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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 28, 2026 at 12:34pm

Low-cost spray can help tomatoes grow in salty soils

A simple, low-dose leaf spray could give farmers a practical new tool to keep growing tomatoes on land that salt has rendered increasingly unproductive, according to a new study .

A foliar spray combining manganese oxide nanoparticles and chitosan mitigated salinity stress in greenhouse-grown tomatoes. Under severe salt stress, treatment doubled shoot biomass, increased root biomass >55%, restored photosynthetic pigments (~91% carotenoid increase), reduced cellular damage markers, and boosted antioxidant enzyme activity up to 300%. Field-scale efficacy and long-term environmental impacts remain untested.

Farzaneh Ordooni et al, Synergistic alleviation of salinity stress in tomato: unraveling the physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant mechanisms modulated by manganese nanoparticles and chitosan, International Journal of Phytoremediation (2026). DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2026.2669640

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 28, 2026 at 12:11pm

Purple corn offers a stable natural alternative to artificial food dyes

Researchers are turning a unique variety of corn into an effective natural alternative to artificial food dyes.
scientists are studying a variety of purple-colored corn traditionally grown in South America. Its vibrant shades come from anthocyanins, natural pigments that give blueberries, red cabbage and grapes their colors.

Unlike artificial dyes, which are petroleum-based and added purely for appearance, anthocyanins are rich in antioxidants known for reducing inflammation and supporting heart health.

In corn, these colours are concentrated in the pericarp, the thin outer layer of the kernel.

Purple pericarp corn provides anthocyanin-based colorants that retain ~75% of key pigments after high-temperature exposure, rising to ~97% with protective food-grade coatings, yielding shelf-stable powders. These colorants show minimal degradation in acidic beverages over seven weeks refrigerated, supporting use as natural dye alternatives.
For food manufacturers, replacing synthetic dyes such as Red No. 40 and Red No. 3 has long been a challenge.

Most natural colours are fragile. For food manufacturers, replacing synthetic dyes such as Red No. 40 and Red No. 3 has long been a challenge.
They tend to break down when exposed to heat, light or oxygen.
That has become a major barrier in the food industry, where ingredients must withstand processing temperatures up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and remain stable on store shelves for weeks or even months.
In testing, researchers exposed purple corn colorants to elevated temperatures often used in food processing. After one hour of exposure, about 75% of the key color compounds remained intact.

If the colour looks good after heating, that's what matters to manufacturers.
When the team coated the pigments in protective, food-grade materials, retention increased to nearly 97% for some compounds. That process allows researchers to create shelf-stable powders, making purple corn-based colorants easier to store and transport.

Researchers also tested their purple colorants in a beverage system, one of the most demanding environments for natural dyes. Drinks are often acidic, exposed to light and stored for extended periods—all conditions that can quickly degrade plant-based ingredients.

"Purple corn-based colorants held up well in acidic and basic environments.
This durability, combined with potential health benefits, makes purple corn colorants more than a niche ingredient. They offer food companies a viable path to cleaner labels without sacrificing performance. For consumers, that could mean replacing artificial dyes with natural ingredients.

Ahmad Ali et al, Thermal and storage degradation kinetics of corn anthocyanin-based natural red colorants in a model beverage system, and their gastrointestinal behavior, npj Science of Food (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41538-026-00881-w

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 27, 2026 at 12:30pm

Into the ‘unknome’
The ‘unknome’ — the vast number of microbial genes with unknown functions — could encode capabilities that are critical for interactions between microorganisms. But these interactions are rarely captured in single-species lab cultures, which makes studying their genetic origins difficult, argues a group of microbial ecologists and geneticists. They suggest that co-cultures of diverse species and experiments that simulate real-world conditions could give researchers a better picture of complex microbial interactions, which could enable them to start assigning functions to currently unlabelled genes.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41437-026-00870-5.epdf?sharing_tok...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 27, 2026 at 12:26pm

Moss can generate electrical waves

Mosses are some of the earliest plants that appeared in the fossil record, but they're anything but simple.

A new study, published in Royal Society Open Science, reveals that moss cushions produce surprisingly complex electrical activity, with patterns that undulate across the velvety patch in dynamic waves.

His findings suggest that "moss cushions behave as spatially distributed excitable systems potentially capable of coordinating and integrating electrical signals across both space and time."

Moss cushions are actually many individual clones of the same teensy tiny plant.

If you look really, really closely at a mat of moss, you can see it is made up of simple, minute leaves on stems, similar to those of their larger plant relatives.

But the stems of mosses are actually much less useful at moving water and nutrients around the body of the plant.

Mosses actually never developed the vascular systems that we see in other more complex plants, which is why they cannot grow much taller than a few centimeters. Their leaf-like structures are just one cell thick; they don't even have roots.

But that doesn't mean they're not potentially capable of transmitting information across the colony by other means.

Some of the moss's electrical waves were rapid, while others undulated slowly. They tended to spread across the entire cushion rather than remaining confined to a particular region, and followed patterns across different timescales.

These findings suggest that "moss behaves as a dynamic, interconnected system rather than a collection of independent cells."

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/7/252341/482568/...

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2026 at 9:33am

Analysis of the data revealed that individuals with clinical obesity were much more likely to develop or die from cardiovascular disease than those without obesity.

Women with clinical obesity developed cardiovascular disease at a rate that was 2.5-fold higher than women without obesity. They also died from cardiovascular disease at an almost threefold (2.8-fold) higher rate than women without obesity.

Similarly, men with clinical obesity developed cardiovascular disease at an almost twofold higher rate (1.9-fold) and had a 2.6-fold higher rate of cardiovascular mortality than men without obesity.

However, individuals with preclinical obesity were also at higher risk, despite not having any obesity-related conditions and seeming to be in good health.

Women with preclinical obesity developed cardiovascular disease at a 38% higher rate and died from cardiovascular disease at a 46% higher rate than women without obesity.

For men, preclinical obesity was associated with an 18% higher rate of developing cardiovascular disease and a 52% higher rate of cardiovascular disease mortality.

All of the results were adjusted for socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors, including smoking and alcohol consumption.

Further analysis showed that the more "high-risk" central adiposity markers (waist measurements) an individual had, the more likely they were to develop heart disease. For example, a woman with one high-risk marker (waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio or waist-to-height ratio) was 17% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than a woman without any high-risk waist measurements. Having all three high-risk measurements increased the risk by 64%.
The study also found that waist measurements were more accurate at predicting cardiovascular disease than BMI.

The researchers concluded that individuals with preclinical obesity are at higher risk of developing, and dying from, cardiovascular disease despite appearing to be healthy.

Hidden risk of heart disease in seemingly healthy people who are living with overweight or obesity, International Congress on Obesity 2026, icocongress.com/

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2026 at 9:32am

Weight around the belly is a better predictor of heart health than BMI, research indicates

Individuals with overweight or obesity can have a higher risk of heart disease despite appearing to be healthy, new research presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Mexico City (15–17 July) shows. Using waist-based measurements along with body mass index (BMI) to identify this hidden risk and intervene early could prevent hundreds of thousands from dying from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiac problems in the years to come, say researchers.

Central adiposity markers outperform BMI for predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD). Using a BMI-plus-waist framework, both clinical and preclinical obesity were associated with substantially higher CVD incidence and mortality, even without comorbidities. Increasing numbers of high-risk waist measures markedly raised CVD risk, and early intervention at the preclinical stage could avert ~40–45% of CVD events and deaths.
The link between central, or abdominal, obesity and heart disease is especially strong because fat stored around the waist, known as visceral fat, is metabolically active and releases inflammatory substances into the bloodstream. Over time, this chronic inflammatory state can damage blood vessels and accelerate the buildup of arterial plaque, significantly increasing the risk of heart attacks.
part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2026 at 9:13am

Why some human brains can outlast other soft tissues after death

Why do some brains survive long after death when most other soft tissue decays?
The brain is one of the first organs to liquefy and decompose after death. Yet in recent decades, archaeologists have recovered more than 4,400 well-preserved human brains dating back 12,000 years. In more than 1,300 cases, the brain was the only soft tissue left inside skeletal remains.

This phenomenon occurs most often in waterlogged, low-oxygen graves.

Brain preservation depends on burial chemistry rather than chance. Waterlogged, low-oxygen environments favor formation of decay-resistant brain protein fragments enriched in beta-sheet structure and metal- and lipid-binding regions, which cross-link into stable networks. Similar structural features to aggregates in neurodegenerative disease suggest shared stabilizing chemistries.

To find out, the researchers examined the brains of 72 mouse carcasses, as they detail in their study published in the Journal of Proteome Research.

Research revealed that brain preservation is not a matter of chance but the result of predictable chemical processes influenced by the burial environment.

The main factor governing decay was oxygen. Waterlogged, oxygen-poor conditions produced the highest number of decay-resistant protein fragments. Meanwhile, in wet, oxygen-rich environments, the number of proteins detected fell dramatically by the six-month mark.

"The same oxidative reactions that drive molecular destruction can also generate molecular stability," say the scientists in their paper.

So what exactly made the proteins decay-resistant in the wet, oxygen-poor environment?

The study authors discovered that the surviving fragments were not random pieces but had a highly ordered structure rich in beta sheets, which are flat, tightly packed folds that help give proteins their shape. They also contained regions that interact with metals and fats.

The researchers propose that, in low-oxygen conditions, chemical reactions link these fragments together into a more stable network. Metals such as iron may help drive these reactions, making parts of the brain more resistant to decay. "Decay is not the opposite of preservation but, under specific chemical constraints, one of its mechanisms," they added.

The research also held a surprise. The team noted that tightly packed beta sheets share structural features with protein clumps found in the brains of people with neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer's disease.

While decomposition and neurodegeneration are distinct processes, the finding suggests they share some underlying chemistry. This could help scientists better understand how proteins become abnormally stable in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Alexandra Morton-Hayward et al, Molecular Solution to the Paradox of Ancient Brain Preservation, Journal of Proteome Research (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6c00200

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2026 at 9:09am

Researchers create strong 'super silk' that maintains shape after wetting

Painstakingly woven from the cocoons of silkworms, silk has been valued for more than 4,000 years as a luxury material. More than just beautiful, silk is also lightweight, strong and biocompatible, allowing it to be used for clothing, medical materials and more. However, conventional silk has a glaring weakness—it shrinks and loses its shape after repeated exposure to moisture.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed high-performance silk that largely solves this weakness. Instead of tampering with the silk fibers, the research team targeted an earlier step in the process by altering the diet of silkworms. The result is silk fibers with 50% greater tensile strength and reduced shrinkage after wetting and drying to less than one-quarter that of untreated silk. These improvements were seen even when the silk fibers were processed into yarn and woven fabrics, meaning that we may be on the right path to using this "super silk" effectively in final products.

Feeding silkworms with plant-derived cellulose nanofibers yields silk fibers with ~50% higher tensile strength and wet–dry shrinkage less than one-quarter that of conventional silk. The enhanced mechanical properties and dimensional stability persist in yarns and woven fabrics, offering a practical, low-toxicity, and environmentally friendly route to higher-performance silk textiles.

Camille Moreau et al, Tensile properties and dimensional stability of cellulose nanofiber-reinforced silk fabrics by silkworm feeding, Journal of Industrial Textiles (2026). DOI: 10.1177/15280837261463657

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 25, 2026 at 9:50am

Your gut can get jet lag too: How not to waste the first days of your vacation

A dream vacation, an exotic destination, a long-haul flight and finally some well-deserved rest. The problem is that many travelers arrive at their destination only to spend the first days of their vacation struggling with fatigue, sleep disturbances, low energy levels and digestive issues. Researchers point out that these symptoms may be caused by more than classic jet lag. A growing body of evidence suggests that time zone changes also affect the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines.

This phenomenon, known as "gut jet lag," describes a disruption in synchronization between the human biological clock and the rhythms of the gut microbiota. Although the concept is relatively new, researchers agree that our intestines may need just as much time as our brains to adapt to a new time zone.

Long-haul travel and rapid time zone shifts can desynchronize circadian rhythms of the gut–brain axis and microbiota, causing fatigue, sleep disturbances, and digestive symptoms (“gut jet lag”). Disrupted meal timing alters enzymes, bile, motility, and microbiome composition, reducing barrier integrity and short-chain fatty acid production. Gradual pre-trip adjustment of sleep–light cycles and meal times, daytime-aligned eating, hydration, and targeted probiotics may mitigate effects. Similar mechanisms affect shift workers and individuals with chronic circadian disruption.

Gut jet lag is a relatively new concept describing a state of desynchronization between the human biological cycle and the rhythms of gut bacteria. A short trip within Europe is unlikely to cause such major disruptions, but the problem becomes significant during long-haul flights that involve crossing multiple time zones.
Under these conditions, fatigue and dietary changes can compromise intestinal barrier integrity and reduce the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids.
Intercontinental travel means much more for the body than simply changing the time on a watch. Within a matter of hours, sleep schedules, meal times, light exposure and stress levels all change dramatically. For the body, it is a major upheaval.

Our digestive system is extremely sensitive to these changes because the entire gut-brain axis operates according to a tightly regulated circadian rhythm. When biological signals become misaligned, communication between the intestines, immune system and brain is temporarily disrupted.
his temporary dysregulation is responsible for digestive complaints, poorer sleep quality and reduced energy levels in many people during the first days after arrival.
This helps explain why the first days of a vacation are often the least comfortable. While the body is trying to adapt to new environmental conditions, gut bacteria may still be operating according to the schedule of the departure location.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 25, 2026 at 8:51am

Earlier toilet training could curb growing diaper waste crisis

Earlier toilet training and new recycling technologies are among expert-backed solutions to reduce the environmental impact of disposable diapers and other hygiene products, according to a new study by researchers.
Absorbent hygiene products generate 160–200 million metric tons of waste annually, largely landfilled or incinerated, with additional pollution where waste systems are absent. The paper proposes three main interventions: earlier toilet training and reusable products to cut use, advanced recycling to recover all materials, and fully compostable designs, with region-specific strategies and policy changes needed for implementation.
The paper, published in Nature Sustainability, sets out a roadmap for changing how absorbent hygiene products (AHPs), which include diapers, incontinence products and period products, are designed, used and disposed of.

AHPs account for an estimated 160–200 million metric tons (176–220 million tons) of waste each year globally, with the vast majority sent to landfills or incineration. In regions without adequate waste collection, used diapers are often dumped or burned, contributing to plastic pollution, contaminated water and the spread of disease.

The research team identified three system interventions that they expect will radically reduce the environmental impact of AHPs. They say behaviour change around toilet training and greater use of reusable products can reduce product use; new and scalable recycling technologies will promote a more circular system; and developing completely compostable products can divert products from landfills and incineration to produce compost or biogas.
These products are essential for health, dignity and caregiving, but their environmental impact has largely gone under the radar. What this research shows is that this is not a problem with a single solution. It requires coordinated changes across behaviour, technology, materials and policy.

Elze Porte et al, Research priorities for addressing global absorbent hygiene product waste, Nature Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-026-01903-x

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