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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 11:01am

Mimicry: Masquerading moth deploys specialized nanostructures to evade predators

Researchers found the forewings of the fruit-sucking moth (Eudocima aurantia) have the appearance of a crumpled leaf—but are in fact flat.

They  published their research in Current Biology  this week.

They found the moth mimics the 3D shape and coloration of a leaf using specialized nanostructures on its wings. These nanostructures create a shiny wing surface that mimics the highlights found on a smooth, curved leaf surface.

Structural and pigmentary coloration produces a leaf-like brown color, with the moth exploiting thin-film reflectors to produce directional reflections—producing the illusion of a 3D leaf shape.

It is intriguing that the nanostructures which produce shininess only occur on the parts of the wing that would be curved if the wing was a leaf. 

This suggests that moths are exploiting the way predators perceive 3D shapes to improve their camouflage, which is very impressive.

What is remarkable about this moth, however, is that it is creating the appearance of a three-dimensional object despite being almost completely flat. 

This mimicry likely serves as a camouflage strategy, fooling predators into misidentifying the moth as an inedible object.

Jennifer L. Kelley et al, A leaf-mimicking moth uses nanostructures to create 3D leaf shape appearance, Current Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.029. www.cell.com/current-biology/f … 0960-9822(25)00059-4

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 10:34am

This research offers a new perspective on how molecular evolution might have unfolded on early Earth.
By demonstrating that chemical systems can self-organize and evolve in structured ways, this work provides experimental evidence that may help bridge the gap between prebiotic chemistry and the emergence of biological molecules.
Beyond its relevance to origins-of-life research, the study's findings may have broader applications in synthetic biology and nanotechnology. Controlled chemical evolution could be harnessed to design new molecular systems with specific properties, potentially leading to innovations in materials science, drug development, and biotechnology.

Evolution of Complex Chemical Mixtures Reveals Combinatorial Compression and Population Synchronicity, Nature Chemistry (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01734-x

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 10:31am

Earth's early cycles shaped the chemistry of life

How did non-living chemicals become bio-chemicals on early Earth? This is the question most people ask.

A new study explores how complex chemical mixtures change under shifting environmental conditions, shedding light on the prebiotic processes that may have led to life. By exposing organic molecules to repeated wet-dry cycles, researchers observed continuous transformation, selective organization, and synchronized population dynamics.

Their findings, appearing in Nature Chemistry, suggest that environmental factors played a key role in shaping the molecular complexity needed for life to emerge.

To simulate early Earth, the team subjected chemical mixtures to repeated wet-dry cycles. Rather than reacting randomly, the molecules organized themselves, evolved over time, and followed predictable patterns.

This challenges the idea that early chemical evolution was chaotic. Instead, the study suggests that natural environmental fluctuations helped guide the formation of increasingly complex molecules, eventually leading to life's fundamental building blocks.

The new work investigates how chemical mixtures evolve over time, illuminating potential mechanisms that contributed to the emergence of life on Earth.

The research examines how chemical systems can undergo continuous transformation while maintaining structured evolution, offering new insights into the origins of biological complexity.

Chemical evolution refers to the gradual transformation of molecules in prebiotic conditions, a key process in understanding how life may have arisen from non-living matter. While much research has focused on individual chemical reactions that could lead to biological molecules, this study establishes an experimental model to explore how entire chemical systems evolve when exposed to environmental changes.

The researchers used mixtures containing organic molecules with diverse functional groups, including carboxylic acids, amines, thiols, and hydroxyls.

By subjecting these mixtures to repeated wet-dry cycles—conditions that mimic the environmental fluctuations of early Earth—the study identified three key findings: chemical systems can continuously evolve without reaching equilibrium, avoid uncontrolled complexity through selective chemical pathways, and exhibit synchronized population dynamics among different molecular species.

These observations suggest that prebiotic environments may have played an active role in shaping the molecular diversity that eventually led to life.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 9:36am

Engineered animals show new way to fight mercury pollution

Scientists have found an effective new way to clean up methylmercury, one of the world's most dangerous pollutants, which often builds up in our food and environment because of industrial activities such as illegal gold mining and burning coal. The discovery, published in Nature Communications on 12 February 2025, could lead to new ways of engineering animals to protect both wildlife and human health.

The researchers  have successfully genetically modified fruit flies and zebrafish to transform methylmercury into a far less harmful gas that disperses in air.

So we  can now use synthetic biology to convert the most environmentally harmful form of mercury and evaporate it out of an animal!

Methylmercury causes environmental harm due to its high bioavailability and poor excretion: it can easily cross the digestive tract, the blood-brain barrier, and the placenta and becomes increasingly concentrated as it moves up through food webs to levels that can cause harm to neural and reproductive health.

The research team modified the DNA of fruit flies and zebrafish by inserting variants of genes from bacteria to make two enzymes that together can convert methylmercury to elemental mercury, which evaporates from the animals as a gas.

When they tested the modified animals, they found that not only did they have less than half as much mercury in their bodies, but the majority of the mercury was in a much less bioavailable form than methylmercury.

The researchers included safety measures to ensure the modified organisms cannot spread uncontrollably in nature, and they also highlight the need for regulatory control for any real-world use.

Methylmercury demethylation and volatilization by animals expressing microbial enzymes, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56145-w

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 9:18am

To rule out alternative explanations for the behavior, researchers tested whether dunking functioned as soaking, cleaning, food transport, or tool use. Cockatoos left food in yogurt for an average of 3.2 seconds, significantly shorter than the 22.9 seconds previously observed for water-soaking behavior.

The absence of dunking in water, combined with eating the food with yogurt rather than licking it off, supported the interpretation that dunking was intended for flavoring. A separate test for color preference between yogurts found no significant difference in selection, indicating that dunking choices were based on flavor rather than visual cues.

Food preference testing further revealed that the birds preferred the combination of noodles and blueberry yogurt over noodles or yogurt alone. The potatoes were acceptable without flavoring.

This study provides the first experimental evidence of food flavoring behavior outside the primate lineage. While the cognitive mechanisms behind the innovation remain unclear, researchers note that Goffin's cockatoos demonstrate high cognitive abilities, including problem-solving and sequential planning.

Jeroen Stephan Zewald et al, Innovative flavoring behavior in Goffin's cockatoos, Current Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.002

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2025 at 9:18am

Cockatoos prefer their noodles dunked in blueberry yogurt: First evidence of non-primate food flavoring behaviour

 Researchers are reporting that Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana) engage in food flavoring behaviour by dunking food into soy yogurt. Experimentally controlled tests have confirmed that the birds selectively dipped food in flavored yogurt rather than neutral alternatives, ruling out alternative explanations such as soaking or cleaning.

Dunking behavior in non-human animals is considered a foraging innovation. It is typically associated with softening dry food, cleaning, flavoring, drowning prey, or transporting liquid.

Prior research has documented various species engaging in dunking, though reports on food flavoring behavior are rare.

Previously, members of the same group of cockatoos exhibited innovative dunking behavior to soak dry food.

The observations that led to the study titled "Innovative Flavoring Behavior in Goffin's Cockatoos," published in Current Biology, began when two cockatoos were seen dunking cooked potato pieces into blueberry-flavored soy yogurt.

To systematically investigate this behavior, researchers conducted 14 30-minute observations during breakfast sessions. Eighteen cockatoos were given access to a food bowl containing potatoes or noodles, along with three dunking mediums: freshwater, blueberry-flavored soy yogurt, and neutral soy yogurt.

Nine out of 18 cockatoos engaged in dunking, preferring noodles over potatoes (an average of 12 times per bird vs. 6 times per bird).

Statistical analysis showed that food was dunked in blueberry yogurt over two times more often than neutral yogurt, while no food was dunked in water. The birds also preferred directly eating blueberry yogurt over the neutral variety.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 12, 2025 at 1:05pm

Rising pollen levels linked to increased mortality in older adults

As climate change intensifies pollen seasons across some regions, new research  reveals a connection between pollen exposure and death rates among older adults with breathing problems.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, shows that high pollen days aren't just an inconvenience for allergy sufferers—they could pose serious health risks for vulnerable populations. With pollen seasons growing longer and more intense, understanding these risks has become increasingly urgent for public health officials and health care providers.

The study found that high levels of certain pollen, particularly from deciduous trees and ragweed, were linked to increased risk of death from breathing problems. The effects could last up to two weeks after exposure.

The findings suggest that exposure to certain types of pollen can increase the risk of death from breathing-related problems, particularly for people with chronic conditions. This is especially concerning given expectations that climate change will exacerbate the severity of pollen seasons in coming years.

The researchers looked at four types of pollen: deciduous tree pollen from trees that lose their leaves, evergreen tree pollen, grass pollen and ragweed pollen.

While not everyone is equally sensitive to pollen, the findings highlight the importance of tracking pollen levels and taking precautions during high pollen days, especially for older adults with breathing problems, the researchers say. And, they add, with predicted climate change, preparing for the risks will be increasingly important for public health.

 Peter S. Larson et al, Chronic and infectious respiratory mortality and short-term exposures to four types of pollen taxa in older adults in Michigan, 2006-2017, BMC Public Health (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-21386-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 12, 2025 at 1:01pm

Method to measure blood-brain barrier permeability accurately developed

For decades, scientists across the globe have investigated methods to accurately measure drug permeability across the blood-brain barrier, a compact layer of cells that protect the brain from potentially dangerous substances and microbes. They struggled with a number of parameters, such as blood flow and binding to plasma proteins, which were shown to impact permeability in different ways.

In research published in the December 2024 issue of Fluids and Barriers of the CNS ("Brain endothelial permeability, transport and flow assessed over 10 orders of magnitude using the in situ brain perfusion technique"), researchers  sought to reconcile discrepancies in the field and provide accurate methods for measuring permeability over a very broad range spanning from poorly crossing polar compounds (compounds with a positive or negative charge) to rapidly crossing approved central nervous system (CNS) clinical drugs.

The project team evaluated 120 compounds, revealing that many current CNS drugs permeate the barrier and equilibrate in the brain in less than 10 minutes. The findings challenged previous literature and demonstrated that the equilibration rate for a significant number of CNS drugs is much greater than previously realized.

The researchers showed that many of the drugs that are used and approved for CNS uptake go into the brain quite well. A good number of agents in the benzodiazepine, antidepressant, antipsychotic, stimulant and antiepileptic drugs go in as quickly as the blood flow can deliver them. It's amazingly rapid. For such agents, we had to have extremely accurate measurement of cerebral blood flow.

The project also highlighted the role of plasma proteins which, for many lipophilic agents can serve an additional brain delivery role beyond that of free drug in plasma. In effect, plasma-bound drugs can dissociate to maintain the intervascular free drug concentration, which otherwise would show rapid depletion under conditions of higher extraction (50–99%). 

 Quentin R. Smith et al, Brain endothelial permeability, transport, and flow assessed over 10 orders of magnitude using the in situ brain perfusion technique, Fluids and Barriers of the CNS (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s12987-024-00584-y

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 12, 2025 at 12:55pm

Climate change may be delaying births, suggests study

New  research has found exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy, offering new insights into the impact of climate change on maternal health.

Published in Urban Climate, the study is titled "Maternal climate-related exposures and prolonged pregnancy: Findings from a statewide population-based cohort study in Western Australia."

The study analyzed data from nearly 400,000 births in Western Australia and found that higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM_2.5) and biothermal stress (a measure that combines air temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and human physiology) was associated with pregnancies lasting beyond 41 weeks.

While climate exposure has long been linked to preterm births, this is the first study to examine its impact on prolonged pregnancies.

These  findings show that exposure to air pollution and biothermal stress during pregnancy increases the likelihood of prolonged pregnancies, particularly among mothers over 35 years old, first-time mothers, those living in urban areas, and those with complicated pregnancies.

"Environmental stressors, including climate-related exposures during pregnancy, have been associated with maternal stress response and subsequent disruptions in endocrine and inflammatory activities, which increase towards the end of pregnancy. This can either shorten gestation, leading to preterm birth, or lengthen gestation, resulting in prolonged pregnancy in some cases."

 Prolonged pregnancy can have serious health implications for both mother and baby, including the need for medical interventions such as labor induction or cesarean sections, increased risk of stillbirth, birth complications, child mortality, early childhood behavioral and emotional problems, and emotional impacts on families.

This study highlights the need for targeted policies and preventative measures to reduce climate-related health risks, including better air quality regulations and public health initiatives aimed at protecting expectant mothers and children from extreme climatic conditions.

Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu et al, Maternal climate-related exposures and prolonged pregnancy: Findings from a statewide population-based cohort study in Western Australia, Urban Climate (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.uclim.2025.102316

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 12, 2025 at 12:37pm

The secret behind sharp vision: New research reveals the benefits of tiny eye movements

Even when we think we are holding our gaze perfectly still, our eyes make tiny, involuntary movements. While these "fixational eye movements" might seem like they would blur our vision, new research reveals they actually help us see fine details more clearly.

In a study combining theoretical modeling and human experiments,  researchers and their collaborators  have uncovered how these microscopic eye movements enhance rather than impair our visual acuity.

Using advanced eye-tracking technology and computational models, the team demonstrated that these movements help our retinas process visual information more effectively. Their paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It is a fascinating paradox, say the researchers. These constant, tiny movements of our eyes might appear to make our vision less precise, but they actually optimize the way our retinas encode visual information. We found that humans naturally maintain these movements within a nearly perfect range for enhanced visual acuity.

The researchers found that these movements help by 'refreshing' the content of our visual receptors while maintaining an optimal balance between motion and stability. They also found that in the experiment, the movements adapt to the size of the object shown.

The study was conducted using a sophisticated adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope, allowing researchers to track these minute eye movements with unprecedented precision while participants performed visual tasks. The researchers then combined theoretical modeling with empirical data to link eye movements to retinal neural coding and human behaviour.

Trang-Anh E. Nghiem et al, Fixational eye movements as active sensation for high visual acuity, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2416266122

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