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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 22, 2025 at 8:34am

Novel cement lets buildings cool themselves

When temperatures get too hot to handle, most of us crank up the air conditioning to keep cool. It does the job, but it's expensive and uses a significant amount of energy. But now an innovation by scientists could help us cut our reliance on AC. They've developed a new type of cement that allows buildings to stay cool on their own. Their research is published in the journal Science Advances.

Typically, cement absorbs infrared radiation from the sun and stores it as heat, which increases the temperature inside a building. To address this, a research team modified the building material's formula. They created a cement that reflects light and emits heat instead of absorbing it, using tiny reflective crystals of a mineral called ettringite on its surface.

The scientists developed the material from the ground up, starting with its basic chemical recipe. They ground tiny pellets made from minerals like limestone and gypsum into a fine dust and mixed it with water. The mixture was then poured into a silicon mold covered in holes that created depressions in the cement's surface where the ettringite crystals could grow. The result was a supercool cement that acts like a mirror and a radiator, bouncing away sunlight and emitting heat.

Once the cement was created, it was put to the test on a rooftop at Purdue University. Under a strong midday sun, the cement's surface was 5.4 degrees Celsius cooler than the surrounding air. The material also underwent rigorous mechanical, environmental, and optical durability testing.

Additionally, the team used machine learning to analyze its potential environmental benefits, which revealed that it could potentially lead to a net-negative carbon footprint over a 70-year period.

This breakthrough holds the potential to turn the heavy cement industry into a negative-carbon emission system, where supercool cement could play a key role in driving an energy-efficient, carbon-free future for the construction industry.

Buildings currently account for about 40% of global energy use and 36% of carbon emissions. If the supercool cement is successfully scaled up for commercial use, its benefits could be significant. As well as helping to cool the planet, it could dramatically cut energy bills by reducing our reliance on air conditioning. And by keeping buildings and the surrounding air cooler, this novel cement could also create a more pleasant and healthier urban environment.

Guo Lu et al, Scalable metasurface-enhanced supercool cement, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adv2820

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 22, 2025 at 8:23am

One longstanding puzzle that researchers are particularly excited about is cosmic inflation, a period of extremely rapid expansion in the early universe. Inflation was initially proposed to explain why the universe looks the way it does today, stretching out an initially small patch, so that the universe looks similar across a vast expanse.
If you don't have inflation, a lot of things fall apart. But while inflation helps explain the state of the universe today, nobody has been able to explain how or why the baby universe had this sudden short-lived growth spurt.

The trouble is, to probe this using Einstein's equations, cosmologists have to assume that the universe was homogeneous and isotropic in the first place—something which inflation was meant to explain. If you instead assume it started out in another state, then you don't have the symmetry to write down your equations easily.
But numerical relativity could help us get around this problem—allowing radically different starting conditions. It isn't a simple puzzle to solve, though, as there's an infinite number of ways spacetime could have been before inflation. Researchers are therefore hoping to use numerical relativity to test the predictions coming from more fundamental theories that generate inflation, such as string theory.
There are other exciting prospects, too. Physicists could use numerical relativity to try to work out what kind of gravitational waves could be generated by hypothetical objects called cosmic strings—long, thin "scars" in spacetime–potentially helping to confirm their existence. They might also be able to predict signatures, or "bruises," on the sky from our universe colliding with neighboring universes (if they even exist), which could help us verify the multiverse theory.
Excitingly, numerical relativity could also help reveal whether there was a universe before the Big Bang. Perhaps the cosmos is cyclic and goes through "bounces" from old universes into new ones—experiencing repeated rebirths, big bangs and big crunches. That's a very hard problem to solve analytically.

"Bouncing universes are an excellent example, because they reach strong gravity where you can't rely on your symmetries. Several groups are already working on them—it used to be that nobody was."
Numerical relativity simulations are so complex that they require supercomputers to run. As the technology of these machines improves, we might expect significant improvement in our understanding of the universe.
Cosmologists who are interested in solving some of the questions they cannot solve, can use numerical relativity, the researchers say.

Josu C. Aurrekoetxea et al, Cosmology using numerical relativity, Living Reviews in Relativity (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s41114-025-00058-z

Part 2

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 22, 2025 at 8:18am

What happened before the Big Bang? Computational method may provide answers

We're often told it is "unscientific" or "meaningless" to ask what happened before the Big Bang. But a new paper by astrophysicists and cosmologists published in Living Reviews in Relativity, proposes a way forward: using complex computer simulations to numerically (rather than exactly) solve Einstein's equations for gravity in extreme situations.

The team argues that numerical relativity should be applied increasingly in cosmology to probe some of the universe's biggest questions–including what happened before the Big Bang, whether we live in a multiverse, if our universe has collided with a neighboring cosmos, or whether our universe cycled through a series of bangs and crunches.

Einstein's equations of general relativity describe gravity and the motion of cosmic objects. But wind the clock back far enough and you'll typically encounter a singularity—a state of infinite density and temperature—where the laws of physics collapse.

Cosmologists simply cannot solve Einstein's equations in such extreme environments—their normal simplifying assumptions no longer hold. And the same impasse applies to objects involving singularities or extreme gravity, such as black holes.

One issue might be what cosmologists take for granted. They normally assume that the universe is "isotropic" and "homogeneous"—looking the same in every direction to every observer. This is a very good approximation for the universe we see around us, and one that makes it possible to easily solve Einstein's equations in most cosmic scenarios. But is this a good approximation for the universe during the Big Bang?

Numerical relativity allows you to explore those questions. 

Numerical relativity was first suggested in the 1960s and 1970s to try to work out what kinds of gravitational waves (ripples in the fabric of spacetime) would be emitted if black holes collided and merged. This is an extreme scenario for which it is impossible to solve Einstein's equations with paper and pen alone—sophisticated computer code and numerical approximations are required.

Its development received renewed focus when the LIGO experiment was proposed in the 80s, although the problem was only solved in this way in 2005, raising hopes that the method could also be successfully applied to other puzzles.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 11:59am

Breast tumors tunnel into fat cells to fuel up

Scientists caught cancer cells in the act of breaking into fat cells and releasing their fat. The energy heist seems to be critical for the growth of deadly breast cancer. The study appears in Nature Communications.

When triple-negative breast cancer grows, the fat cells around it seem to shrink. Researchers have discovered that the cells of these tumors, which are among the deadliest types of breast cancer, build molecular tunnels, called gap junctions, into nearby fat cells. The tumor cells then send instructions that trigger the fat cells to release stores of energy that could feed the cancer.

Blocking the gap junctions stopped tumors from growing.

The findings have immediate clinical implications. Although no one is yet testing drugs that block gap junctions for breast cancer, there are ongoing clinical trials using these drugs for brain cancer.

Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62486-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 11:52am

What happens in the brain when it learns something new

Memories of significant learning experiences—like the first time a driver gets a speeding ticket—are sharp, compared to the recollection of everyday events—like what someone ate for dinner two weeks ago. That's because the human brain is primed to learn from helpful associations.

Researchers have identified specific neural connections that are especially sensitive to this process of learning about causality. The discovery, while seemingly intuitive, could have widespread implications for understanding how humans learn and inform new ways to address learning challenges.

What's happening inside the brain when experiencing something for the first time—and how it decides if it's meaningful—is the subject of new research which focuses on how memory and learning shape the brain. The study is published in the journal Cell Reports.

 Researchers looked at how the connection between two different types of neurons—cells that transmit information to different parts of the brain—changes in response to new learning experiences. They found that the strength of the connection only changed if an experience was meaningful. These neurons are located in the sensory cortex, a part of the brain that other animals—like cows and dogs—have as well. That means that this finding could have a wider significance and help researchers understand how a broad range of animals learn.

Researchers found this change in the brain if something was useful to learn. If there was nothing to learn, there was no change.

This means that somehow the brain can distinguish whether there is a useful association to make, or there is nothing to learn.

The research shows that the brain is primed to learn new important things and that our brains are very sensitive to things that make sense.

 Eunsol Park et al, Somatostatin neurons detect stimulus-reward contingencies to reduce neocortical inhibition during learning, Cell Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115606

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 11:41am

Cancer-associated nerve injury can lead to chronic inflammation and immunotherapy resistance

Cancer cells can break down the protective covers around nerves, causing nerve injury that triggers chronic inflammation, leading to immune exhaustion and eventual resistance to immunotherapy, according to new research .

Tumors can sometimes infiltrate the space around nerves and nervous system fibers that are in close proximity, a process known as perineural invasion, which leads to poor prognosis and treatment escalation in various cancer types. 

The study, published today in Nature, underscores the importance of investigating interactions between cancer and the nervous system—a field known as cancer neuroscience. The results suggest that targeting the signaling pathways involved can reverse this inflammation and improve treatment responses.

These findings uncover novel mechanisms by which the immune system and nerves within the tumor microenvironment interact, revealing actionable targets that could transform the way we approach resistance to immunotherapy in patients with cancer.

 Baruch, E.N. et al, Cancer-induced nerve injury promotes resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09370-8 www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09370-8

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 10:39am

Brain scans reveal action-based organization in people born without hands

Conventional wisdom among neuroscientists suggests that the brain's motor functions are organized around the body, meaning certain brain areas control the hand; others the foot. An emerging alternative theory is that parts of the brain may be organized by the types of action, like reaching or using tools, no matter which body part is used to complete the task.

Researchers  recently set out to understand these theories, because knowing how the brain is organized around function versus body part has profound implications for rehabilitation and a person's return to function following a brain injury.

The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The work is titled "Action-type mapping principles extend beyond evolutionarily-conserved actions, even in people born without hands."

If motor control is partly based on actions rather than body parts, it's possible the brain can use this flexibility to compensate for the loss of specific limbs.

To gain a deeper understanding of the emerging theory, neuroscientists conducted a novel study with volunteers who were born without hands, and instead use their feet for everyday tasks with and without tools.

Using fMRI brain scans, the researchers showed that in these individuals, brain areas typically involved in hand tool use are still active—even though the individuals were using their feet, not their hands. This finding is consistent with the same action preference for control participants, who perform the action with either their hands or feet.

They  found that some regions in the brain care about the type of action a person is doing and not whether this action was performed with the hand or with the foot.

It appears this organization can arise without typical motor experience, providing evidence for action-type as a core driving factor in motor organization and development.

Interestingly, this was not true for all brain areas.

The primary motor cortex, which is tightly mapped to the body, did not reorganize for foot-based tool use, even in people who have been using tools with their feet their whole lives. This suggests that some brain areas demonstrate more plasticity than others.

Still, the study reveals a kind of brain organization that goes beyond the body—one that is abstract and action-centered, and that develops even without typical experience.

 Florencia Martinez-Addiego et al, Action-type mapping principles extend beyond evolutionarily conserved actions, even in people born without hands, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2503188122

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 10:28am

Saharan bacteria shield themselves with biofilms to survive dust storm journeys

How do living bacteria survive on the surface of dust particles carried by desert storms from the Sahara and Egypt to Israel?

Researchers  discovered that these bacteria can form microscopic biofilms over dust particles. These protective structures shield the bacteria from desiccation, extreme radiation, and severe nutrient scarcity during their atmospheric journey.

The research, published in Communications Earth and Environment, contributes to the growing field of atmospheric microbiology. This discipline explores the survival and activity of microorganisms while in the atmosphere, sometimes over thousands of kilometers, and their impact on global cycles, ecosystems, and human health. These processes significantly impact disease patterns, atmospheric CO₂ levels, plant diseases, and even antibiotic resistance dispersal.

In this study, the researchers successfully isolated and cultured bacteria brought in by dust storms under atmospheric conditions, focusing on beneficial Bacillus strains known for their positive applications in agriculture, construction, and medical probiotics.

The team thinks that natural selection during dust storms favors more innovative bacterial strains—a phenomenon that could potentially enhance their practical applications. This study also expands the traditional soil microbiome concept to include airborne microbial communities, broadening the known repertoire of survival strategies among these remarkable organisms.

Naama Lang-Yona et al, Bacillus biofilm formation and niche adaptation shape long-distance transported dust microbial community, Communications Earth & Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-025-02534-4

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 10:22am

Mitochondria defend cells against infections by competing with pathogens for nutrients

Chronic infections impact a substantial portion of the global population, presenting ongoing challenges to health care systems and compromising patient well-being.

In a new study, researchers have discovered a surprising ally in the fight against infection: the cell's own mitochondria. Best known for providing energy to cells, mitochondria also play a defensive role by competing with pathogens for vital nutrients.

The paper is published in the journal Science.

During infection, mitochondria enter a metabolic tug-of-war with intracellular parasites, like Toxoplasma gondii, battling for access to folate, thereby inhibiting pathogen growth.

This discovery highlights a unique defensive strategy employed by host cells and opens up new possibilities for developing therapies against folate-dependent pathogens, such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium, which cause toxoplasmosis and malaria respectively.

During infection with the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii, researchers observed the activation of the integrated stress response, which rewires mitochondrial metabolism.

This response enhanced mitochondrial activity, leading to increased demand for folate, a critical nutrient for nucleotide synthesis. Consequently, mitochondria limit the parasite's access to folate, curtailing its growth and proliferation. Mice unable to activate this stress response showed faster parasite growth, confirming the pathway's protective role in vivo.

 Tânia Catarina Medeiros et al, Mitochondria protect against an intracellular pathogen by restricting access to folate, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr6326

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on August 21, 2025 at 9:22am

The team also wants to see if epigenetic noise is amplified for wound healing and tissue repair, and whether or not it can be leveraged to reprogram cells to alternate phenotypes for various clinical contexts, including cancer immunotherapy and treating autoimmunity.

It makes sense that to empower an immune system that uses a random process to recognize virtually any entity in the universe, thymic epithelial cells amplify random noise in the genome to ensure the immune system is focused on pathogens and cancers and not its own tissues. It's fighting fire with fire
Sometimes the random background noise can be just as important as the signal.

Thymic epithelial cells amplify epigenetic noise to promote immune tolerance, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09424-x

Part 3

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