Current Science Report: September 2025

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:

Ignoble awards announced for improbable Science

World’s First Gene-Edited Polo Horses Spark Debate in Argentina

Mysterious Shifts Detected Deep Within Earth’s Core by Satellites

Expanding Gullies Swallowing Homes & Displacing Thousands in Africa

Moon is rusting and guess why! Due to Oxygen escaping from Earth

Chemists Break New Ground by Incorporating Nine Metals into Advanced 2D MXene Materials

In the first, AI designs worlds first Biological Virus

World’s Most Energy efficient AI Supercomputer “Jupiter” goes online

Hollow “Glass-Straws” promise faster and farther Internet

Paracetamol gets 130 years old, but still a Gold Standard for Painkillers

Ultrasonic helmet to treat Parkinsons non-invasively developed

Mitochondria found leaking DNA which fuels ageing

Million-Year-Old DNA Found in Woolly Mammoth Teeth

The Revolution of Sexless Seeds to transform the Farming

Micro-lightning, the phenomenon behind supernatural “will-o-the-wisp”

Current Science Report: September 2025, Mufawad

Ignoble awards announced for improbable Science

Every year, while Nobel Prizes honor groundbreaking achievements that transform human understanding, another set of awards, the Ig Nobel Prizes, celebrates the lighter, more amusing side of science. These awards recognize research that first makes people laugh, then makes them think. This year’s Ig Nobel ceremony continued that tradition, honoring quirky yet thought-provoking discoveries from around the world.

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Among the winners was a team that received the nutrition prize for studying the pizza preferences of rainbow lizards in Togo, discovering their favorite topping is four-cheese. In physics, scientists earned recognition for determining how to make the perfect cacio e pepe, a deceptively simple pasta dish of cheese and pepper. Giacomo Bartolucci, one of the researchers, said the study was about linking curiosity to everyday challenges, showing that even a cooking failure could reveal interesting physical principles.

Founded in 1991 by Marc Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, the Ig Nobels have honored unusual scientific feats such as levitating frogs with magnets, proving that orgasms can act as nasal decongestants, and studying necrophilia in ducks. Over time, what once seemed like a parody has become a respected celebration of creativity and curiosity.

The 2025 award list was as colorful as ever. A literature prize went to a physician who documented his fingernail growth for 35 years. Psychologists were honored for studying narcissists’ reactions to being told they are intelligent. Another award recognized experiments showing that cows painted with zebra-like stripes suffer fewer fly bites. Meanwhile, researchers who demonstrated that a small amount of alcohol can help people speak foreign languages more fluently received the peace prize.

Interestingly, that peace prize research began as a casual conversation among colleagues over drinks at a Vienna conference. Psychologist Fritz Renner and his team later confirmed that mild intoxication can temporarily boost language performance, though they caution against replacing study sessions with alcohol. Similarly, the aviation prize went to scientists who found that alcohol hinders bats’ ability to fly and echolocate, helping explain why bats avoid fermented fruit.

This year’s Ig Nobel ceremony, held at Boston University, was as lively as ever, complete with paper-plane tosses and prizes presented by real Nobel laureates. Winners had just one minute to describe their work to an enthusiastic audience. Behind the humor, many emphasized the deeper value of their work, encouraging people to question assumptions and view science as both serious and joyful. As Renner remarked, in an age of misinformation, studies like these remind us that good science can illuminate even the quirkiest corners of life.

Courtesy: Nature

World’s First Gene-Edited Polo Horses Spark Debate in Argentina

In rural Buenos Aires province, five 10-month-old foals may look ordinary, but they are the world’s first genetically edited horses. Cloned from a prize-winning polo horse named Polo Pureza, these foals were modified using CRISPR technology to reduce the expression of the myostatin gene, which limits muscle growth, with the goal of enhancing speed and agility. The Argentine company behind this innovation, Kheiron Biotech, hopes gene-editing could revolutionize horse breeding.

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While cloning produces genetically identical copies, CRISPR acts like precise “genetic scissors,” allowing scientists to customize DNA. By modifying the myostatin gene, Kheiron aims to increase the muscle fibers responsible for powerful, explosive movements. However, Argentina’s polo authorities are cautious. The Argentine Polo Association has banned genetically edited (GE) horses from competition, arguing that it undermines the tradition and unpredictability of horse breeding. The Argentine Association of Polo Horse Breeders plans to monitor the horses for several years before deciding whether to register them.

Despite the ban, Kheiron remains optimistic that the polo community will eventually accept GE horses. The country’s regulations do not differentiate between cloned, gene-edited, and conventionally bred horses, creating uncertainty about enforcement. Some breeders fear that gene-editing could threaten their business, while others acknowledge that advances like cloning were initially controversial but eventually became accepted in the sport.

Polo, a sport brought to Argentina by British immigrants in the 19th century, is expensive and traditionally dominated by wealthy families. Argentina exported about 2,400 polo horses last year, and its breed dominates international competitions. Surrogate mares and cloning have long been used to preserve elite bloodlines. Kheiron began its cloning program in 2013 and, this year, expects to produce 400 clones—more than half of all cloned horses in Argentina. The cloned foals sell for an average of $40,000.

Kheiron first experimented with gene-editing in 2017, producing nine GE horse embryos for research, and later worked on other animals before returning to polo horses last year. The Argentine biotech regulator confirmed the DNA edits, but breeders remain divided. About 50 breeders expressed concern that gene-editing crosses a line, urging caution before registering these horses.

Experts note that the modification of the myostatin gene accelerates traits that could otherwise take generations to achieve, and gene-editing may give the horses an advantage without being inherently unfair. The foals will begin polo training around age three, but commercialization plans are on hold until the sport’s authorities approve. While the technology is accessible to those who can afford it, the ultimate test of these horses’ abilities—and their acceptance in polo—remains to be seen.

Courtesy: DD News

Mysterious Shifts Detected Deep Within Earth’s Core by Satellites

Scientists have uncovered evidence of a mysterious transformation deep within Earth, near its core , a discovery made possible through data collected from satellites orbiting thousands of kilometres above the planet’s surface. Although this event occurred almost two decades ago, between 2006 and 2008, researchers have only recently identified it while studying information from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, a joint US–German mission. The analysis suggests that some rocks located at the boundary between Earth’s core and mantle may have undergone a structural transformation, becoming denser and altering the planet’s gravitational field.

This remarkable finding, published in Geophysical Research Letters, highlights the unique ability of satellites to detect subtle changes deep inside Earth. According to Isabelle Panet, a geophysicist at Paris City University, and her colleague Charlotte Gaugne Gouranton, these changes could help scientists better understand how different layers of the Earth, from the crust to the mantle and core , interact. Such interactions influence several key processes, including the generation of Earth’s magnetic field and the origins of large earthquakes.

The GRACE satellites, which orbited Earth between 2002 and 2017, were designed to detect variations in gravity by measuring the distance between two spacecraft flying one behind the other. When they passed over a region with stronger gravitational pull , such as a mountain range or an underground water reservoir, the leading satellite would momentarily accelerate ahead, allowing researchers to measure changes in mass distribution. Although GRACE data has primarily been used to monitor surface phenomena like melting glaciers and declining groundwater levels, Panet’s team discovered that it could also reveal changes occurring deep within Earth’s interior.

While studying GRACE data, the researchers detected a strange signal peaking around 2007, centred off the Atlantic coast of Africa. This anomaly could not be explained by surface movements of water or ice, suggesting a much deeper origin. Intriguingly, satellite observations from the same period also revealed geomagnetic disturbances in that region, hinting at a possible connection between the gravitational and magnetic changes.

Panet’s team proposed a hypothesis involving mineral transformations under extreme pressure. Deep in the lower mantle, a mineral known as perovskite might have changed its atomic structure, causing nearby rocks to become denser. This increase in density could have triggered minor shifts in surrounding material, rippling outward to affect the core–mantle boundary. Even a deformation as small as 10 centimetres in this boundary might have influenced the flow of liquid metal in Earth’s outer core, producing the unusual magnetic signal observed at the same time.

Though this interpretation is still under investigation, experts find the results compelling. Barbara Romanowicz, a seismologist at the University of California, Berkeley, described the findings as “very intriguing,” noting that for the first time, scientists have convincing evidence of rapid, dynamic processes occurring at the base of the mantle, processes that can now be observed in real time.

So far, no other significant gravitational anomalies have been detected since the 2007 event, but Panet and her colleagues plan to continue monitoring data from GRACE’s successor satellites. Their ongoing research could reveal whether similar mysterious shifts are still happening deep inside Earth, providing new insights into the planet’s inner workings and its ever-changing structure.

Courtesy: Nature

Expanding Gullies Swallowing Homes & Displacing Thousands in Africa

Massive cracks, known as urban gullies, are increasingly appearing in cities across Africa, swallowing homes, businesses, and roads, and displacing thousands of residents. A study published in Nature reports that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) alone, an average of 118,600 people were displaced annually between 2004 and 2023 due to these expanding trenches. Researchers warn that if urgent measures are not taken, hundreds of thousands more could be affected in the next decade, particularly in areas prone to gully formation.

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These gullies develop in urban areas with sandy soils and inadequate drainage systems. Heavy rains cause water to accumulate on streets and rooftops, and when it cannot drain properly, it seeps into unprotected soil, carving deep trenches that can stretch hundreds of meters. Over time, these gullies consume infrastructure and occasionally lead to fatalities. Satellite imagery from 2021 to 2023 revealed 2,922 gullies in 26 African cities, spanning a total of nearly 740 kilometers. Comparing these images with historical aerial photos from the 1950s showed that only 46 of these gullies existed at that time, highlighting the role of rapid urbanization in their expansion. Between 2004 and 2023, nearly all gullies grew by at least 10 square meters, with an average length of 253 meters and width of 31 meters, often following road networks where water concentrates and erodes the soil.

Combining population data with gully maps, researchers calculated that around 118,600 people were displaced over the study period, with displacement rates more than doubling after 2020. In Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital, 868 gullies were recorded stretching over 221 kilometers. In one tragic incident, a gully collapse in 2019 claimed at least 40 lives, demonstrating the deadly potential of this phenomenon. Experts warn that as African cities expand and rainfall intensities increase, the threat posed by urban gullies will worsen, especially given the continent’s rapidly growing population.

Preventing gullies is far more cost-effective than stabilizing them once they form, which can cost over US$1 million per gully. Experts emphasize the need for timely investment in sustainable drainage systems and infrastructure. Involving local communities in planning and management can also provide practical insights into living with and mitigating these hazards. According to researchers, urgent action is critical, as delays will only increase the scale and impact of this under-researched urban threat.

Courtesy: Scientific American

Moon is rusting and guess why! Due to Oxygen escaping from Earth

In a surprising discovery, scientists have found that the Moon, long thought to be a dry and inactive world, is actually rusting, and the culprit appears to be Earth itself. According to a new study, oxygen particles escaping from Earth’s atmosphere and carried across space by a phenomenon known as “Earth wind” can interact with lunar minerals to produce haematite, a reddish iron oxide more commonly known as rust. The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, reveal how deeply interconnected Earth and the Moon truly are.

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The process begins when the Earth blocks the Moon from direct exposure to the solar wind for about five days each month. During this period, the Moon is mostly bombarded by charged particles that were once part of Earth’s upper atmosphere, a mix of ions of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen drifting into space. These particles, blown across the 384,000 kilometres separating Earth and the Moon, strike the lunar surface and embed themselves in its upper soil layers, where they can trigger complex chemical reactions.

In 2020, data from India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission revealed deposits of haematite near the Moon’s poles, a surprising find, since the Moon lacks both liquid water and a significant supply of oxygen, two key ingredients needed for rust formation. Scientists speculated that the oxygen might have originated from Earth, transported by the Earth wind.

To test this theory, planetary scientist Ziliang Jin and his team at Macau University of Science and Technology recreated the conditions of Earth wind in their laboratory. They accelerated hydrogen and oxygen ions to high speeds and directed them onto iron-rich minerals similar to those found on the Moon. The results were striking: when oxygen ions hit the minerals, they transformed into haematite, and when hydrogen ions bombarded the haematite, some of it reverted back to iron. This cycle mirrors what might naturally happen on the Moon’s surface as it alternates between exposure to the solar wind and Earth wind.

Jin explains that these reactions suggest the Moon’s surface chemistry changes dynamically every month as it passes through Earth’s magnetotail, the region of space dominated by Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. The experiment provides strong evidence that oxygen from Earth can indeed oxidize iron on the Moon, leading to the formation of haematite over time.

Shuai Li, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaii who led the 2020 study that first detected lunar haematite, praised Jin’s experiment as “a very wise design” that clarifies how rust can form in such an oxygen-poor environment. Li hopes that future lunar missions will collect samples of the haematite so scientists can analyze the oxygen isotopes and confirm whether they truly originated from Earth’s atmosphere.

This discovery not only deepens our understanding of the Moon’s evolving surface but also highlights an extraordinary connection, even across the vastness of space, the Earth continues to shape its nearest neighbour.

Courtesy: Nature

Chemists Break New Ground by Incorporating Nine Metals into Advanced 2D MXene Materials

Chemists have pushed the limits of 2D materials by creating a new MXene that contains a record nine metals, doubling the known members of this exciting material family. The breakthrough, published in Science, opens the door to designing new materials with unusual and potentially useful properties. Because of their complexity, these MXenes cannot yet be fully simulated on computers, meaning scientists will need to explore their characteristics experimentally, a prospect that could reveal surprising and unexpected behaviors.

MXenes, first synthesized in 2011 as a 2D sheet of titanium carbide, consist of multiple layers of metal atoms sandwiching carbon or nitrogen layers. Unlike graphene, which is purely carbon, MXenes’ layered structure gives them high electrical conductivity and other properties that could be useful in next-generation batteries, coatings to block electromagnetic interference, and applications where materials can be sprayed or painted.

Creating MXenes with multiple metals is challenging because each metal tends to occupy specific layers depending on atomic size and electron affinity. Some metals, like molybdenum, prefer the outer layers, while others, like titanium, prefer the inner layers. In 2021, researchers managed MXenes with up to four metals, but they wondered if they could push beyond this limit.

A major hurdle was confirming the exact placement of metals within the layered structure. Collaborating with ion mass spectrometry experts, researchers were able to examine MXenes layer by layer. They discovered that when MXenes contained seven or more metals, the usual segregation of metals broke down. Instead, metals became evenly distributed across the layers, allowing previously difficult-to-incorporate elements like tungsten to be included. This is significant because tungsten in a 2D material could serve as a catalyst for hydrogen fuel production.

The phenomenon is explained by the interplay of thermodynamics: as more metals are added, entropy—or disorder—overrides enthalpy, the natural tendency for metals to settle in specific layers. This new understanding could guide the creation of MXenes with highly tailored properties, paving the way for innovative materials and technologies.

Courtesy: Science Springs

In the first, AI designs world’s first Biological Virus

In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists have successfully created the first viruses designed entirely by artificial intelligence (AI). These AI-generated viruses are capable of targeting and killing strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), marking a major milestone in synthetic biology. “This is the first time AI systems have been able to write coherent genome-scale sequences,” says Brian Hie, a computational biologist at Stanford University. According to him, this development could pave the way for “AI-generated life” in the future, though his colleague Samuel King cautions that more experimental advances are needed before a complete living organism can be designed.

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The study, led by Hie and King, was posted on the preprint server bioRxiv in September and has not yet undergone peer review. However, the findings already demonstrate the potential of AI to design new biotechnological tools and therapies for bacterial infections. The researchers believe that this approach could complement traditional phage therapy , a treatment that uses viruses to infect and destroy harmful bacteria, especially in the fight against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Designing an entire viral genome is far more complex than generating short DNA sequences or proteins because it involves intricate gene interactions and replication processes. To tackle this challenge, the team used two AI models, Evo 1 and Evo 2, trained to analyze and generate DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. They began with a simple virus known as ΦX174, which contains 11 genes and all the genetic elements required to infect and replicate within bacteria. The models, previously trained on more than two million phage genomes, were further refined to create ΦX174-like viruses specifically engineered to infect E. coli, including antibiotic-resistant strains.

After generating thousands of possible viral sequences, the researchers identified 302 promising candidates. These were synthesized in the lab and tested for their ability to infect E. coli. Remarkably, 16 of the AI-designed phages successfully infected and destroyed E. coli cells, with some even able to kill bacterial strains that the original ΦX174 virus could not. “It was quite a surprising and exciting result,” says King, noting that this could open the door to AI-designed therapeutics for hard-to-treat infections.

Experts have hailed the study as a glimpse into the future of bioengineering. Peter Koo, a computational biologist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, called it “a compelling case study of what is possible today” and suggested that it sets the stage for more ambitious applications. He noted that although the AI cannot yet generate functional viruses entirely on its own, the structured approach taken by the researchers demonstrates a viable path toward that goal.

The development has also reignited discussions about biosafety and ethical implications. Some worry about the potential misuse of AI to design harmful pathogens. However, the research team took precautions by excluding any viruses that affect humans or other eukaryotes from their models. The E. coli and ΦX174 systems they used are considered safe and have a long record of use in laboratory research. Kerstin Göpfrich, a biophysicist at Heidelberg University, emphasized that ethical dilemmas like this are not unique to AI: “In research, you always have a dual-use dilemma, progress can be used for good or bad.”

Despite these concerns, the researchers are optimistic about using their approach to develop AI-designed viruses for medical and public health purposes, particularly to combat antibiotic resistance. As Göpfrich put it, “This will definitely be a growing field, and I’m super excited about it.”

Courtesy: Nature

World’s Most Energy efficient AI Supercomputer “Jupiter” goes online

Europe has made a groundbreaking entry into the global race for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation with the official launch of JUPITER, a next-generation supercomputer that reached the exascale threshold on September 5. Located at the Jülich Research Centre in Germany, JUPITER is now the fourth-fastest computer in the world, capable of performing more than one quintillion (10¹⁸) operations per second. This technological marvel not only symbolizes Europe’s comeback in the supercomputing arena but also stands out as the most energy-efficient supercomputer ever built, running entirely on renewable energy sources.

Developed since 2018 under the Joint Undertaking Pioneer for Innovative and Transformative Exascale Research (JUPITER) initiative, the system was jointly funded by the European Commission and the German government. The machine uses around 24,000 NVIDIA chips to deliver unprecedented processing power and consumes roughly 17 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 11,000 homes. However, this energy demand is offset by its complete reliance on renewable power, which makes JUPITER an example of sustainable high-performance computing.

At its core, JUPITER aims to strengthen Europe’s position in scientific and technological research. Its exceptional computational speed will drive progress in fields such as artificial intelligence, weather and climate modeling, astrophysics, biomedical research, and renewable energy development. Until now, European researchers often depended on U.S.-based systems for large-scale computations. With JUPITER, they will now have direct access to cutting-edge computing infrastructure within Europe, ensuring independence and fostering innovation at home.

Thirty major research projects have already been approved for JUPITER’s first phase. Among them is a pioneering program at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in Bonn, which will use JUPITER to create high-resolution weather prediction models. These models will operate at a kilometre scale—far more detailed than the current 10-kilometre models—allowing scientists to simulate and predict individual cloud formations and wind patterns more accurately. Such advancements will be essential for the Destination Earth initiative, which seeks to create digital twins of the planet for climate analysis and environmental monitoring.

Another key area of exploration will be astrophysics. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany plan to use JUPITER to simulate the early stages of the universe, including the formation of the first galaxies. These simulations will allow European scientists to run independent projects without relying on U.S. supercomputers like Frontier or Aurora, strengthening Europe’s self-reliance in fundamental research.

Beyond scientific research, JUPITER also marks a major step toward AI sovereignty for Europe. The supercomputer will be used to train advanced AI systems and large language models (LLMs), potentially rivaling global leaders such as OpenAI and Google. Its massive computing power and energy efficiency make it an ideal platform for developing European AI models that adhere to the region’s data protection and ethical standards. Experts believe JUPITER’s timely launch could allow Europe to regain momentum in AI development and innovation, a field previously dominated by the U.S. and China.

While the supercomputer consumes vast energy, its fully renewable operation model sets a precedent for eco-friendly AI infrastructure. As the world’s first exascale computer powered solely by green energy, JUPITER demonstrates that sustainability and technological advancement can go hand in hand.

JUPITER is expected to run for at least six years, serving as a hub for international collaboration and innovation. Its long-term impact will extend beyond computation, it will help train a new generation of European engineers, scientists, and AI specialists capable of leading future technological revolutions. With JUPITER, Europe has not only entered the exascale era but has also taken a decisive step toward a smarter, greener, and more self-reliant digital future.

Courtesy: Nature

Hollow “Glass-Straws” promise faster and farther Internet

Researchers have developed a new type of hollow optical fibre, nicknamed “glass straws,” that could dramatically increase the speed, distance, and capacity of data transmission. Unlike conventional solid-glass fibres, these hollow fibres contain a central gap surrounded by five small cylinders, each with two nested layers. The dimensions are precisely tuned so that light of specific wavelengths remains trapped in the central hollow, minimizing signal loss.

“This could be transformative,” says Francesco Poletti, a photonics researcher at the University of Southampton. The fibres are being produced by Lumenisity, a start-up acquired by Microsoft in 2022. During manufacturing, the design is initially created at a large scale and then stretched to a fine 100-micrometre strand while keeping the hollows pressurized to preserve the structure.

Hollow fibres already exist in niche applications such as data centres, where light travels about 45% faster through air than solid glass. Poletti’s design, refined over ten years, is the first suitable for mainstream applications. While conventional optical fibres lose half their light every 15–20 kilometres, the hollow design reduces losses to one half every 33 kilometres. This allows signal-boosting stations to be spaced farther apart, significantly cutting infrastructure costs.

In addition to reducing signal loss, the hollow fibres can carry over 1,000 times more power and transmit a wide range of wavelengths, including visible light single photons for quantum communication. Current fibres perform efficiently only at infrared telecom wavelengths around 1.5 micrometres. Tracy Northup, a quantum physicist at the University of Innsbruck, notes that scalable production of these fibres could make them more affordable for research and commercial applications, opening new possibilities for both classical and quantum networks.

Courtesy: Yahoo

Paracetamol gets 130 years old, but still a Gold Standard for Painkillers

Paracetamol also known globally as Tylenol or acetaminophen, has been a staple in medicine cabinets for over a century, yet it rarely grabs headlines. That changed recently when U.S. President Donald Trump linked it to autism, a claim quickly debunked by multiple studies. Large-scale research consistently shows no causal connection between paracetamol use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. In fact, untreated pain or fever can be far more harmful to both mother and fetus. Worldwide, paracetamol remains the first-line treatment for pain and fever during pregnancy.

Despite over 130 years of clinical use, scientists still don’t fully understand how paracetamol works. Unlike anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen or aspirin, which act at the site of injury, paracetamol works centrally in the brain and spinal cord. It crosses the blood–brain barrier and influences neuronal pathways that control how pain signals are processed. Some research even suggests that paracetamol can act directly on nociceptors, specialized neurons in the body that detect harmful stimuli, in a manner similar to a local anesthetic. Anthony Dickenson, a neuroscientist at University College London, notes that paracetamol also reduces fever by acting on the hypothalamus, the brain’s temperature regulator. “There are multiple systems at play,” he says, “and teasing out exactly how the drug works is very difficult.” The combination of central and peripheral effects may explain why it is so effective despite its relatively simple chemistry.

Over the past 50 years, dozens of new pain medications have been developed, yet paracetamol remains one of the most widely used. Developing new painkillers is notoriously difficult due to several factors: pain is a subjective experience that is hard to measure in preclinical studies; strong placebo responses in clinical trials make it difficult to demonstrate true efficacy; and scientists still lack a complete understanding of the neurobiology of pain. Researchers are looking for ways to target pain pathways safely and effectively, similar to how opioids like morphine act, but without their addictive or harmful side effects. The recent approval of suzetrigine, the first non-opioid pain medication in the U.S. in over 20 years, offers some hope for new options, though its effectiveness for chronic pain remains unclear.

Advances in machine learning and improved models bridging the gap between animal and human studies are helping scientists better understand pain mechanisms. Clifford Woolf, a neurobiologist at Harvard Medical School, believes this could finally lead to more reliable and effective pain treatments. For now, paracetamol continues to stand the test of time. It is safe, widely accessible, and effective for most mild to moderate pain, a testament to a drug that has endured for more than a century while remaining a trusted tool in modern medicine.

Courtesy: Nature

Ultrasonic helmet to treat Parkinsons non-invasively developed

A groundbreaking ultrasound “helmet” may soon change the way neurological disorders are treated, offering a completely non-invasive alternative to surgery. Researchers from Oxford University and University College London have developed a device capable of targeting specific brain regions with extraordinary precision, up to 1,000 times finer than existing ultrasound methods. The technology could potentially replace invasive treatments like deep brain stimulation (DBS), which requires surgically implanting electrodes in the brain, and could also be used to address conditions such as depression, Tourette syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, and addiction.

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Unlike DBS, which delivers electrical pulses through implanted electrodes, the new helmet uses focused ultrasound waves to send gentle mechanical pulses into the brain. Previous attempts to use ultrasound in this way struggled with precision, but this new system marks a major leap forward. The study, published in Nature Communications, describes how the helmet can accurately reach brain regions 30 times smaller than previous ultrasound-based devices could target.

The helmet, a bulky device with 256 ultrasound sources, fits snugly inside an MRI scanner. “It feels claustrophobic at first,” said Ioana Grigoras of Oxford University, who helped develop and test the system, “but then you get comfortable.” During testing, researchers used it on seven volunteers, directing ultrasound beams to a pinpoint-sized area in the brain’s lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), which processes visual information. The waves reached their target with remarkable accuracy, and modulating this tiny region caused lasting effects in the visual cortex, showing that the technology can influence brain activity in precise ways.

“This level of precision has never been achieved before,” said senior author Professor Charlotte Stagg of Oxford University. “It’s an extraordinary step forward. For Parkinson’s patients, this could mean targeting motor control regions and potentially reducing tremors without surgery.”

Independent neuroscientists have praised the innovation. Professor Elsa Fouragnan of Plymouth University called it “a fundamental neuroscience milestone” and a remarkable achievement that could soon be ready for clinical translation.

The project, which took over a decade to complete, involved close collaboration between engineers, neuroscientists, and clinicians from UCL and Oxford. The researchers are now preparing to test the system on brain areas linked to Parkinson’s disease, stroke recovery, schizophrenia, pain, and depression.

The helmet’s creators, UCL researchers Elly Martin and Brad Treeby, have also focused on making it practical and patient-friendly. Treeby has since launched a company dedicated to refining the design and improving accessibility. Currently, the system relies on MRI scans for navigation, but with the integration of artificial intelligence, future versions may operate independently, even allowing patients to use them at home.

“Our long-term goal is to turn this into a reliable clinical tool,” Martin said. “It could one day sit alongside, or even replace, invasive brain implants, transforming the way we treat neurological diseases.”

Courtesy: Guardian

Mitochondria found leaking DNA which fuels ageing

Mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles often called the powerhouses of the cell, sometimes expel fragments of their own DNA into the surrounding cytosol, a process that can trigger inflammation during ageing. A new study in mice has revealed why this happens: mitochondria are discarding ‘tainted’ DNA. Scientists found that in the kidney cells of ageing mice with inflammation, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contained an excess of certain nucleotides, the molecular building blocks of DNA, that can damage the genome. This imbalance prompted mitochondria to eject the abnormal DNA fragments into the cytosol, where they activated inflammatory pathways commonly associated with ageing. Timothy Shutt, a medical geneticist at the University of Calgary, says this insight sheds light on mitochondria’s role in “inflammageing,” the chronic inflammation that occurs as organisms grow older.

Mitochondria have their own genomes, and when their DNA is damaged or disrupted, they can expel it into the cytosol. This release can occur when nucleotide levels in mtDNA are too high or too low, a problem that stresses the mitochondria and appears more frequently in ageing cells or under certain drug treatments. To investigate the mechanism, researchers studied mice engineered to lack the enzyme MGME1, which ensures accurate replication of mitochondrial DNA. As these mice aged, their kidneys typically developed inflammation. The team detected loose mtDNA fragments in the kidney cells of the enzyme-deficient mice, which bound to and activated an enzyme known to drive inflammation in aged tissues. This confirmed that free-floating mtDNA is a key factor in triggering inflammation when MGME1 is absent.

Further investigation revealed the underlying cause of the mtDNA expulsion. Kidney cells of the modified mice had unusually low levels of deoxyribonucleotides, the proper DNA building blocks. This shortage forced mitochondrial DNA to incorporate excessive RNA building blocks during replication, creating defective DNA. The lack of MGME1 likely worsened this problem, prompting mitochondria to eject the compromised DNA into the cytosol and spark inflammatory responses. David Sinclair, a geneticist at Harvard University, notes that these findings answer a long-standing question about why mtDNA leaks from mitochondria and contributes to inflammation. However, he emphasizes that further research is needed to determine whether this process naturally occurs during normal ageing or only under specific conditions.

The study opens new avenues for understanding how discarded mtDNA affects cellular ageing and inflammation. Thomas Langer, a co-author of the study, says that unraveling how these expelled DNA fragments contribute to age-related cellular decline is a key question for future research. Understanding this process could offer important insights into the mechanisms of inflammageing and the broader role of mitochondria in maintaining cellular health over a lifetime.

Courtesy: Nature

Million-Year-Old DNA Found in Woolly Mammoth Teeth

Researchers at the Centre for Palaeogenetics have uncovered microbial DNA preserved in woolly and steppe mammoth remains dating back more than one million years, making it the oldest host-associated microbial DNA ever recovered. By analyzing 483 mammoth specimens, including a 1.1-million-year-old steppe mammoth, the team distinguished microbes that lived with the animals from those that invaded their remains after death.

The study identified six microbial groups consistently associated with mammoths, including relatives of Actinobacillus, Pasteurella, Streptococcus, and Erysipelothrix. Some of these microbes may have been pathogenic. For example, one Pasteurella-related bacterium is closely related to pathogens causing fatal outbreaks in African elephants, raising questions about disease susceptibility in mammoths. Partial genomes of Erysipelothrix reconstructed from the 1.1-million-year-old specimen offer unprecedented insight into ancient host–microbe interactions.

The findings demonstrate that ancient remains can preserve microbial information far beyond the host genome, providing a window into how microbes influenced adaptation, disease, and extinction in Pleistocene ecosystems. Some microbial lineages persisted across vast geographic regions and evolutionary timescales, from over a million years ago to the extinction of woolly mammoths on Wrangel Island around 4,000 years ago. This research opens new possibilities for exploring the evolution of host-associated microbes and their role in shaping the lives and health of extinct megafauna.

Courtesy: Science Daily

The Revolution of Sexless Seeds to transform the Farming

In eastern Australia, a quiet revolution in agriculture may soon take root under a mesh canopy where a new trial of sorghum plants is set to begin. These plants, though ordinary in appearance, carry a remarkable genetic trait, the ability to reproduce without sex. If successful, each plant will generate thousands of seeds that are genetic clones of the parent, bypassing the need for pollination.

This experiment, known as the Hy-Gain sorghum trial, is the result of decades of research led by plant physiologist Anna Koltunow at the University of Queensland. Her work harnesses a rare natural process called apomixis, in which plants produce seeds asexually. While more than 300 plant species can do this naturally, none are major food crops. Scientists believe that introducing apomixis into grains like rice, maize, and sorghum could revolutionize global agriculture by allowing farmers to grow high-yield crops from saved seeds, a game changer for smallholders in regions like sub-Saharan Africa.

Apomixis could also transform the hybrid seed industry. Today, producing hybrids, plants that outperform both parents through hybrid vigor, is time-consuming and costly, and farmers must buy new seeds every year. With apomixis, hybrid plants could clone themselves, locking in their vigor and producing identical, high-yielding crops indefinitely. Researchers say this could reduce costs dramatically and make hybrid seeds accessible to millions of small-scale farmers who currently can’t afford them.

Decades of genetic research underpin this breakthrough. In 2009, scientists first disrupted the normal sexual process of meiosis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, replacing it with mitosis so that offspring inherited identical genetic material. This discovery, dubbed “MiMe” (mitosis instead of meiosis), was later applied to rice and tomatoes. Meanwhile, other researchers identified genes like BABY BOOM and PARTHENOGENESIS that trigger embryo formation without fertilization. When combined with MiMe, these genes enabled plants to reproduce clonally, producing “virgin birth” seeds.

Recent advances in China have now achieved apomictic rice that reproduces as efficiently as normal hybrids, marking the technology’s readiness for real-world testing. Koltunow’s team is planning one of the first open-field trials of apomictic sorghum, supported by the Gates Foundation and seed company Corteva Agriscience. If successful, farmers could save high-yield seeds for years, reducing dependence on costly hybrid seed markets.

While the technology is not yet commercialized, researchers are optimistic. Apomictic crops could drastically expand the diversity and availability of hybrid varieties worldwide, tailoring them to local climates and farming needs. The innovation could democratize agriculture in the same way the printing press democratized knowledge, ushering in an era where farmers everywhere, from small African fields to vast commercial farms , can grow resilient, high-yield crops from their own seeds.

Courtesy: Nature

Micro-lightning, the phenomenon behind supernatural “will-o-the-wisp”

For centuries, will-o’-the-wisps—flickering lights above swamps and graveyards—have inspired myths of ghostly flames and lost souls. Scientists have long suspected that these lights come from flammable methane released by decaying organic matter, but the ignition mechanism remained a mystery. New research suggests that tiny bursts of “microlightning” between microscopic bubbles could be the answer.

Image generated by mufawad using AI

 

Chemists at Stanford and Harvard found that when microbubbles of air and methane form at the water–air interface, surface charges separate, creating strong electric fields. These fields generate tiny lightning flashes as charges equalize, which can ignite methane and produce visible light. Laboratory experiments using submerged nozzles and high-speed cameras confirmed these flashes, along with ultraviolet light from formaldehyde, a byproduct of burning methane.

The findings have broader implications beyond folklore. Microbubble-driven reactions could have helped form essential biomolecules on early Earth, including peptides and nucleic acids, potentially providing a spark for the origins of life without requiring large-scale lightning storms. Researchers say this mechanism might be a general phenomenon for triggering chemical reactions.

While the connection to early life remains speculative, the study provides a plausible explanation for the eerie lights that have fascinated humans for centuries, linking folklore, chemistry, and the origins of life in a single elegant phenomenon.

Courtesy: Science.Org