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:
Microsoft develops Glass Data Storage that could last thousands of years
Investigations reveal deeper links between Epstein and Scientific Community
One-Third of Global Cancer Cases Could Be Prevented, Study Finds
Artificial Lung System Keeps Patient Alive Until Transplant
Exercises found to re-wire the Brain
Scientists spend a week in cave to study bodily changes
New AI From Google Deepmind Exploring DNA’s ‘Dark Matter’
Open AI backs Start-up that plans to read Brains via Ultrasound
Snakes survive longer without food due loss of “Gherlin” Hormone
Baboons show similar sibling rivalry as Humans
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| Current Science Report: February 2025; Mufawad |
Microsoft develops Glass Data Storage that could last thousands of years
Researchers at Microsoft have developed a new data-storage technology that could preserve information for at least 10,000 years. The system, described in Nature, stores digital data inside a small piece of glass using powerful lasers, offering a potential long-term solution for archiving critical information.
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As the world generates increasing amounts of digital data, traditional storage technologies such as magnetic tapes and hard drives are struggling to keep up. These systems typically degrade within a decade, requiring frequent copying and maintenance. Microsoft’s new approach uses a more durable medium: borosilicate glass, the same material used in heat-resistant cookware.
In the system, high-energy laser pulses create tiny deformations inside the glass. Each microscopic mark encodes digital information, which can later be read using a microscope that detects changes in how light passes through the material. A glass plate measuring just 12 centimetres wide and 2 millimetres thick can store about 4.8 terabytes of data, roughly equivalent to two million printed books.
The technique is part of Microsoft’s Project Silica, which aims to develop extremely durable storage for long-term archives. Tests suggest that the encoded data could remain readable for 10,000 years even at temperatures of 290 °C, and potentially far longer under normal conditions.
Unlike magnetic storage, which can lose information over time, the glass medium becomes essentially permanent once data are written. It also requires no temperature control or maintenance, making it suitable for preserving valuable records for centuries.
To create the storage marks, researchers used ultra-short laser pulses that generate tiny plasma bursts inside the glass. These “nano-explosions” slightly alter the structure of the material, changing how light travels through it. Data are written across hundreds of layers inside the glass, and machine-learning algorithms help decode the signals by filtering out interference from neighbouring layers.
Despite its durability, the system is not designed for everyday computing. Writing and reading the data requires specialized equipment, and the glass cannot be rewritten. Instead, the technology is intended for long-term archival storage, such as scientific datasets, cultural records or historical information.
Microsoft is already experimenting with using the technology to preserve key knowledge about Earth, inspired by NASA’s Voyager Golden Record sent into space in 1977. Although the future commercial use of the system remains uncertain, researchers believe glass-based storage could eventually transform how humanity preserves its most important digital information.
Courtesy: Microsoft
Investigations reveal deeper links between Epstein and Scientific Community
Newly released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice suggest that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein had far deeper connections with the scientific community than previously understood. According to a report by Nature, Epstein invested millions of dollars in scientific research and maintained relationships with nearly 30 prominent scientists.
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The documents show that several researchers consulted Epstein on matters ranging from publication strategies and visa issues to handling public relations crises. In some cases, he was reportedly allowed unusually close involvement in research activities. These ties continued even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex crimes.
One example involved an $800,000 donation to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which later led to the resignation of two scientists and the suspension of another after scrutiny of Epstein’s funding links.
The files also reveal details of Epstein’s interactions with individual researchers. Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss received $250,000 for his science outreach organization and was advised by Epstein via email to offer “no comment” when responding to media inquiries during a misconduct investigation that later led to his departure from Arizona State University.
Similarly, Lisa Randall of Harvard University was reported to have visited Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2014 and exchanged emails referencing his house arrest. Meanwhile, virologist Nathan Wolfe, then at Stanford University, proposed that Epstein fund a study on student sexual behavior as part of a hypothesis about virus transmission.
One of Epstein’s closest academic collaborators was mathematical biologist Martin Nowak, who founded Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics with a $6.5 million donation from Epstein. Emails show that Epstein frequently discussed scientific ideas with Nowak and researcher Corina Tarnita, even suggesting research topics and reviewing drafts of scientific papers before publication. Harvard later closed the program in 2021 and sanctioned Nowak, though those sanctions were lifted in 2023.
Experts say the documents reveal an unusually deep level of involvement by a private donor in academic research. Jesse Kass described the situation as “unheard of,” noting that funders rarely participate so directly in research discussions.
The revelations have renewed debate within academia about the risks of accepting funding from private donors and the need for stronger safeguards. The documents are part of more than three million files released by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Epstein Transparency Act, passed by Congress last year.
Courtesy: Xinhua
One-Third of Global Cancer Cases Could Be Prevented, Study Finds
More than one-third of cancer cases worldwide may be preventable by reducing exposure to known risk factors, according to a global analysis published in Nature Medicine. Researchers estimate that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million cancer cases reported in 2022, around 38%, were linked to factors that could potentially be reduced through lifestyle changes and public-health measures.
The study examined data from 185 countries and 36 types of cancer, assessing the role of 30 modifiable risk factors. These included tobacco use, alcohol consumption, infections, obesity, lack of physical activity, air pollution and occupational hazards. Because cancer often develops years after exposure, the analysis used risk-factor data mainly from around 2012, allowing for a roughly decade-long gap before diagnosis.
Smoking emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for 15.1% of global cancer cases, or roughly 3.3 million diagnoses. Infections were linked to 10.2% of cases (about 2.3 million), while alcohol consumption accounted for 3.2% (around 700,000). These factors are strongly associated with cancers such as lung, stomach and cervical cancer, which together represent nearly half of preventable cases.
The research also revealed notable differences between men and women. About 45.4% of cancers in men were linked to preventable risks, compared with 29.7% in women. Tobacco use remains the dominant factor among men worldwide, while infections and alcohol also play significant roles. Among women, patterns vary by region: infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and Helicobacter pylori are major drivers in many low- and middle-income countries, whereas smoking and high body mass index are more common risk factors in wealthier regions.
Regional trends were also evident. In East Asia, nearly six in ten cancer cases among men were tied to modifiable risks, largely due to smoking and infections. In sub-Saharan Africa, infections accounted for almost one-third of cancer cases among women, highlighting gaps in vaccination, sanitation and early screening. In contrast, lifestyle-related risks such as smoking, obesity and alcohol use were more prominent in parts of Europe and North America.
Researchers say the findings underline that many cancer risks are already well understood and can be reduced through established public-health strategies, including stronger tobacco control, vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B, improved air quality, safer workplaces, healthier diets and increased physical activity.
Courtesy: The Hindu
Artificial Lung System Keeps Patient Alive Until Transplant
Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago used an experimental artificial lung system to keep a critically ill patient alive for 48 hours, long enough for him to receive a life-saving transplant.
The 33-year-old man was admitted in 2023 with severe lung failure caused by influenza and a bacterial pneumonia infection. Fluid filled his lungs, preventing them from delivering oxygen to his body. As his condition worsened, his kidneys began failing and his heart stopped. Doctors realized that without drastic intervention, he would not survive.
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Because the infection was coming from his damaged lungs and he was too unstable for immediate transplant surgery, surgeons made a bold decision: they removed both lungs and temporarily replaced their function with an artificial system.
The device, described in the journal Med, pumped blood from the right side of the heart, oxygenated it outside the body and returned it to the left side so it could circulate through the body. The technology builds on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), but also helps maintain blood flow between the heart and the rest of the body.
The patient’s condition improved rapidly. Within two days, his blood pressure stabilized, kidney function returned and his heart began working normally. Doctors were then able to perform a successful double-lung transplant. Nearly three years later, the patient is reportedly doing well.
Researchers say the case also offers new insight into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe condition in which fluid leaks into the lungs. While doctors often expect the lungs to recover with supportive care, the team found that this patient’s lungs were too damaged to heal, suggesting that some ARDS patients may ultimately require transplantation to survive.
The team hopes the artificial lung approach could serve as a last-resort treatment for critically ill patients who are close to death but might survive long enough to receive a transplant. Doctors at Northwestern plan to continue using the system in extreme cases and track patient outcomes to better understand its potential.
Courtesy: Smithsonian Magazine
Exercises found to re-wire the Brain
Exercise is known to strengthen muscles and improve heart and lung function, but new research suggests it also reshapes the brain. A recent study published found that repeated treadmill exercise in mice strengthens connections between certain neurons, helping the animals gradually build greater endurance.
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Researchers led by neuroscientist Nicholas Betley at the University of Pennsylvania focused on the ventromedial hypothalamus, a brain region involved in regulating appetite and metabolism. Within this region, they examined neurons that produce a protein called steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1), which plays a role in energy balance.
Monitoring mice during treadmill runs, the team discovered that these SF1 neurons became active during exercise, with some firing only after the running session ended. Over several training sessions, both the number of activated neurons and the strength of their response increased.
Further analysis revealed that mice that trained regularly developed significant changes in these neurons. Their electrical activity made them easier to activate, and the number of excitatory synapses, connections that transmit signals between neurons, doubled. This indicated that repeated exercise was effectively “rewiring” the brain to support improved endurance.
To test the neurons’ role, scientists used optogenetics, a technique that controls genetically modified neurons with light. When SF1 neurons were switched off after exercise, the mice failed to improve their running performance and tired more quickly than normal mice.
In another experiment, increasing the activity of these neurons after exercise led to even greater endurance gains, with mice running faster and farther than those undergoing standard training.
Although the study was conducted in mice, scientists believe similar mechanisms may exist in humans. The findings suggest that endurance training involves not only physical changes in muscles but also adaptations in the brain that help coordinate and sustain performance.
While techniques like optogenetics are currently limited to laboratory research, the work raises the possibility that future therapies could target these neural pathways to help people recover muscle strength after illness, slow age-related muscle loss or enhance physical performance. For now, the research highlights that exercise transforms more than the body, it also reshapes the brain.
Courtesy: Nature
Scientists spend a week in cave to study bodily changes
In November 2024, a scientist from the University of California, San Diego, spent five days in complete darkness inside a cave in rural Poland to better understand how the human body responds to extreme sensory deprivation , and how wearable sensors capture those changes.
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Equipped with a wireless EEG headset, an Oura Ring and a continuous glucose monitor, the researcher tracked brain activity, sleep patterns, heart-rate variability and metabolism throughout the experiment. Additional biological samples , including blood, saliva, skin, stool and urine , were collected before, during and after the stay to analyze changes in proteins, microbes and other biomarkers.
Inside the cave, daily routines became simple rituals: eating slowly, stretching, reflecting and listening to bodily rhythms. Without light or time cues, the body gradually shifted into a free-running circadian cycle. Sensor data showed disrupted sleep patterns, with rapid eye movement (REM) and dream-like states occurring throughout the day. Resting heart rate also fluctuated more than usual, reflecting alternating phases of relaxation and stress.
The isolation also altered sensory perception. Food tasted unusually intense, and later analysis showed changes in proteins linked to taste receptors. Meanwhile, glucose levels remained remarkably stable even after sweets, possibly linked to increased activity of GLUT4 , a protein that helps muscles absorb glucose more efficiently.
Microbiome samples revealed that microbial communities in saliva and on the skin changed quickly within two days, while the gut microbiome remained largely stable, highlighting how different parts of the body respond to environmental changes at different speeds.
Beyond the biological insights, the experience highlighted practical challenges in wearable health technology. Collecting repeated biological samples proved uncomfortable, and some sensors caused skin irritation or lost signal when moved away from receivers. These issues point to the need for more comfortable designs, stronger connectivity and smarter algorithms that can maintain reliable monitoring over long periods.
The experiment suggests that combining wearable sensors with molecular data could help scientists track how the body adapts over time and detect early signs of physiological imbalance. But it also shows that effective health monitoring must consider the human experience of wearing and interacting with these devices.
After five days underground, the researcher emerged from the cave to waiting colleagues and friends and celebrated by plunging into a nearby frozen lake , a vivid reminder, after days of darkness and silence, of what it feels like to be fully alive.
Courtesy: Nature
New AI From Google Deepmind Exploring DNA’s ‘Dark Matter’
Most of the human genome, more than 98 percent, does not directly code for proteins. Once dismissed as “junk DNA,” these noncoding regions are now known to play crucial roles in regulating gene activity and influencing health and disease. Yet scientists still struggle to understand exactly how this genetic “dark matter” works.
To tackle this challenge, Google DeepMind has developed a new artificial intelligence model called AlphaGenome, designed to predict how long stretches of noncoding DNA affect gene expression. The model, described in the journal Nature, analyzes sequences of up to one million DNA base pairs and estimates how mutations within them might influence the activity of genes.
Researchers say the tool could help scientists understand how subtle DNA changes contribute to diseases. By predicting the biological impact of mutations, AlphaGenome can help narrow down which genetic variants might disrupt gene function and deserve closer investigation.
The system builds on earlier DeepMind breakthroughs such as AlphaFold, which predicts protein structures, and AlphaMissense, which evaluates mutations in protein-coding genes. Unlike those models, AlphaGenome focuses on the vast noncoding regions of the genome that influence when and how genes are turned on or off.
One key advance is its ability to analyze extremely long DNA sequences while maintaining accuracy, something previous models struggled to achieve. By combining multiple datasets related to gene regulation, the AI can simulate how altering specific DNA “letters” might change gene expression.
Although AlphaGenome is not intended for clinical use, it could become a powerful research tool. Scientists could use it to interpret results from genome-wide association studies, identify mutations linked to cancer or rare diseases, and guide the design of gene therapies.
Still, researchers caution that predicting disease outcomes directly from DNA remains extremely difficult. The model was trained only on human and mouse genomes and may sometimes miss important genetic effects. For now, experts say the system represents meaningful but incremental progress in understanding how the genome’s hidden regions control life’s biological processes.
Courtesy: Scientific American
Open AI backs Start-up that plans to read Brains via Ultrasound
A new brain–computer interface (BCI) company backed by major investors, including OpenAI, claims it could one day read thoughts and treat neurological conditions using ultrasound rather than implanted electrodes. The start-up, Merge Labs, launched recently with $252 million in funding and is being positioned as a potential rival to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which relies on electrodes implanted deep in the brain.
Merge Labs grew out of the nonprofit research group Forest Neurotech and was founded by scientists Tyson Aflalo, Sumner Norman, and Caltech researcher Mikhail Shapiro, along with tech entrepreneurs Alex Blania and Sandro Herbig and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The company says it wants to develop less invasive BCIs that can both monitor and influence brain activity using high-frequency sound waves.
Unlike Neuralink’s electrodes, which must be embedded deep in the brain, Merge Labs plans to place sensors just under the skull or operate through a small window in the bone. Ultrasound waves can scan and stimulate larger areas of the brain than fixed electrodes, potentially allowing researchers to study complex disorders such as depression or addiction that involve multiple brain regions.
The technology relies on functional ultrasound, which detects changes in blood flow linked to neural activity. When neurons become active, they require more oxygen, increasing blood flow in that region. By measuring these changes, ultrasound can generate detailed maps of brain activity. Focused ultrasound can also stimulate neurons by altering pressure around them, potentially changing how they fire.
However, the approach has limitations. Even though it is less invasive than traditional implants, surgery is still needed to place devices beneath the skull. In addition, blood-flow changes occur slightly after neurons fire, meaning ultrasound may be too slow for applications that require instant responses, such as decoding speech in real time.
Despite these challenges, early experiments show promise. Researchers have used ultrasound systems to interpret movement intentions in monkeys and detect brain activity linked to actions such as playing a video game or strumming a guitar. The technology could also support treatments for conditions like epilepsy, tinnitus, severe depression, addiction, and eating disorders.
Merge Labs is also exploring sonogenetics, an emerging technique that uses genetic engineering to make certain neurons more responsive to ultrasound. If successful, this could allow scientists to target specific brain cells rather than stimulating entire regions, potentially enabling therapies ranging from vision restoration to cancer treatment.
Artificial intelligence is expected to play a key role in decoding brain signals. OpenAI plans to collaborate with Merge Labs on large AI models designed to interpret brain data and translate it into meaningful outputs or commands.
Still, experts caution that the technology remains largely experimental. While functional ultrasound is well understood scientifically, there is limited peer-reviewed evidence that it can reliably decode human brain signals for practical BCIs. Researchers say the project is ambitious and may take decades to realize, but with substantial funding and rapid advances in neurotechnology, the idea cannot be ruled out.
Courtesy: Nature
Snakes survive longer without food due loss of “Gherlin” Hormone
Snakes are well known for their ability to survive long periods without food, sometimes going weeks or even months between meals. Scientists now think they may understand why. A new study published in Royal Society Open Biology suggests that snakes have lost the genes responsible for producing ghrelin, a hormone that normally regulates appetite, digestion, and fat storage.
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Researchers also found that chameleons and desert lizards known as toadhead agamas lack the same genes, indicating that losing ghrelin may be an important evolutionary adaptation for animals that naturally endure long gaps between meals. Without this “hunger hormone,” these reptiles may suppress appetite and preserve energy reserves for extended periods.
To investigate, evolutionary biologist Rui Resende Pinto from the University of Porto and his team examined the genomes of 112 reptile species. In snakes, chameleons, and toadhead agamas, the genes that produce ghrelin were either completely missing or heavily mutated, making them unable to generate the hormone. The researchers also discovered that MBOAT4, an enzyme needed to activate ghrelin, was absent in these animals as well.
The findings suggest that losing ghrelin and its associated enzyme may help these ambush predators adapt to a “boom-and-bust” feeding lifestyle. Normally, ghrelin helps convert stored fat into energy when food is scarce. Without it, these reptiles may instead conserve their fat reserves and remain in a low-energy state for long periods, sometimes surviving months or even a year between meals.
Scientists have previously noticed unusual metabolic traits in these reptile groups. Earlier research found major mutations in the mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures, of snakes, chameleons, and agamas, hinting that these animals have evolved unique ways of managing energy.
Although the implications for humans remain uncertain, studying how these reptiles function without ghrelin could help scientists better understand the hormone’s role in metabolism and appetite. Researchers note that basic studies of unusual animals have previously led to medical breakthroughs, such as drugs inspired by the Gila monster that are now used to treat diabetes and obesity.
Courtesy: Science
Baboons show similar sibling rivalry as Humans
Jealousy between siblings may not be unique to humans. A new study suggests that chacma baboons also show signs of this complex emotion when competing for their mother’s attention.
Researchers spent much of 2021 observing baboon families in Tsaobis Nature Park in Namibia. They frequently saw adolescent baboons interrupt their mothers while they were grooming another sibling, often a younger one. Some baboons threw tantrums, others squeezed between the pair, and some even used clever tactics to gain attention.
In one case, a young female baboon briefly distracted her sister by initiating play, only to quickly return and take her place beside their mother. The researchers described the behavior as surprisingly strategic.
The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest jealousy may be the most likely explanation for these interactions. Scientists have long debated whether nonhuman primates experience complex emotions, but the study provides strong evidence that they might.
Chacma baboons are highly social monkeys that live in close-knit groups in southern Africa. Females remain in the same group for life and give birth every 1.5 to 2 years, meaning many siblings grow up together, creating frequent competition for maternal attention.
During the study, researchers recorded hundreds of interruptions during grooming, a behavior that strengthens social bonds among baboons. Young baboons were far more likely to disrupt their mothers when she was grooming a sibling than when she was alone. Interruptions were especially common when the sibling receiving attention was younger or of the same sex.
The tendency to interrupt also declined as baboons grew older, suggesting the behavior is strongest during younger developmental stages.
Although the interruptions rarely succeeded, less than 10% resulted in the interrupter receiving grooming, the pattern strongly pointed to jealousy rather than simple curiosity or play. The findings add to growing evidence that primates may experience emotions similar to humans.
Scientists say the study raises new questions about the evolutionary role of such emotions in animals. While researchers cannot ask baboons how they feel, emotional states can be inferred through measurable changes in behavior and physiology. Understanding these responses may help scientists better understand how complex emotions evolved across species.
Courtesy: New York Times
