Comment

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 February 13, 2026 at 1:00pm

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 February 13, 2026 at 12:52pm

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 February 13, 2026 at 12:23pm

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 February 13, 2026 at 11:58am

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 February 13, 2026 at 11:53am

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 February 13, 2026 at 11:51am

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

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2026 at 11:47am

Plants retain a 'genetic memory' of past population crashes, study shows

Plant populations that have experienced past crashes due to human activity retain reduced genetic diversity and increased inbreeding, even after apparent recovery. These genetic effects persist for many generations and are not reflected by current population size alone, highlighting the importance of considering genetic history in conservation planning to ensure long-term resilience.

Researchers have found that plants living in areas where human activity has caused population crashes carry long-lasting genetic traces of that history, such as reduced genetic diversity. Because genetic diversity helps species adapt to climate change, disease, and other stresses, the study suggests it is vital to consider a population's history-influenced genetics alongside its size and habitat in conservation planning.

Two populations may look equally healthy on the surface, yet one may be far more vulnerable to future environmental change because it lacks genetic diversity and consists of individuals with poorly mixed genetic material. This can impede evolutionary responses to changing conditions.

Daniel J. Schoen et al, Population genomic signatures of founding events in autonomously self‐fertilizing plants: a test with Impatiens capensis, New Phytologist (2026). DOI: 10.1111/nph.70880

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 13, 2026 at 11:28am

Light-based sensor detects early molecular signs of cancer in the blood

Researchers have developed a highly sensitive light-based sensor that can detect extremely low concentrations of cancer biomarkers in the blood. The new technology could one day make it possible to spot early signs of cancer and other conditions using a simple blood test.

Biomarkers such as proteins, DNA or other molecules can be used to reveal the presence, progression or risk of cancer and other diseases. However, one of the main challenges in early disease diagnosis is the extremely low concentration of biomarkers present at the onset.

The new sensor developed now combines nanostructures made of DNA with quantum dots and CRISPR gene editing technology to detect faint biomarker signals using a light-based approach known as second harmonic generation (SHG).

This approach could help make disease treatments simpler, potentially improve survival rates and lower overall health care costs.

Wenbo Du et al, Sub-Attomolar-Level Biosensing of Cancer Biomarkers Using SHG Modulation in DNA-Programmable Quantum Dots/MoS2 Disordered Metasurfaces, Optica (2026). DOI: 10.1364/optica.577416

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• …
• 1191
• Next ›
• Page