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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 9, 2025 at 10:24am

ALICE detects the conversion of lead into gold at the Large Hadron Collider

In a paper published in Physical Review C, the ALICE collaboration reports measurements that quantify the transmutation of lead into gold in CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

Transforming the base metal lead into the precious metal gold was a dream of medieval alchemists. This long-standing quest, known as chrysopoeia, may have been motivated by the observation that dull gray, relatively abundant lead is of a similar density to gold, which has long been coveted for its beautiful color and rarity. It was only much later that it became clear that lead and gold are distinct chemical elements and that chemical methods are powerless to transmute one into the other.

With the dawn of nuclear physics in the 20th century, it was discovered that heavy elements could transform into others—either naturally, by radioactive decay—or in the laboratory, under a bombardment of neutrons or protons. Though gold has been artificially produced in this way before, the ALICE collaboration has now measured the transmutation of lead into gold by a new mechanism involving near-miss collisions between lead nuclei at the LHC.

Extremely high-energy collisions between lead nuclei at the LHC can create quark–gluon plasma, a hot and dense state of matter that is thought to have filled the universe around a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, giving rise to the matter we now know. However, in the far more frequent interactions where the nuclei just miss each other without "touching," the intense electromagnetic fields surrounding them can induce photon–photon and photon–nucleus interactions that open further avenues of exploration.

The electromagnetic field emanating from a lead nucleus is particularly strong because the nucleus contains 82 protons, each carrying one elementary charge. Moreover, the very high speed at which lead nuclei travel in the LHC (corresponding to 99.999993% of the speed of light) causes the electromagnetic field lines to be squashed into a thin pancake, transverse to the direction of motion, producing a short-lived pulse of photons.

Often, this triggers a process called electromagnetic dissociation, whereby a photon interacting with a nucleus can excite oscillations of its internal structure, resulting in the ejection of small numbers of neutrons and protons. To create gold (a nucleus containing 79 protons), three protons must be removed from a lead nucleus in the LHC beams.

The ALICE team used the detector's zero degree calorimeters (ZDC) to count the number of photon–nucleus interactions that resulted in the emission of zero, one, two and three protons accompanied by at least one neutron, which are associated with the production of lead, thallium, mercury and gold, respectively.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 12:16pm

Cuttlefish use their arms to wave at each other

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 11:28am

The implications stretch beyond one material. While the team confirmed degradation only for PCL, they identified signs of similar enzymes in other pathogens. This means that other plastics could also be vulnerable to microbial attack—and some of the most widely used medical materials made from polyethylene terephthalate or polyurethane may be at risk.

These include:

Bone scaffolds and dental implants
Bandages and wound dressings
Catheters
Breast implants
"The bug's plastic-eating ability is likely helping it survive on surfaces in hospitals, potentially driving hospital outbreaks. We should start to consider focusing on plastics that are harder for microbes to digest and potentially screening pathogens for these enzymes, especially in unexplained prolonged outbreaks

Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates can encode functional plastic-degrading enzymes that allow survival on plastic and augment biofilm formation., Cell Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115650. www.cell.com/cell-reports/full … 2211-1247(25)00421-8

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 11:27am

Superbug can digest medical plastic, making it even more dangerous

A dangerous hospital superbug has been found to digest plastic—specifically the kind used in some sutures, stents and implants inside the human body. Microbiologists show the bacteria can feed on plastic to survive, potentially enabling these pathogens to survive longer in hospital wards and within patients.

The discovery, published in Cell Reports , challenges the widely held belief that pathogens cannot degrade medical plastics. A patient isolate of the common hospital-acquired bacterial infection Pseudomonas aeruginosa was shown to degrade polycaprolactone (PCL)—a plastic often used in sutures, wound dressings, stents, drug-delivery patches and surgical mesh.

Plastics, including plastic surfaces, could potentially be food for these bacteria. Pathogens with this ability could survive for longer in the hospital environment. It also means that any medical device or treatment that contains plastic could be susceptible to degradation by bacteria.

Researchers isolated the enzyme, named Pap1, from a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that was originally sampled from a patient's wound. Tested in the lab, the enzyme degraded 78% of a plastic sample in just seven days. Crucially, the bacteria could also use the plastic as its only carbon source—effectively eating it.

This plastic-digesting power also makes the bug more dangerous. The team showed that the broken-down plastic fragments helped it form tougher biofilms—the protective clingy bacterial coatings that help bacteria overcome antibiotics and make infections harder to treat.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 11:09am

A  new tool unlocks the body's 'messages in a bottle' to detect and treat diseases

Have you ever dreamed of writing a heartfelt letter, sealing it in a bottle, and letting the ocean carry it to someone special? It's a romantic image we've seen in movies like "Message in a Bottle." But did you know this beautiful act of connection is happening inside your body every minute of every day?

Our cells, much like us, are constantly trying to communicate. But instead of ink and paper, they send out tiny biological packages called extracellular vesicles (EVs). These are the body's real-life messages in a bottle, carrying precious cargo—like proteins and genetic material—from one cell to another. Each EV holds a snapshot of its sender's identity and condition, making them incredibly promising for diagnosing diseases and tailoring treatments.

It's like thousands of bottles with messages washing up on shore, and we still don't know which ones carry lifesaving information.

Now researchers offer a solution. 

They've developed a technology called SHINER, short for Subpopulation Homogeneous Isolation and Nondestructive EV Release, designed to gently capture and release specific EV subpopulations without damaging them.

SHINER is like a molecular claw machine. Using specially designed "claws" made from antibodies and DNA, it reaches into the crowded sea of EVs, grabs the ones with just the right surface markers, and gently lifts them out, intact and ready to be read.

At the core of this technology is a clever tool called SWITCHER, which ensures that only EVs with a specific molecular "barcode" are captured. Then, a matching DNA "key" activates the claw to gently release the captured EVs unharmed. No harsh chemicals. No broken "bottles." Just pure, readable messages, delivered safely to scientists for analysis.

What makes this work even more exciting is that SHINER doesn't just work in theory. 

The research team showed it can purify EVs from real-world biological samples, like blood, while preserving their full structure and function. When paired with the earlier invention by the team, the ultrasensitive EV single-molecule array, SHINER opens the door to next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics. Doctors could one day use it to detect cancer earlier, monitor treatment response, or even deliver precision drugs using EVs as natural carriers.

Chen‐Wei Hsu et al, Decoding Complex Biological Milieus: SHINER's Approach to Profiling and Functioning of Extracellular Vesicle Subpopulations, Small (2025). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202503638

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 10:44am

Formaldehyde releasers found in common personal care products

Formaldehyde is known to cause cancer in humans but several women use personal health care products that release this chemical.

In recent years, growing concerns about exposure to formaldehyde in personal care products have focused on hair relaxers. For instance, recent studies show a link between the use of hair relaxers and increased risk of uterine and breast cancer.

A new study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, is among the first to demonstrate that formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are present in a wide range of personal care products, including shampoo, lotions, body soap, and even eyelash glue.

These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.

Companies add formaldehyde to personal care products to extend their shelf-life. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are often used as an alternative—these are chemicals that slowly release formaldehyde over time and serve the same purpose.

But lotions can vary widely: some might have a few natural ingredients, like beeswax and shea butter, while others might have many toxic chemicals like formaldehyde releasers, phthalates, and parabens.

In the study, fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. Many of the products with formaldehyde releasers that participants reported using were applied daily or multiple times per week.

DMDM hydantoin was the most common formaldehyde-releasing preservative. Roughly 47% of skincare products and 58% of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives contained DMDM hydantoin. 

One way to reduce exposures would be to require that companies add warning labels to formaldehyde-releasing products, say the researchers.

But  it can be hard for the average consumer—and even chemists—to identify a formaldehyde-releasing preservative on a label. They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them.   

While warning labels might be a good first step banning the use of formaldehyde releasers altogether would be the best-case scenario. Companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservatives in personal care products used by Black women and Latinas, Environmental Science & Technology Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00242

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 8, 2025 at 8:17am

Natural short sleepers have a genetic mutation

Does everybody need 8-hours sleep? NO!

Several prominent figures in science and invention were known to get by on significantly less sleep than the typical 7-8 hours recommended for adults. Notable examples include Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin who reportedly slept as little as two to four hours per night. 

I too sleep for just four and half to six hours, never more than that. Rest of the time I work like mad. I am used to it.

When your mind is in the grip of something, you can't sleep and feel very restless if you don't complete your work in art, literature, science,  or any other field.

And there are some natural short sleepers. Science says ....

Not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep to function properly. Some people can feel well-rested and show no negative effects of sleep deprivation, even after just 4 hours of sleep, which is likely the result of a genetic mutation.

A recent study has reported that a mutation in salt-induced kinase 3 (hSIK3-N783Y)—a gene critical for regulating sleep duration and depth—may be the reason why some people are natural short sleepers (NSS).

The findings of this study are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

We might be physically inactive when sleeping, but our body is far from being idle. It goes into servicing mode, repairing cells, replenishing essential hormones and facilitating neural reorganization.

As a result, sleep deprivation can significantly impair both physical and cognitive functioning. Over time, chronic sleep loss may even raise the risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Hence, it is medically advised to sleep for at least 7–8 hours to maintain good physical and mental health.

Natural short sleepers seem to bypass all these negative outcomes of sleep deprivation with only 4–6 hours of sleep per night, and sleeping beyond that can sometimes make them feel worse. Previous studies have identified five mutations in four genes—DEC2, ADRB1, NPSR1, and GRM1—that have been linked to the natural short sleep (NSS) trait in humans.

It has also been found that intracellular signaling pathways of protein kinases—enzymes catalyzing the transfer of phosphate groups from ATP to other proteins—such as salt-inducible kinase 3 (Sik3), play a key role in regulating sleep and wakefulness. However, there was a lack of direct evidence of their role in regulating NSS traits.

Computational analysis showed that the point mutation caused significant structural changes in the SIK3 protein, impairing its ability to transfer phosphate molecules to other proteins and resulting in reduced sleep duration.

Hongmin Chen et al, The SIK3-N783Y mutation is associated with the human natural short sleep trait, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2500356122

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 7, 2025 at 11:59am

A recently-discovered termite terminator is better, more targeted and won't harm humans

Drywood termites, the ones that hide in wooden structures, molt about seven times in their lives. Researchers have found that a chemical preventing them from growing new exoskeletons will also end their infestation of your home.

The chemical, bistrifluron, and its ability to kill about 95% of a termite colony without off-target effects on mammals, are documented in a paper published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

This chemical is more environmentally friendly than ones traditionally used for drywood termite infestation. It's specific to insects and can't harm humans.

Unlike humans with skeletons located inside their flesh, termites have exoskeletons on the outside that protect them from the elements. The main component of these external skeletons is chitin, which is also found in fungal cell walls, fish scales, and the beaks of squids and octopuses. Chitin also provides mechanical strength for insect exoskeletons, making them suitable as armor as well as sites for muscle attachment.

As termites are getting ready to molt, something they must do in order to grow, they also produce chitin to create the new exoskeleton. Bistrifluron prevents them from doing so.

Once the termites reach a certain stage, they have to molt. They cannot avoid that. With a lethal dose of this chemical, they'll try to shed their old exoskeleton but won't have a new one ready to protect them. 

The researchers observed that bistrifluron initially slows the termites down, reducing their feeding activity. Eventually it prevents them from molting, and they die. This is one of the first studies that looks at the impact of chitin-inhibiting chemicals on drywood termites.

As the termites eat the treated wood, they also spread the chemical to other members of the colony. Full collapse happens in about two months, which is slower than other methods but carries certain advantages in addition to lower toxicity.

Nicholas A Poulos et al, Toxicity and horizontal transfer of chitin synthesis inhibitors in the western drywood termite (Blattodea: Kalotermitidae), Journal of Economic Entomology (2025). DOI: 10.1093/jee/toaf064

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 7, 2025 at 11:50am

Why some mammals glow under ultraviolet light

Scientists have been trying to discover exactly why some animals glow under ultraviolet light as photoluminescence in mammal fur is common.

 Rats, along with bandicoots, possums, bats, tree-kangaroos and many other creatures  around the world are photoluminescent; they glow under ultraviolet, violet or blue light.

Scientists' aim 's to identify luminophores (molecules or groups of molecules) contributing to photoluminescence.

The researchers  shaved fur from roadkill and subjected it to high-performance liquid chromatography.

The fur of the  northern long-nosed and northern brown bandicoots photoluminesces strongly, displaying pink, yellow, blue and/or white colors. The researchers wanted to find out whether the luminophores present in bandicoot fur might be common across multiple species.

So they compared the results from the two bandicoots to the northern quoll, the coppery brushtail possum, the Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, the pale field rat and the platypus—all of which photoluminesce in different ways.

The scientists confirmed metabolites of the amino acid tryptophan and identified derivatives of the chemical compound porphyrin that cause bandicoots, quolls and possums to glow bright pink in UV light.

They   also found a contributing cause of the colour of coppery brushtail possum fur—not photoluminescent, but a strong purple colouration in white light—a match for the molecule Indigo—which is also extracted as a dye from plants.

 Linda M. Reinhold et al, Luminophores in the fur of seven Australian Wet Tropics mammals, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320432. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti … journal.pone.0320432

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 7, 2025 at 9:47am

Tire additives found deposited on fruits and vegetables

A new study has found that tire additives enter into and pass through the food chain. Further research is needed to establish the implications for human health.

Traces of the additives typically used in tire manufacturing have been detected in all of the most common types of fruits and vegetables.  The scientists don't yet know the long-term implications of exposure to these substances for human health. Further research is needed to clarify this point.

The study follows on from two Austrian studies demonstrating that these additives were present in leafy vegetables. 

Researchers  sampled around 100 of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables  from major supermarket chains to organic markets and small,  grocery stores.

After rinsing the fruits and vegetables and turning them into workable samples, the scientists tested them for 11 compounds typically found in tire additives. Using consumption data held by the FSVO, they were then able to calculate theoretical daily intake values for these substances.

They found that 31% of the samples contained traces of the compounds, including 6-PPD and 6-PPD-quinone, with no difference according to where the fruits and vegetables came from or whether they were organic.

Previous studies have established that tire additives, especially DPG, 6-PPD and 6-PPD-quinone, are toxic to mammals. This research, which has so far been carried out only on rodents, found that these additives lead to decreased fertility in males and have neurotoxic and neuroinflammatory effects.

Scientists in China are also conducting in-depth research into the subject, analyzing human blood and urine for the presence of these substances.

When tires wear against road surfaces, they release additives such as antioxidants and vulcanizing agents (which give rubber more strength, elasticity and durability). These particles, the toxicity of which is yet to be determined, disperse through the air, settle on the ground, and are transported in runoff water. Humans are exposed to them in two ways: by inhaling them and, as the EPFL-FSVO study shows, by ingesting them in contaminated food.

According to a paper published in 2017, six million metric tons of these additives are released into the environment every year. Our exposure to these additives is similar to that for other micropollutants. 

They're around us constantly, in every part of our environment. What we don't know is whether we need to introduce tighter controls, such as by phasing them out in tire manufacturing in favor of less toxic alternatives.

Scientists  are currently exploring ways in which roads can be decontaminated to prevent tire additives from entering the environment. Several studies have shown that aggressive driving—with hard acceleration and braking—increases tire wear, making it more likely that these particles will transfer into the air, soil and surface water.

 Florian Breider et al, Assessment of tire-derived additives and their metabolites into fruit, root and leafy vegetables and evaluation of dietary intake in Swiss adults, Journal of Hazardous Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138432

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