Show Notes 23 May 2025
Story 1: Fungi could be used to build homes one day
Source: CNN Story by Kameryn Griesser
Link: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/30/science/fungi-bacteria-home-building-sustainable
See research paper here: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-physical-science/fulltext/S2666-3864(25)00116-X
- This article discusses a groundbreaking study in which researchers are exploring the use of living organisms to create sustainable building materials. In the study, a team from Montana State University developed a novel composite material by growing a dense network of fungal mycelium—specifically from Neurospora crassa—and then introducing the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii to the dense network of fungal mycelium structure.
- As noted in the team’s research paper: We created [a] biomineralized engineered living material using mycelium scaffolds, from Neurospora crassa, that were mineralized either by the fungus itself or by the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii.
- This biomineralization process produces calcium carbonate, which hardens the soft, spongy mycelium into a rigid, bone-like structure.
- This innovative method hints at the possibility of constructing load bearing, self-repairing buildings in the future, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cement-based materials.
- The research is particularly significant given the environmental impact of traditional cement production, which accounts for about 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions and is a major contributor to climate change.
- While the technology is still in its early stages and won’t replace concrete overnight, the study establishes an important proof-of-concept. By combining living fungi and bacteria to produce a self-strengthening material, the work opens doors to engineered living materials that could eventually deliver properties such as self-healing and environmental remediation.
Story 2: In the quest for crops that can thrive in a warmer future, scientists just had a breakthrough
Source: Anthropocene Magazine Story by Emma Bryce
Research paper here: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00413-1
- Reminder – Over half of the world’s population relies on rice as a primary staple food.
- This article discusses a major breakthrough in developing rice varieties that can thrive in high-temperature environments. Researchers at the Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan China identified a gene called QT12 that plays a key role in how rice grains develop under heat stress.
- Side note – more about QT12 – A Gene Enhancing Heat Resistance in Rice:
- More recently, in the context of agricultural research, particularly in rice, QT12 refers to a newly discovered gene in rice (Oryza sativa).
- This QT12 gene has been shown to significantly enhance the plant’s resistance to high temperatures and boost its productivity.
- Researchers found that under high-temperature conditions, the QT12 gene interacts with the NF-Y protein complex, forming a protective structure within the rice grain. This “firewall-like” structure helps to reduce heat damage and maintain stable production of starch and protein.
- Field tests in several regions of China showed that introducing the QT12 gene into a hybrid rice strain led to substantial yield increases (31.2% to 77.9%) and improvements in grain quality under heat stress.
- This discovery is considered a significant breakthrough for ensuring food security in the face of rising global temperatures
- Under high temperatures, QT12 typically increases starch production at the cost of protein, leading to chalky and fragmented grains that lower overall crop quality. However, the scientists discovered specific “on-off” variants of QT12 that prevent the negative effects of heat.
- To validate their findings, the team introduced these favorable QT12 variants into a heat-sensitive rice variety, Huazhan. Field tests conducted at various locations in China revealed that this new lineage produced between 31.2% and 77.9% more grain yield compared to the standard variety under the same heat-stressed conditions.
- This breakthrough holds significant promise for Asian rice farmers, who often battle with declining crop quality and yield due to rising temperatures.
- The research not only opens the door to more resilient rice cultivated varieties but also paves the way for similar approaches in other staple crops affected by climate change.
Story 3: Edible aquatic robots could be eaten by fish to eliminate waste
Source: New Atlas Story by Ben Coxworth
Link: https://newatlas.com/robotics/fish-food-bodied-robots/
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDmnoexVT5o
- If you’re releasing a robot into the aquatic environment with no intention of retrieving it, that bot had better be biodegradable. Swiss scientists have gone a step better than that, with little robots that can be consumed by fish when their job is done.
- We’ve already seen a number of experimental “microbots” that can be equipped with sensors and other electronics, then turned loose to wander the wilderness while recording and/or transmitting environmental data.
- In most cases, the idea is that when their mission is complete, the tiny, inexpensive devices will simply be abandoned. With that fact in mind, their bodies tend to be made largely out of biodegradable materials. That said, non-biodegradable plastics and toxic chemicals often still factor into their construction.
- Researchers at Switzerland’s EPFL university set out to change that, with their new aquatic robots. Each motorboat-shaped bot is about 5 cm long (2 in), weighs an average of 1.43 grams, and can travel at one-half to three body lengths per second.
- Its purpose – To collect data on water pH, temperature, pollutants, and microorganisms using biodegradable sensors.
- More specifically, their hulls are made out of commercial fish feed pellets that have been ground into a powder, mixed with a biopolymer binder, poured into a boat-shaped mold, then freeze-dried.
- In the center of each robot’s body is a chamber filled with a nontoxic powdered mixture of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda). That chamber is sealed with a gel plug on the bottom of the hull and connected to a propylene-glycol-filled microfluidic reservoir that forms the top layer of the robot’s body.
- Once the bot has been placed on the water’s surface, water gradually starts making its way through the semi-permeable plug. When that water mixes with the powder in the chamber, a chemical reaction occurs, producing CO2 gas. That gas expands into the reservoir, pushing the glycol out of a hole in the back end of the robot.
- Eventually, their hulls would become waterlogged enough that they would become soft and start to sink. At that point, fish or other animals could eat them. In fact, an alternative possible use for the robots is the distribution of medicated feed in fish farms.
Story 4: Non-Invasive Ultrasound Halts Brain Lesion Growth
Source: Technology Networks University of Virginia press room
- This article reports on a promising new treatment developed at the University of Virginia Health System for cerebral cavernous malformations — clusters of abnormal blood vessels in the brain or spinal cord that can lead to serious neurological issues.
- Side note – Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are clusters of irregularly shaped blood vessels in the brain or spinal cord that have thin walls and slow-moving blood. They resemble small mulberries and can sometimes leak blood, leading to neurological symptoms like seizures, headaches, weakness, or trouble with balance.
- Most CCMs occur sporadically, but about 20-25% of cases are inherited due to genetic mutations. While some people never experience symptoms, others may suffer from repeated bleeding episodes that worsen over time.
- Treatment options include monitoring, medication for symptoms, or surgery to remove the malformation if it poses a significant risk.
- Rather than relying on invasive methods like brain surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery, this approach employs focused ultrasound in combination with tiny, gas-filled microbubbles.
- When these microbubbles are activated by the ultrasound waves, they temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, allowing the treatment to stabilize the lesions without the need for incisions or high-risk procedures.
- Interestingly, the discovery was somewhat accidental. While researchers were conducting long-term safety studies aimed at enhancing drug and gene delivery to these lesions, they noticed that the focused ultrasound with microbubbles was unexpectedly halting the growth of the cerebral cavernous malformations.
- In lab tests with mouse models, 94% of the treated cerebral cavernous malformations stopped growing within one month, in stark contrast to untreated lesions that increased seven-fold in size.
- Moreover, the treatment appeared to reduce the likelihood of new lesions forming, which could have significant long-term benefits, particularly for patients with a familial predisposition to cerebral cavernous malformations.
- Because focused ultrasound technology is already common in clinical settings, this non-invasive treatment could, pending further clinical trials and regulatory approval, become a viable alternative to current therapies.
Honorable Mentions
Story: How to engineer microbes to enable us to live on Mars
Source: The Conversation
Link: https://theconversation.com/how-to-engineer-microbes-to-enable-us-to-live-on-mars-253456
- The article explores how synthetic biology—the engineering of microbes—could help humans survive on Mars. Scientists are investigating ways to use microorganisms to detoxify the Martian environment, generate oxygen, and protect against radiation.
- Key advancements in gene editing (like CRISPR) and protein-folding technology (such as AlphaFold) are making it possible to design microbes that could thrive in extreme conditions. Some extremophiles—organisms that survive in harsh environments—might be adapted to digest radiation and toxins, similar to how they clean up oil spills and radioactive sites on Earth.
- Ultimately, these breakthroughs could pave the way for self-sustaining human colonies on Mars, reducing reliance on Earth for essential resources
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Story: Microscopy method can reconstruct mammalian brain tissue in synaptic detail
Source: Phys.org Story by Institute of Science and Technology Austria
Link: https://phys.org/news/2025-05-microscopy-method-reconstruct-mammalian-brain.html
- This article discusses a breakthrough in brain imaging called “LICONN,” developed by scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and Google Research. Key points:
- Understanding Brain Connectivity: LICONN is a new microscopy method that can reconstruct mammalian brain tissue with synaptic-level detail.
- Light Microscopy Innovation: Unlike traditional electron microscopy, LICONN allows for high-resolution imaging of neuronal networks using standard light microscopes.
- Advancements in Brain Research: This technique enables scientists to visualize complex molecular structures within neurons while maintaining their synaptic connections.
- This advancement offers exciting possibilities for studying brain function and connectivity at an unprecedented level.
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Story: Neuroscientists use brain implants and AI to map language processing in real time
Source: PsyPost.org Story by Eric W. Dolan
- Brain Implants & AI in Language Research: Neuroscientists are using intracranial brain recordings and artificial intelligence (specifically GPT-2) to study how the brain processes language in real time.
- Conversation vs. Past Studies: Unlike previous research that studied speech and comprehension separately in controlled tasks, this study focuses on natural conversation, revealing how the brain coordinates both speaking and listening.
- Findings on Brain Activity: The study shows that widespread areas of the brain—particularly in the frontal and temporal lobes—are involved in both understanding and producing speech, tracking transitions between speaking and listening.
- Research Methodology: The team recorded brain activity from 14 epilepsy patients who had electrodes implanted as part of their medical treatment. These patients engaged in free-flowing conversations while their brain activity was analyzed.
- Use of AI: Researchers applied GPT-2, a language processing model, to compare word embeddings with recorded brain signals, helping them identify which brain regions are engaged in real-time language processing.
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Story: Mini rolling robot takes virtual biopsies
Source: University of Leeds
Link: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-32/news/article/5757/mini-rolling-robot-takes-virtual-biopsies
- Researchers at the University of Leeds have developed a tiny magnetic robot that can take 3D ultrasound scans from deep inside the body, potentially revolutionizing early cancer detection.
- This mini rolling robot enables virtual biopsies, allowing doctors to diagnose and stage cancer without the need for invasive tissue sampling.
- The key innovation behind this robot is its oloid shape, which provides a unique rolling motion for precise navigation inside the gastrointestinal tract.
- Equipped with a high-frequency imaging device, it captures detailed 3D images of internal tissues, mimicking traditional biopsy results. This breakthrough could streamline cancer diagnosis, offering real-time results instead of waiting weeks for lab analysis.