, most users aren't deaf; many people with normal hearing use captions on platforms like Netflix or Zoom for convenience. This technology bridges communication gaps far beyond the hearing-impaired community, effectively "subtitling life" in ways previously unimaginable. Despite its profound benefits, healthcare systems have been slow to adopt it, often citing fears over transcription errors. Yet, for countless individuals, this AI-driven ability to see speech has been nothing short of life-changing.
Courtesy: New Yorker
All Living Beings Found Emitting Light When Alive
Researchers from the University of Calgary and Canada's National Research Council have discovered that living organisms emit a faint visible light, which disappears upon death. This "ultraweak photon emission" (UPE), previously considered fringe science, was observed in live mice and plant leaves but vanished after death.
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The light is thought to result from reactive oxygen species produced by cells under stress. When compounds like hydrogen peroxide react with fats and proteins, they release small bursts of energy in the form of visible light.
Using sensitive imaging tools, scientists compared light emissions from live and dead mice kept at the same temperature. They found a clear drop in UPE after death. Similar results were observed in stressed plant leaves, which glowed more at injured sites than healthy ones.
This finding could lead to non-invasive diagnostic tools, allowing scientists to monitor cell stress or health by detecting this faint glow.
The research, published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, offers new insights into how living systems emit light and what it might reveal about health and life itself.
Courtesy: Science Alert
Chimps Found Communicating Over Long Distances By Drumming Trees
Male chimpanzees in African rainforests drum on tree roots to produce loud, percussive sounds for long-distance communication. New research shows that these drumming patterns are rhythmic and vary between chimpanzee groups, hinting at the evolutionary roots of musical rhythm.
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Researchers studied over 370 drumming events from 11 chimp communities across Africa, making it the largest dataset of its kind. Western chimps produced evenly spaced beats, while eastern chimps used more varied rhythms. These patterns, along with vocalizations like pant hoots, differed between the subspecies, possibly reflecting differences in group size and social behavior.
A second study revealed that some western chimps use stones to drum on trees, often reusing stored rocks. This stone-assisted drumming appears to serve a communication purpose and may be culturally passed down.
Experts believe these rhythmic behaviors suggest early signs of musicality in primates and may offer clues to the origins of music in humans. The findings also underscore the importance of preserving chimpanzee cultures and habitats, as the loss of unique behaviors could be irreversible.
Courtesy: Science.Org
Scientists Found “Anti-Chilli” Compound That Makes Food Less Spicy
Scientists at Ohio State University have identified natural compounds in chilli peppers that can reduce their spiciness. Capsaicinoids, the chemicals responsible for a chilli's heat, trigger pain receptors in the mouth, causing a burning sensation. However, some chillis seem milder than expected based on their Scoville rating.
To understand why, researchers analyzed 10 chilli types and found that despite having the same levels of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, their heat was perceived differently. Further chemical testing revealed three sugar-based compounds: Capsianoside I, Roseoside, and Gingerglycolipid A, present in higher amounts in the milder chillis.
In taste tests, these compounds reduced perceived spiciness by 0.7 to 1.2 points on a 15-point scale. Researchers believe they may interfere with nerve receptors that sense heat.
These “anti-Chilli” compounds could be used to create milder chilli varieties, develop kitchen ingredients to reduce heat in spicy foods, or even serve as natural pain relievers.
The study also highlights that the Scoville scale doesn't fully capture how spicy a pepper feels, and suggests that similar compounds might even reduce sensations like the cooling effect of mint.
Courtesy: New Scientist
Researchers Exploring The Smell Of Outer Space
Marina Barcenilla, a space scientist and fragrance designer, describes Jupiter as “a bit like a stink bomb.” The giant planet has multiple cloud layers, each with distinct chemical smells. The top layer, made of ammonia ice, smells like cat urine, while deeper layers contain ammonium sulphide, producing a rotten egg stench. Further down, colorful bands may emit odors from ammonia, phosphorus, and organic molecules resembling petroleum and garlic.
Barcenilla creates space-inspired fragrances to capture these cosmic scents, which vary widely across planets, moons, comets, and gas clouds. Our sense of smell, evolved from simple organisms detecting chemicals to complex brain signals, helps us identify food, danger, and even memories. In space, astronauts experience limited smells inside stations, but after spacewalks report a metallic scent caused by atomic oxygen interacting with their suits, resembling ozone or welding fumes.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) recently detected carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphere by analyzing light, revealing how space’s chemical makeup can be “smelled” remotely. Titan, Saturn’s moon, might smell like almonds, petrol, and rotting fish, while other planets have odors like rotten eggs or burning plastic. Interstellar dust clouds carry scents compared to “crazy ice cream and ammonia,” and molecular clouds near our galaxy’s center contain compounds that smell like raspberries or nail polish remover.
Astrophysicist Subhajit Sarkar highlights exoplanet K2-18b, where JWST data suggests the presence of chemicals like dimethyl sulphide—typically produced by marine life on Earth. This hints K2-18b could be an ocean world with life, though more research is needed.
Ultimately, many cosmic smells are familiar here on Earth, and Barcenilla’s scent recreations bring space closer to us. For astronauts like Helen Sharman, the greatest smell is the fresh, earthy scent of home after returning from space, priceless and deeply moving.
Courtesy: BBC
Children To Face Worst Effect Of Climate Change
Children born in 2020 and beyond face a stark reality: even if the world successfully limits global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels – the most ambitious target of the Paris Agreement – more than half will endure "unprecedented lifetime exposure" to extreme climate events like heatwaves. That’s the sobering conclusion of a study published in Nature.
The researchers define "unprecedented lifetime exposure" as an intensity of exposure so extreme that, under pre-industrial climate conditions, it would have had only a 1-in-10,000 chance of occurring within a single lifetime.
To illustrate the dramatic shift, the study used Brussels as a case study. It found that a person living in a pre-industrial climate would typically experience about 3 heatwaves in their lifetime. In stark contrast, a child born in 2020, even under the 1.5°C warming scenario, is projected to face 11 heatwaves during their life. This represents a near-quadrupling of exposure.
The study also highlighted a critical equity dimension: the risk of facing these unprecedented levels of heatwave exposure is significantly higher for population groups characterized by high socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The burden of the climate crisis, even under the "best-case" warming scenario, will fall disproportionately on those least equipped to handle it.
Courtesy: World Economic Forum
