Hey there, welcome to my blog Mufawad. In this monthly writeup, I try to unveil the latest breakthroughs & uncover tomorrow's possibilities in the field of science. Whether you are a student, a professional, or simply a science enthusiast, this article will provide you with an engaging and informative insights and current updates in scientific world. Plus, as a compliment, you will get a peep into quirky AI images generated by me related to those very particular topics.
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:
In the first, AI helping build Quantum Computers
Google launches AI model that works like a virtual satellite
Robots to collaborate autonomously to explore planetary caves
Floating tiny discs to help explore “ignorosphere” & beyond
Cloud Bursts wreaking havoc in Indian subcontinent
European glaciers melting at a shocking pace
Heatwaves found to have same effect on ageing as smoking & drinking
Spouses likely to share Psychiatric disorders
Deep Sea worms use own toxins against the toxins in their surroundings
Scientists looking to shift testing from lab animals to next-gen alternatives
Scientists develop rechargeable glow-in-dark plants
Sex reversal quite common in birds, finds a study
Why do all like chocolates except my girlfriend, scientists have an explanation
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| Current Science Report: August 2025 |
In the first, AI helping build Quantum Computers
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a valuable tool for scientists, assisting not only with writing and reviewing research but also with experimental design. Now, it is making its way into the development of quantum computers. A research team has demonstrated that AI can optimize the process of assembling atom grids that may serve as the core of future quantum computers. Their study, published in Physical Review Letters, also showcased the AI’s speed by using it to create a miniature animation of Schrodinger’s cat through atom manipulation.
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According to Jian-Wei Pan, a physicist at the University of Science and Technology of China, the team turned to AI to address one of the key challenges in quantum computing: rearranging neutral atom arrays efficiently and at scale. By training an AI model to recognize how rubidium atoms could be shifted into specific grid formations using laser light, the researchers managed to significantly speed up this process. The system could rapidly determine the correct hologram or light pattern needed to form two and three dimensional arrays.
The results were striking. The AI helped assemble as many as 2,024 rubidium atoms into an array within just 60 milliseconds. In comparison, earlier efforts without AI managed only around 800 atoms and required about a full second. The model also directed atoms to create images, such as Schrodinger’s cat, by moving them with lasers and capturing their emitted light.
Constructing these atom grids is an essential step toward building quantum computers. Unlike classical computers that use bits set to 0 or 1, quantum computers rely on qubits, which can exist in both states simultaneously through superposition. Qubits must also be entangled to perform complex calculations. Neutral atoms are considered promising qubits because they can maintain their quantum states longer than many alternatives, but scaling them up has always been difficult.
Physicists not involved in the study, such as Mark Saffman from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Joonhee Choi from Stanford University, praised the achievement, noting that arranging large numbers of atoms typically requires extensive calculations. AI’s ability to handle these processes rapidly could transform the field. While a practical quantum computer would still require millions of atoms, far beyond the couple of thousand demonstrated here, Pan believes the AI model is scalable and could eventually handle tens of thousands of atoms without losing efficiency.
Although a fully functional quantum computer remains a long-term goal, this research highlights how AI may accelerate progress toward overcoming one of the most difficult barriers in quantum technology: assembling and controlling large-scale qubit systems.
Courtesy: Nature
Google launches AI model that works like a virtual satellite
Google DeepMind has unveiled an advanced AI model capable of creating highly detailed maps of Earth, offering scientists an unprecedented tool to study environmental changes. Traditionally, satellites orbit the planet to capture images and measurements of land, forests, cities, and coastal waters. While these images are invaluable for research, integrating data from multiple satellites and sensors into a single, coherent picture has long been a challenge.
To address this, Google’s AI unit, DeepMind, developed AlphaEarth Foundations, an AI system that functions like a “virtual satellite,” generating highly detailed maps of virtually any location on Earth, almost in real time. “Whether monitoring crop health, tracking deforestation, or observing new construction, researchers no longer have to rely on a single satellite passing overhead. They now have a new kind of foundation for geospatial data,” Google DeepMind said in a statement. Christopher Brown, a research engineer at DeepMind, emphasized at a press briefing that the model can map the world “at any place and time.”
AlphaEarth Foundations combines trillions of images and data points from a wide variety of public sources, including satellite imagery, radar scans, laser-based 3D mapping, and climate simulations. It covers the entire planet’s terrestrial land and coastal waters. The model can generate data accurate enough to resolve ecosystems down to areas as small as 10 square meters. Additionally, the system’s output requires far less storage than comparable AI models, making large-scale environmental analysis more practical.
During initial testing using data from 2017 to 2024, AlphaEarth Foundations outperformed similar AI models in identifying land use and estimating surface properties, achieving a 24% lower average error rate, according to a DeepMind paper. Google hopes the AI will help scientists monitor global changes related to food security, deforestation, urban expansion, and water resource management.
The development of AlphaEarth Foundations is part of a growing trend in environmental science, where AI transforms vast streams of satellite data into actionable tools. High-resolution, regularly updated maps allow researchers to track environmental changes with precision and investigate the underlying drivers. Such tools are crucial for studying the impacts of climate change, planning conservation strategies, and managing resources such as farmland and water.
For example, in 2020, NASA and the University of Copenhagen used AI to map 1.8 billion individual tree canopies across the Sahel and Sahara regions of West Africa, a task that would have required millions of human hours without AI. Similarly, NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, launched in 2022, measures oceans, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers over 90% of the world’s surface with unprecedented detail. The European Space Agency (ESA)’s EarthCARE satellite, launched in 2024, studies how clouds and airborne particles affect Earth’s temperature.
Google DeepMind’s model draws on data from these missions and long-running programs such as Landsat, MODIS, and the Sentinel satellites, which monitor vegetation, coastlines, water bodies, snow, and ice. The AI has already been tested by over 50 organizations worldwide for applications including ecosystem monitoring and urban planning. In Brazil, for instance, the environmental initiative MapBiomas uses AlphaEarth Foundations to analyze agricultural and environmental changes in the Amazon rainforest. “The AI provides us with new options to make maps that are more accurate, precise, and fast to produce, something we could not do before,” said Tasso Azevedo, founder of MapBiomas.
Google plans to release the dataset via Google Earth Engine, its environmental data platform, encouraging broader research and collaboration. By providing real-time, high-resolution maps, AlphaEarth Foundations represents a powerful step forward in using AI to understand and manage the Earth’s changing environment.
Courtesy: Euro News
Robots to collaborate autonomously to explore planetary caves
In the not-too-distant future, the search for signs of life on Mars and the Moon could take a bold new turn, with autonomous robots venturing into a largely unexplored frontier: subsurface lava tubes. These deep underground caves, formed by past volcanic activity, could provide crucial protection from the extreme temperatures, radiation, and meteorite impacts that characterize the surface of other planets. Beyond the search for life, lava tubes may also reveal the safest and most suitable locations for future human bases on extraterrestrial worlds.
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To test the feasibility of such missions, scientists conducted a series of experiments using three autonomous robots in a lava cave on the Spanish island of Lanzarote. Lava tubes are found not only on Earth but also on the Moon and Mars, making them a valuable analog environment for future space exploration. Human exploration of these underground spaces is currently risky, expensive, and largely unfeasible, so robots offer a safer and more cost-effective solution. “A heterogeneous cooperative robot team is a promising approach to address the access and exploration of extraterrestrial lava caves,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in Science Robotics.
The field tests spanned 21 days and were divided into four distinct phases. Initially, two rovers mapped the surface surrounding the cave entrance. Following this, one of the rovers deployed a sensorized payload cube into the opening, which allowed the team to generate a detailed 3D map of the cave entrance. The most complex and ambitious phase involved two robots working together autonomously. The smaller rover attached itself to the larger one and rappelled down into the cave, before detaching and independently traveling 235 meters deeper underground while creating a continuous 3D map of the tunnel.
While the experiments were successful, several challenges remain before robotic lava cave exploration can be applied to lunar or Martian missions. For example, ground-penetrating radar performance was hindered by moisture in the test environment, and sensor interference led to some mapping limitations. Achieving full autonomous navigation in such complex, unstructured terrain remains a significant hurdle.
Despite these challenges, the research represents an important step forward. By refining robotic technologies and autonomous navigation systems, scientists are moving closer to exploring subsurface environments beyond Earth. These efforts could not only help identify habitable zones for future human settlements but also advance our long-standing quest to determine whether life exists elsewhere in our solar system. The collaboration of robots in lava tube exploration brings the dream of off-world habitation and planetary discovery one step closer to reality.
Courtesy: Phys.Org
Floating tiny discs to help explore “ignorosphere” & beyond
Scientists have devised tiny featherweight disks that could float on sunlight in Earth’s mesosphere or even in the thin air of Mars, theoretically carrying small payloads. The mesosphere, 50 to 85 kilometers above Earth, is too high for aircraft and weather balloons but too low for satellites, making it one of the least-studied regions on the planet, sometimes called the “ignorosphere.”
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The centimeter-wide disks are made from two thin perforated membranes of ceramic alumina connected by tiny vertical supports. They are kept aloft by photophoresis, the light-induced movement of small particles at very low pressures. Lab experiments simulating mesospheric conditions showed the disks could float passively without any power source. The bottom of each disk is coated with chromium, which heats more than the top, giving gas molecules bouncing off it more momentum and generating lift. Perforations enhance this lift via thermal transpiration.
“The holes let air move through the structure, creating little jets,” says Ben Schafer, co-lead author and graduate student at Harvard. Photophoresis, first demonstrated in the 1870s with Crookes radiometers, only works at low pressures and produces weak force, but advances in nanofabrication now allow levitation using this force alone.
The researchers used computational modelling to optimize the disks’ perforations and supports for maximum lofting. In lab tests, a six-centimeter-wide disk carrying a 10-milligram payload could theoretically stay aloft at 75 km altitude during daytime, and possibly continuously at polar latitudes in summer, using infrared light from Earth after sundown.
Ruth Lieberman, a heliophysicist not involved in the study, calls it a brilliant design, noting the low cost and potential for large-scale deployment. Schafer envisions swarms of these disks for atmospheric sensing and telecommunications on Earth and Mars. He has co-founded a company to develop new versions, with payload-free test flights planned as early as 2026. Creating fully capable payload-carrying disks will take more research, particularly in materials manufacturing, and could take five to ten years.
Courtesy: Scientific America
Cloud Bursts wreaking havoc in Indian subcontinent
Cloudbursts have recently wreaked havoc in several mountainous regions of India and Pakistan, unleashing intense rainfall within a very short span of time. These sudden downpours, often concentrated over small areas, have led to widespread destruction and loss of life. In Pakistan’s Buner district alone, nearly 300 people were killed when a cloudburst triggered flash floods, landslides, and mudflows that destroyed homes and villages. Similarly, in India’s Uttarakhand state, a recent cloudburst sent torrents of water crashing into the Himalayan village of Dharali. The region has witnessed such devastation before; in 2013, a similar event claimed over 6,000 lives and impacted thousands of villages.
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A cloudburst is an extreme weather phenomenon where over 100 millimeters of rain falls within an hour across an area of about 30 square kilometers. The event occurs when moist air, trapped by mountains, rises rapidly, cools, and condenses into dense rain-bearing clouds. Strong upward air currents keep moisture suspended until the clouds can no longer hold it, releasing rainfall all at once like a “rain bomb.” This combination of suddenness and intensity makes cloudbursts particularly destructive.
The geography and climate of India and Pakistan make them especially prone to cloudbursts. Both countries experience strong monsoons and are home to towering mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush. Climate change has further intensified the problem, as warmer air can retain more moisture, leading to heavier bursts of rainfall. Traditionally, South Asia experienced two distinct monsoon cycles, but warming oceans and atmospheric changes have made rainfall more erratic, often alternating between flooding and dry spells instead of steady rains.
Forecasting cloudbursts remains a major challenge because of their sudden and localized nature. Experts note that no system in the world can currently predict their exact timing and location. In Pakistan’s Buner district, where hundreds perished, early warning systems were in place, but the rainfall was so rapid and forceful that it struck before alerts could be issued. However, precautionary measures can help reduce risks. Experts recommend avoiding construction near rivers and valleys, postponing travel to hilly areas during heavy rains, carrying emergency kits, and steering clear of mountainous roads at night. Long-term measures such as afforestation and proper maintenance of drainage systems can also mitigate the impact.
Scientists emphasize that climate change is a key driver behind the increasing frequency and severity of cloudbursts. Each degree of temperature rise allows the atmosphere to hold significantly more moisture, heightening the potential for torrential downpours. Melting glaciers and warming seas further disrupt weather patterns, while deforestation and poor land use reduce natural water absorption, worsening floods. Experts warn that global warming has “supercharged” rainfall cycles in South Asia, turning rare cloudbursts into more frequent and destructive events.
Courtesy: AP
European glaciers melting at a shocking pace
High in the Alps, nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, the path to Switzerland’s Morteratsch Glacier stretches longer every year. Researcher Leo Hosli, who has visited many times for his doctoral studies, now finds large sections of ice caves too unstable to enter because of record summer melting. Stakes he had drilled into the ice months earlier had either melted away or collapsed, evidence of the glacier’s rapid decline.
Glaciers across Europe are retreating faster than anywhere else in the world. A large-scale study published in Nature reports that glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees have lost nearly 40% of their mass since 2000, with 2022 and 2023 marking record losses. Morteratsch alone has retreated more than two miles over the past 165 years due to human-driven warming. Walking along its trail, visitors pass signposts showing where the glacier once stood just decades ago. The constant sound of falling rocks and rushing meltwater underscores the scale of change.
Glacier retreat has wide-reaching consequences. In Europe, glaciers supply water for farming and drinking, sustain winter tourism, and feed rivers that contribute to rising global sea levels. Their disappearance also destabilizes landscapes, triggering landslides that threaten mountain villages. Austria’s Stubai Glacier, one of the country’s most popular ski resorts, is projected to vanish by 2033. Andrea Fischer, a leading glaciologist, warns that one-third of Austria’s glaciers will disappear within five years.
Europe is warming faster than any other continent. Austria’s temperature has risen by 3.1°C since 1900, more than twice the global average. Glaciers act as climate archives, preserving centuries of weather records, but these natural records are vanishing. Fischer, who once experimented with reflective sheets and artificial snow to slow melting, now admits such measures are insufficient. “There is no possibility to save glaciers without saving the climate,” she says.
The risks of living in the Alps are growing. In Austria’s Neustift valley, a recent landslide destroyed farmland and damaged infrastructure, while in Switzerland, the village of Blatten was wiped out by a glacial slide. Scientists warn that melting permafrost, heavier rains, and retreating glaciers will bring more such disasters in the coming decades.
Yet, despite the urgency, researchers insist it is not too late. Standing before Morteratsch, Hösli points out that vast amounts of ice remain. Both he and Fischer believe that while the challenges are enormous, hope persists if meaningful action is taken to curb global warming.
Courtesy: NBC
Heatwaves found to have same effect on ageing as smoking & drinking
A long-term study of nearly 25,000 people in Taiwan has revealed that repeated exposure to heatwaves speeds up biological ageing, with effects comparable to smoking or alcohol consumption. Published in Nature Climate Change, the research shows that the more extreme-heat events people endure, the faster their organs age, adding to evidence that climate change has hidden but serious impacts on human health.
Ageing is influenced not just by time but also by stress, lifestyle, and environmental factors. In this study, researchers analysed medical data collected between 2008 and 2022, covering around 30 heatwaves. They measured biological age using tests of organ function, blood pressure, and inflammation, then compared results with estimated heat exposure near participants’ homes. On average, every additional 1.3 °C of heat exposure accelerated ageing by 0.023–0.031 years.
Manual workers and rural residents were most affected, likely due to limited access to air conditioning. Interestingly, the health impacts of heat lessened slightly over the 15 years studied, possibly because of improved cooling technologies. Still, experts stress that heatwaves remain a major health risk.
With climate change driving more frequent and intense heatwaves—such as the record 50 °C events in South Asia in 2022, researchers warn that protecting vulnerable populations is critical. As one scientist noted, “Heat is not just a personal risk factor but a global concern.”
Courtesy: Nature
Spouses likely to share Psychiatric disorders
A large international study has shown that people with psychiatric disorders are more likely to marry partners who share the same condition rather than those without. This trend, which had earlier been observed mainly in Nordic countries, appears to hold true across cultures and generations. The findings were published in Nature Human Behaviour and are based on data from more than 14.8 million individuals in Taiwan, Denmark, and Sweden. The research focused on nine psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, OCD, substance-use disorder, and anorexia nervosa.
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The study revealed that if one partner was diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, the other was significantly more likely to have the same or a different condition. In most cases, spouses were found to share the same disorder rather than different ones. According to co-author Chun Chieh Fan from the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, this pattern has remained consistent across regions, cultures, and even over the last fifty years despite changes in psychiatric care.
Some differences were noted in specific conditions such as OCD, bipolar disorder, and anorexia nervosa. For instance, couples in Taiwan were more likely to both have OCD compared to those in Nordic countries. The research also showed that the likelihood of couples sharing psychiatric diagnoses has slightly increased with each passing decade, particularly in the case of substance-use disorders.
The study did not directly investigate the reasons behind this phenomenon, but researchers suggest several possible explanations. People may be naturally drawn to partners with similar experiences and traits, making it easier for them to relate to one another. Another possibility is that couples living in the same environment become more alike over time, a process known as convergence. Social stigma associated with psychiatric disorders may also limit marriage choices, leading individuals to partner with those who share the same challenges.
Experts further point out that stress within a shared environment could bring out undiagnosed or mild symptoms in a spouse, contributing to new psychiatric diagnoses. Since genetics also plays a role in mental health, the tendency of people with psychiatric disorders to choose similar partners may increase the chances of these conditions appearing in future generations. The study found that children with two affected parents are twice as likely to develop the same disorder compared to children with only one affected parent.
Although more research is needed before psychiatrists change how they discuss genetic risks with patients, the findings provide useful insights. They highlight the importance of counseling couples about the potential genetic risks when both partners have psychiatric disorders, even if many people may be unaware of such possibilities. The study underlines the complex interplay of genetics, environment, and social factors in shaping mental health outcomes across generations.
Courtesy: Nature
Deep Sea worms use own toxins against the toxins in their surroundings
More than a kilometer beneath the surface of the western Pacific Ocean, scientists have discovered how a unique deep-sea worm survives in one of Earth’s most extreme environments. Hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough release superheated, mineral-rich water packed with toxic substances, yet colonies of Paralvinella hessleri thrive there, their striking yellow color standing out against the darkness. A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that these worms endure high levels of arsenic and sulfide by combining the two poisons in their cells, creating a less dangerous mineral called orpiment that gives them their golden hue.
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Hydrothermal vents are both a rich food source and a perilous home, filled with heavy metals, high pressures, and scalding heat. Over time, animals in these habitats have evolved remarkable adaptations. Some, like Pompeii worms, tolerate extreme heat while sheltering microbes that detoxify chemicals. Initially, scientists thought P. hessleri might rely on symbiotic partners as well. But microscopic analysis showed the yellow granules inside its skin cells were actually clumps of orpiment, formed as the worm mineralizes arsenic and sulfide together, reducing their toxicity. Though not harmless, the compound is far safer than its components, illustrating evolution’s trade-offs.
Researchers say this discovery highlights both the resilience and vulnerability of deep-sea life. While such adaptations demonstrate the “beauty of evolution,” scientists warn that deep-sea ecosystems are already under threat from human activities such as mining and pollution. Plastic waste has even been found in the Mariana Trench, one of the planet’s most remote locations. Experts stress the urgency of protecting fragile vent communities, since many species, already living at the edge of their tolerance, could face irreversible damage from growing human pressures.
Courtesy: Science.Org
Scientists looking to shift testing from lab animals to next-gen alternatives
A tiny plastic chip lined with channels and living human cells is offering scientists a new way to test drug safety. Developed by Emulate Inc., a Boston-based biotech company, this “organ on a chip” mimics the human liver by combining liver, epithelial, and immune cells with a bloodlike fluid that circulates nutrients and removes waste. It has already shown great promise in detecting drug-induced liver injury (DILI), a condition that is often missed in animal testing but is responsible for halting nearly a quarter of clinical drug trials. In recent tests, the chip identified harmful compounds with 87% accuracy and correctly recognized safe compounds 100% of the time. It is now being evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a pilot program, raising hopes that it could one day replace animal testing in early drug development.
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The shift away from animal experiments is gathering momentum, driven not only by concerns about animal welfare but also by the shortcomings of animal models. In the United States alone, tens of millions of animals are used every year for testing drugs, chemicals, and foods. Yet nearly 90% of drugs that appear safe in preclinical animal trials fail in human studies, often due to unexpected side effects. Recognizing these limitations, U.S. agencies including the FDA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced plans to promote non-animal methods, known as new approach methodologies (NAMs). These include organ chips, organoids (miniature lab-grown organ models), and artificial intelligence (AI) tools that predict toxicity based on molecular structure. By using human cells and data, such methods may provide more accurate results than animal studies.
Supporters argue that NAMs could speed up drug evaluation, reduce costs, and improve safety. Already, pharmaceutical companies are investing heavily in these technologies, and global regulators are beginning to take notice. The European Commission is preparing a plan to phase out animal testing for chemical safety, while the United Kingdom has pledged that vertebrate testing for pesticides will only be done as a last resort. At the same time, the FDA is encouraging drugmakers to incorporate NAM data into applications for human trials, with a particular focus on monoclonal antibodies, therapies that often behave unpredictably in animals but can be modeled more reliably with human-based methods.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Academic researchers who have long relied on animal models may be reluctant to change, and regulators caution that a single failed trial linked to NAMs could undermine confidence in the technology. There are also scientific limitations. AI tools, while powerful, depend on the quality and quantity of existing data, much of which is proprietary to pharmaceutical companies. Similarly, no organ chip or organoid can fully replicate the complexity of the human body, meaning a combination of technologies will likely be needed. Some experts also warn against moving too quickly, pointing to past tragedies in medical research where inadequate testing had devastating consequences.
Nevertheless, momentum is building worldwide. Companies are collaborating with regulators to validate organ chips and AI-based prediction systems, while agencies like NIH are working to reduce bias toward animal models in funding decisions. Many scientists believe that the strongest case for NAMs will not be based on animal rights arguments but on their scientific value—if these methods prove to be better predictors of human health outcomes, they will naturally become the standard. For now, the field continues to balance optimism with caution, as the promise of faster, safer, and more humane drug development edges closer to reality.
Courtesy: Science.Org
Scientists develop rechargeable glow-in-dark plants
Glow-in-the-dark plants that emit enough light to illuminate streets may sound like science fiction, but researchers are steadily turning that idea into reality. Green-glowing plants already exist and are commercially available in the United States, but a team of Chinese scientists has gone further, creating what they claim are the first multicolored and brightest luminescent plants to date.
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Shuting Liu, a biologist at South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou and co-author of the study published on August 27 in Matter, said their inspiration came from the world of Avatar: “We wanted to make the vision of glowing plants lighting up an entire ecosystem possible using materials already available in the lab. Imagine glowing trees replacing streetlights in cities or public parks.”
Instead of using traditional gene-editing techniques, which typically limit glow to green, Liu’s team used a new approach. They injected the leaves of the succulent Echeveria ‘Mebina’ with strontium aluminate, a material commonly found in glow-in-the-dark toys. This substance absorbs light energy and slowly releases it over time, allowing the plants to emit a visible glow. By using this method, the scientists were able to create plants that glow not only green but also red and blue, producing a full range of luminous colors.
Liu explained, “Gene editing is an excellent approach, but we were inspired by inorganic afterglow materials that can be ‘charged’ by sunlight and then release light slowly. We aimed to combine multicolor, long-lasting afterglow materials with plants to move beyond the natural color limits of luminescence.”
To demonstrate their concept, the researchers built a “green wall” consisting of 56 treated succulent plants. When placed under direct sunlight for just a few minutes, the plants glowed brightly enough to make text, images, and even a person visible from a short distance. The glow lasted up to two hours and could be “recharged” repeatedly by exposing the plants to sunlight, allowing them to store energy during the day and emit it at night. Even older leaves continued to glow under UV light, long after wilting. The team developed a chemical coating for the strontium aluminate particles to protect the plant tissues from potential damage, ensuring that the glow does not harm the plants. Liu emphasized that this technique could eventually provide sustainable lighting, harvesting sunlight in the day and emitting it at night.
Despite the promising results, experts caution against overestimating the technology. John Carr, a biochemist at the University of Cambridge, commented: “It’s a fascinating concept, but the energy output from these plants is still too low to function as streetlights. For now, they are best suited as decorative displays or ornamental night lights.” Liu acknowledged these limitations, noting that luminescence intensity remains low for practical illumination and that safety testing for both plants and animals is still ongoing. However, she believes that with further research, the glow could be intensified and its duration extended.
Looking ahead, Liu envisions gardens, parks, and public spaces softly lit by glowing plants, creating magical, energy-efficient nighttime environments. “If we can enhance brightness, increase the glow’s duration, and ensure complete safety, we could see a future where public lighting relies on living plants,” she said. This research not only pushes the boundaries of botanical science but also opens up exciting possibilities for sustainable, decorative, and environmentally friendly lighting solutions. While the glowing plants are not yet ready to replace conventional lights, they represent a step toward a more imaginative and eco-conscious future.
Courtesy: CNN
Sex reversal quite common in birds, finds a study
Many bird species make it easy to tell males and females apart, with features like the rooster’s comb, the peacock’s extravagant feathers, or the bright displays of birds-of-paradise. But in species where males and females look alike, scientists often rely on DNA testing to determine sex. A new study of wild Australian birds, however, suggests this method may sometimes be misleading. Researchers discovered that in some cases, a bird’s chromosomes did not match its outward traits or reproductive organs, a phenomenon known as sex reversal. Published in Biology Letters, the study indicates that this condition is more common in birds than previously thought.
In humans, sex is typically determined by chromosomes, XX for females and XY for males, but scientists emphasize that it is actually the genes on those chromosomes that matter most. For instance, the SRY gene on the Y chromosome triggers male development in mammals. Without it, even individuals with XY chromosomes develop as female. In some animals, like zebrafish, fruit flies, and chickens, each cell determines its own sexual identity based on genetic expression, which can sometimes produce individuals with both male and female traits, known as gynandromorphs. Environmental influences can also play a role: in turtles, incubation temperature determines sex, and in rare cases, birds like brush turkeys show similar patterns.
The research team, led by Dominique Potvin of the University of the Sunshine Coast, examined nearly 500 dead birds from five Australian species, including magpies, kookaburras, pigeons, and lorikeets. They analyzed both reproductive organs and DNA. To their surprise, they found sex-reversed individuals in every species, at rates of 3% to 6%. Most of these birds were genetically female but developed male reproductive organs, though the team also identified a few genetic males with ovaries. In one striking case, a genetically male kookaburra had a functioning oviduct and appeared to have recently laid an egg.
These findings suggest sex reversal may be more widespread in wild birds than previously assumed, which could have consequences for conservation efforts. Population studies often depend on knowing the ratio of males to females, as this balance affects reproduction and survival. If researchers rely only on genetic data, they may misjudge population dynamics. Although some experts believe the levels of sex reversal found may not significantly threaten bird populations, the results highlight that DNA-based sex identification is not always accurate.
Understanding baseline rates of sex reversal could also help scientists detect when abnormal levels arise, perhaps due to environmental pollutants or stressors. The study raises new questions about what drives this phenomenon in birds—whether it is chemicals, ecological pressures, or other developmental factors. Potvin hopes future research will expand to more species and explore the behavioral consequences, such as how sex reversal might influence bird songs in species where vocalization is tied to sex. While much is now known about the physiology, the broader impact on individuals and populations remains a mystery.
Courtesy: Science.Org
Why do all like chocolates except my girlfriend, scientists have an explanation
Every bite of chocolate carries its own mix of fruity, nutty, and earthy flavours. Scientists have now uncovered new details about how the fermentation of cocoa beans shapes these distinctive taste profiles. A study published in Nature Microbiology reveals that factors such as pH, temperature, and the types of microbes present during fermentation all influence the flavour of the final product. By recreating ideal fermentation conditions in the lab, researchers were even able to replicate the qualities of premium chocolate.
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According to study co-author David Gopaulchan, a plant geneticist at the University of Nottingham, this discovery could pave the way for “designer chocolates” with novel and exciting flavour varieties. Food scientist Heather Hallen-Adams from the University of Nebraska, also sees promise in these findings for creating unique chocolate experiences for consumers.
Fermentation plays a key role in developing flavours in many foods, including wine, beer, and cheese, where specific microbial strains are added. Chocolate production, however, is different. Cocoa beans are naturally fermented after being removed from their pods, relying on microbes present in the environment. Because no strains are intentionally introduced, much less has been known about how these microbial communities affect taste.
To investigate, Gopaulchan’s team studied cocoa beans from farms in Colombia’s Santander district, measuring changes in temperature and pH during fermentation. They compared these beans with samples from Huila and Antioquia regions. When the beans were processed into cocoa liquors for tasting, a trained panel noted that Santander and Huila beans produced complex flavours with hints of roasted nuts, berries, and coffee, while Antioquia beans were more bitter and less nuanced. Since all beans shared similar genetic backgrounds, the researchers concluded that microbial differences were the main factor influencing taste.
Further analysis revealed that specific fungi, such as Torulaspora and Saccharomyces, were strongly linked with richer, more refined chocolate flavours. To confirm this, the team created synthetic microbial communities in the lab to ferment cocoa beans. Tasters found that these lab-fermented beans reproduced the fine flavour notes of high-quality chocolate, similar to those from Santander and Huila.
The study highlights how the interplay of microbes, pH, and temperature can explain regional flavour differences in cocoa and suggests a new way to control chocolate quality in industrial production. As chemical engineer Andrés Fernando Gonzáles Barrios from the University of the Andes notes, such techniques could bring consistency, enhance flavour, and ultimately increase the value of cocoa by freeing producers from environmental uncertainties.
Courtesy: Nature
