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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

The discovery of a tiny RNA molecule and clues to origin of life

One of the greatest mysteries of our planet is how a soup of lifeless chemicals transformed into the first living cell. There are several competing theories about where this happened, from frozen polar ice to superheated hydrothermal vents. But one thing that most scientists agree on is that life could not begin until a molecule appeared that could spontaneously copy itself.

For decades, the RNA World hypothesis has proposed that RNA was that molecule and that it proliferated before the evolution of DNA and proteins. This RNA had to be able to store genetic information and also build things such as new RNA strands.

However, there is a major problem with this school of thought: the RNA molecules (ribozymes) that we know can copy other RNA molecules are large and complex. That means it is highly unlikely they would have formed spontaneously in the primordial soup.

But a new candidate has emerged that might solve this puzzle. In a study published in the journal Science, researchers report the discovery of a small RNA molecule called QT45.

They found it after searching through a vast library of 12 trillion random RNA sequences. They were looking for any snippets of RNA that could act as a polymerase—a molecular builder. When the team found a few promising candidates, they put them through a molecular version of the survival-of-the-fittest test. They challenged them to build longer and longer chains under increasingly tougher conditions. QT45 emerged as the winner.

The scientists then ran experiments in a slushy, salty mixture of ice crystals and liquid to mimic conditions of early Earth. In this lab setting, QT45, which comprises just 45 nucleotides, proved it could act as a polymerase. It built a complementary RNA strand and then used that as a template to create a brand-new copy.

The study shows that the complex functions needed for RNA replication... can all be performed by an RNA motif of just 45 nucleotides.

According to the study authors, if a molecule this tiny is capable of performing complex tasks like building new strands and copying itself, life-starting molecules are likely to be more common.

Edoardo Gianni et al, A small polymerase ribozyme that can synthesize itself and its complementary strand, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt2760

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

To test out the three theories, the researchers put together a series of three psychophysical tasks, which include distance estimation, area size matching, and motion curvature judgment, all near or away from the blind spot. The tasks use colored glasses for dichoptic presentation, which allows for stimuli to be shown to one eye at a time. The study also utilizes eye tracking to ensure accurate fixation and to prevent unintentional stimulation of the blind spot.
The research team also conducted analysis with simulated data of IIT, NREP and AI predictions for their distance estimation task, area size task and motion curvature task. The simulated data showed that IIT predicts spatial warping near the blind spot, while AI and NREP predict little or no distortion, with possible small decreases in precision.

As with most studies, there are potential limitations in interpreting the data when the actual experiments take place. For example, the theories in question predict the direction but not the magnitude of effects, making interpretation challenging.

The team also notes that unexpected results, such as an object appearing larger when it is predicted to appear smaller, may not be easily explained by any theory. Still, studies using the protocol have the potential to address some fundamental questions about how we perceive a seamless world with gaps in sensory input and may even advance the understanding of consciousness.

Clement Abbatecola et al, Protocol for investigating the warping of spatial experience across the blind spot to contrast predictions of the Integrated Information Theory and Predictive Processing accounts of consciousness, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0340593

Part 2

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

Why you hardly notice your blind spot: New tests pit three theories of consciousness

Although humans' visual perception of the world appears complete, our eyes contain a visual blind spot where the optic nerve connects to the retina. Scientists are still uncertain whether the brain fully compensates for the blind spot or if it causes perceptual distortions in spatial experience. A new study protocol, published in PLOS One, seeks to compare different theoretical predictions on how we perceive space from three leading theories of consciousness using carefully controlled experiments.

Predictions from three theories of consciousness

The new protocol focuses on three contrasting theories of consciousness: Integrated Information Theory (IIT), Predictive Processing Active Inference (AI), and Predictive Processing Neurorepresentationalism (NREP). Each of the theories have different predictions about the effects that the blind spot's structural features have on the conscious perception of space, compared to non-blind spot regions.

IIT argues that the quality of spatial consciousness is determined by the composition of a cause-effect structure, and that the perception of space involving the blind spot is altered. On the other hand, AI and NREP argue that perception relies on internal models that reduce prediction errors and that these models adapt to accommodate for the structural deviations resulting from the blind spot. Essentially, this means that perceptual distortions should either appear small or nonexistent in both theories. However, AI and NREP differ in some ways.

"Specifically, NREP posits that lesions of portions of the visual field can have an effect on spatial estimates, but will be largely compensated for by the sensory evidence available from intact portions of the visual field.

According to AI, the quality of spatial experience is determined by the cause-effect structure under a generative model apt for active vision. This model of projective geometry is not the geometry of anatomical projections. Thus, AI proposes that perceptual judgments should not be altered when involving the blind spot, other than possible changes in perceptual uncertainty, due to differences in sensory sampling," the protocol authors explain.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

Organic molecule stores solar energy for years, then releases it as heat on demand

When the sun goes down, solar panels stop working. This is the fundamental hurdle of renewable energy: how to save the sun's power for a rainy day—or a cold night. Chemists have developed a solution that doesn't require bulky batteries or electrical grids. In a paper published in the journal Science, they detail a new material that captures sunlight, stores it within chemical bonds and releases it as heat on demand.

The material, a modified organic molecule called pyrimidone, is the latest advancement in molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage.

To create this molecule, the team looked to a surprising source: DNA. The pyrimidone structure is similar to a component found in DNA that, when exposed to UV light, can undergo reversible structural changes.

By engineering a synthetic version of this structure, the team created a molecule that stores and releases energy reversibly.

Traditional solar panels convert light into electricity; however, most systems convert light into chemical energy. The molecule acts like a mechanical spring: when hit with sunlight, it twists into a strained, high-energy shape. It stays locked in that shape until a trigger—such as a small amount of heat or a catalyst—snaps it back to its relaxed state, releasing the stored energy as heat.

The team's new molecule is a heavy hitter. It boasts an energy density of more than 1.6 megajoules per kilogram. That is roughly double the energy density of a standard lithium-ion battery—which comes in at around 0.9 MJ/kg—and significantly higher than previous generations of optical switches.

Han P. Q. Nguyen et al, Molecular solar thermal energy storage in Dewar pyrimidone beyond 1.6 MJ/kg, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aec6413

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

A feast to the eyes

Intelligence or interest creation? Whatever it is, if it runs in the families, you can have pics like this.

On the left is the legendary physicist Niels Bohr,who received the Nobel Prize in 1922 for his groundbreaking research on the electron shell and quantized energy level.

Right next to him, Aage Niels Bohr (he was drawing numbers on the board ) who later won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1975.

Aage Bohr and his father, Niels, are one of the few father-son pairs to both receive Nobel Prizes in Physics, separated by 53 years.

From 1946, father and son were simultaneously doing research at the Niels Bohr Institute.

The little child in the picture who is quietly coming forward and calculating with his grandfather and father is Thomas Bohr, another legendary physicist of this family.

He is a professor at the Technical University of Denmark and his research on macroscopic fluid dynamic systems is well known.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Fungi flip mattresses into useful materials
Material from discarded mattresses can be upcycled into fire-resistant insulation with the help of a fungus. Researchers mixed polyurethane foam from mattresses into a nutrient-rich liquid and added spores of the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. The fungus produced deposits of calcium carbonate as it grew, which meshed with the foam to form a lightweight material that could withstand temperatures up to around 1000 °C. Through natural biological processes, we can give this waste a second life.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-30954-x?utm_source=Live+...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

AI is distorting online research, from polls to public policy
AI systems can now convincingly simulate human responses in online surveys and polls, undermining the reliability of survey-based research and public policy data. Traditional safeguards like CAPTCHAs and attention checks are increasingly ineffective. New strategies, including behavioural analysis and tasks exploiting human error patterns, are needed to maintain data integrity as AI advances.

Folco Panizza et al, How to deal with the survey-taking AI agents that threaten to upend social science, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-026-00386-2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Traffic noise linked to higher cholesterol and lipid levels in blood
Long-term exposure to nighttime road traffic noise above 50–55 dB is associated with higher blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and other lipid-related metabolites, which are established risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. These metabolic changes show a clear exposure-response pattern, suggesting that reducing nighttime noise could benefit public health.

Yiyan He et al, Metabolic profiles of nighttime road traffic noise exposure: A multi-cohort study in the European LongITools project, Environmental Research (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.123887

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Scientists discover new gatekeeper cell in the brain
A previously unidentified population of base barrier cells has been found at the base of the choroid plexus, forming a tight junction-based barrier that compartmentalizes the brain, choroid plexus, and cerebrospinal fluid. This barrier restricts molecular movement under healthy conditions but becomes vulnerable during systemic inflammation, potentially allowing harmful substances into the brain. These cells are present in both mice and humans.

Daan Verhaege et al, Base barrier cells provide compartmentalization of choroid plexus, brain and CSF, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02188-7

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

Cholesterol crystals may trigger some liver disease
Cholesterol crystals in the liver can increase tissue stiffness early in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), preceding fibrosis. This process may contribute to disease progression and could help identify individuals at higher risk for severe liver damage. Non-invasive detection methods and cholesterol-lowering treatments may offer new avenues for early intervention.

David Li et al, Cholesterol-containing lipid crystals can directly stiffen the rat steatotic liver before fibrosis, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2518060123

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