Science, Art, Litt, Science based Art & Science Communication
JAI VIGNAN
All about Science - to remove misconceptions and encourage scientific temper
Communicating science to the common people
'To make them see the world differently through the beautiful lense of science'
Members: 22
Latest Activity: 5 hours ago
WE LOVE SCIENCE HERE BECAUSE IT IS A MANY SPLENDOURED THING
THIS IS A WAR ZONE WHERE SCIENCE FIGHTS WITH NONSENSE AND WINS
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”
"Being a scientist is a state of mind, not a profession!"
"Science, when it's done right, can yield amazing things".
The Reach of Scientific Research From Labs to Laymen
The aim of science is not only to open a door to infinite knowledge and wisdom but to set a limit to infinite error.
"Knowledge is a Superpower but the irony is you cannot get enough of it with ever increasing data base unless you try to keep up with it constantly and in the right way!" The best education comes from learning from people who know what they are exactly talking about.
Science is this glorious adventure into the unknown, the opportunity to discover things that nobody knew before. And that’s just an experience that’s not to be missed. But it’s also a motivated effort to try to help humankind. And maybe that’s just by increasing human knowledge—because that’s a way to make us a nobler species.
If you are scientifically literate the world looks very different to you.
We do science and science communication not because they are easy but because they are difficult!
“Science is not a subject you studied in school. It’s life. We 're brought into existence by it!"
Links to some important articles :
1. Interactive science series...
a. how-to-do-research-and-write-research-papers-part 13
b. Some Qs people asked me on science and my replies to them...
Part 6, part-10, part-11, part-12, part 14 , part- 8,
part- 1, part-2, part-4, part-5, part-16, part-17, part-18 , part-19 , part-20
part-21 , part-22, part-23, part-24, part-25, part-26, part-27 , part-28
part-29, part-30, part-31, part-32, part-33, part-34, part-35, part-36, part-37,
part-38, part-40, part-41, part-42, part-43, part-44, part-45, part-46, part-47
Part 48, part49, Critical thinking -part 50 , part -51, part-52, part-53
part-54, part-55, part-57, part-58, part-59, part-60, part-61, part-62, part-63
part 64, part-65, part-66, part-67, part-68, part 69, part-70 part-71, part-73 ...
.......306
BP variations during pregnancy part-72
who is responsible for the gender of their children - a man or a woman -part-56
c. some-questions-people-asked-me-on-science-based-on-my-art-and-poems -part-7
d. science-s-rules-are-unyielding-they-will-not-be-bent-for-anybody-part-3-
e. debate-between-scientists-and-people-who-practice-and-propagate-pseudo-science - part -9
f. why astrology is pseudo-science part 15
g. How Science is demolishing patriarchal ideas - part-39
2. in-defence-of-mangalyaan-why-even-developing-countries-like-india need space research programmes
3. Science communication series:
a. science-communication - part 1
b. how-scienitsts-should-communicate-with-laymen - part 2
c. main-challenges-of-science-communication-and-how-to-overcome-them - part 3
d. the-importance-of-science-communication-through-art- part 4
e. why-science-communication-is-geting worse - part 5
f. why-science-journalism-is-not-taken-seriously-in-this-part-of-the-world - part 6
g. blogs-the-best-bet-to-communicate-science-by-scientists- part 7
h. why-it-is-difficult-for-scientists-to-debate-controversial-issues - part 8
i. science-writers-and-communicators-where-are-you - part 9
j. shooting-the-messengers-for-a-different-reason-for-conveying-the- part 10
k. why-is-science-journalism-different-from-other-forms-of-journalism - part 11
l. golden-rules-of-science-communication- Part 12
m. science-writers-should-develop-a-broader-view-to-put-things-in-th - part 13
n. an-informed-patient-is-the-most-cooperative-one -part 14
o. the-risks-scientists-will-have-to-face-while-communicating-science - part 15
p. the-most-difficult-part-of-science-communication - part 16
q. clarity-on-who-you-are-writing-for-is-important-before-sitting-to write a science story - part 17
r. science-communicators-get-thick-skinned-to-communicate-science-without-any-bias - part 18
s. is-post-truth-another-name-for-science-communication-failure?
t. why-is-it-difficult-for-scientists-to-have-high-eqs
u. art-and-literature-as-effective-aids-in-science-communication-and teaching
v.* some-qs-people-asked-me-on-science communication-and-my-replies-to-them
** qs-people-asked-me-on-science-and-my-replies-to-them-part-173
w. why-motivated-perception-influences-your-understanding-of-science
x. science-communication-in-uncertain-times
y. sci-com: why-keep-a-dog-and-bark-yourself
z. How to deal with sci com dilemmas?
A+. sci-com-what-makes-a-story-news-worthy-in-science
B+. is-a-perfect-language-important-in-writing-science-stories
C+. sci-com-how-much-entertainment-is-too-much-while-communicating-sc
D+. sci-com-why-can-t-everybody-understand-science-in-the-same-way
E+. how-to-successfully-negotiate-the-science-communication-maze
4. Health related topics:
a. why-antibiotic-resistance-is-increasing-and-how-scientists-are-tr
b. what-might-happen-when-you-take-lots-of-medicines
c. know-your-cesarean-facts-ladies
d. right-facts-about-menstruation
e. answer-to-the-question-why-on-big-c
f. how-scientists-are-identifying-new-preventive-measures-and-cures-
g. what-if-little-creatures-high-jack-your-brain-and-try-to-control-
h. who-knows-better?
k. can-rust-from-old-drinking-water-pipes-cause-health-problems
l. pvc-and-cpvc-pipes-should-not-be-used-for-drinking-water-supply
m. melioidosis
o. desensitization-and-transplant-success-story
p. do-you-think-the-medicines-you-are-taking-are-perfectly-alright-then revisit your position!
q. swine-flu-the-difficlulties-we-still-face-while-tackling-the-outb
r. dump-this-useless-information-into-a-garbage-bin-if-you-really-care about evidence based medicine
s. don-t-ignore-these-head-injuries
u. allergic- agony-caused-by-caterpillars-and-moths
General science:
a.why-do-water-bodies-suddenly-change-colour
b. don-t-knock-down-your-own-life-line
c. the-most-menacing-animal-in-the-world
d. how-exo-planets-are-detected
e. the-importance-of-earth-s-magnetic-field
f. saving-tigers-from-extinction-is-still-a-travail
g. the-importance-of-snakes-in-our-eco-systems
h. understanding-reverse-osmosis
i. the-importance-of-microbiomes
j. crispr-cas9-gene-editing-technique-a-boon-to-fixing-defective-gen
k. biomimicry-a-solution-to-some-of-our-problems
5. the-dilemmas-scientists-face
6. why-we-get-contradictory-reports-in-science
7. be-alert-pseudo-science-and-anti-science-are-on-prowl
8. science-will-answer-your-questions-and-solve-your-problems
9. how-science-debunks-baseless-beliefs
10. climate-science-and-its-relevance
11. the-road-to-a-healthy-life
12. relative-truth-about-gm-crops-and-foods
13. intuition-based-work-is-bad-science
14. how-science-explains-near-death-experiences
15. just-studies-are-different-from-thorough-scientific-research
16. lab-scientists-versus-internet-scientists
17. can-you-challenge-science?
18. the-myth-of-ritual-working
19.science-and-superstitions-how-rational-thinking-can-make-you-work-better
20. comets-are-not-harmful-or-bad-omens-so-enjoy-the-clestial-shows
21. explanation-of-mysterious-lights-during-earthquakes
22. science-can-tell-what-constitutes-the-beauty-of-a-rose
23. what-lessons-can-science-learn-from-tragedies-like-these
24. the-specific-traits-of-a-scientific-mind
25. science-and-the-paranormal
26. are-these-inventions-and-discoveries-really-accidental-and-intuitive like the journalists say?
27. how-the-brain-of-a-polymath-copes-with-all-the-things-it-does
28. how-to-make-scientific-research-in-india-a-success-story
29. getting-rid-of-plastic-the-natural-way
30. why-some-interesting-things-happen-in-nature
31. real-life-stories-that-proves-how-science-helps-you
32. Science and trust series:
a. how-to-trust-science-stories-a-guide-for-common-man
b. trust-in-science-what-makes-people-waver
c. standing-up-for-science-showing-reasons-why-science-should-be-trusted
You will find the entire list of discussions here: http://kkartlab.in/group/some-science/forum
( Please go through the comments section below to find scientific research reports posted on a daily basis and watch videos based on science)
Get interactive...
Please contact us if you want us to add any information or scientific explanation on any topic that interests you. We will try our level best to give you the right information.
Our mail ID: kkartlabin@gmail.com
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Q: How Big is the universe?Krishna: The total size of the universe is not known, and some scientists think it could be many times larger than the observable portion. For example, one hypothesis…Continue
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Saturday. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Q: Why do some people commit crimes? What does science say about it?Krishna: It is easy to blame people. But did you know that the way your brain wires or rewires because of different situations it…Continue
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa Jun 25. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Cars may be a modern phenomenon, but motion sickness is not. More than 2,000 years ago, the physician …Continue
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa Jun 25. 1 Reply 0 Likes
"De-evolution" or "devolution" is a concept suggesting that species can revert to more primitive forms over time.Some scientists don't accept this concept at all. They say Evolution is a continuous…Continue
Comment
A survey led by researchers has analyzed the association between self-reported social media use and irritability among US adults. Frequent social media use, especially among active posters, was correlated with higher levels of irritability.
Existing studies on social media and mental health predominantly focus on depressive symptoms, with limited attention to other negative emotions such as irritability. Irritability, defined as a tendency toward anger and frustration, has been linked to functional impairments, poorer mental health outcomes, and suicidal behaviours.
While prior research has established connections between social media use and depressive symptoms, the extent to which social media engagement is associated with irritability or its influence on depression and anxiety has remained uncertain.
In the study, "Irritability and Social Media Use in US Adults," published in JAMA Network Open, the research team used data from two waves of the COVID States Project, a nationwide nonprobability web-based survey conducted between November 2, 2023, and January 8, 2024, which included questions about social media use and irritability.
Researchers evaluated the relationship between social media use and irritability by analyzing responses from 42,597 participants using multiple linear regression models.
Part 1
Paralysed man flies virtual drone
Researchers have developed a device that let a 69-year-old man with paralysis fly a virtual drone using only his thoughts. The brain–computer interface (BCI) decoded the man’s brain activity as he imagined moving three groups of digits in real time. By associating neural signals with the movements of multiple fingers, the work builds on previous BCI research, most of which has focused on moving a single computer cursor or whole virtual hand.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00167-3?utm_source=Live+...
However, the only aldolase A inhibitor currently available has so far only been tested experimentally and is not approved as a drug. The Heidelberg team is now testing the substance for its potential in cancer therapy.
It is important to note that even a slight reduction in the activity of aldolase A could be enough to drive cancer cells into the energy trap.
Normal cells should tolerate this because they take up smaller amounts of glucose and produce less energy-rich fructose bisphosphate. The Warburg effect is therefore a weak point of cancer cells that makes them more sensitive to a blockade of aldolase A.
The results show how a deeper understanding of tumor metabolism can enable innovative approaches to cancer treatment. These findings could pave the way for new, highly specific therapies that target the weaknesses of cancer metabolism while sparing healthy cells.
Marteinn T. Snaebjornsson et al, Targeting aldolase A in hepatocellular carcinoma leads to imbalanced glycolysis and energy stress due to uncontrolled FBP accumulation, Nature Metabolism (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01201-w
Part 2
Glycolysis is a central metabolic pathway by which cells obtain energy from sugar. Cancer cells in particular have long been thought to depend on the energy obtained through glycolysis, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. Today we know that cancer cells can use energy sources more flexibly than previously thought. Even when glycolysis is blocked, they survive by obtaining their energy through the respiratory chain.
This makes results published by Almut Schulze and colleagues from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) all the more surprising: When the researchers blocked the enzyme aldolase A, which catalyzes an important step in glycolysis, liver cancer cells experienced "energy stress" and ceased their division activity. The team demonstrated this both in mouse liver cancer cells and in several human cancer cell lines.
The findings are published in the journal Nature Metabolism.
However, when the researchers blocked an earlier step in glycolysis, the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, this had no effect on the growth of the cancer cells.
The glycolytic enzyme aldolase is essential for liver cancer cells, although the glycolytic pathway itself is apparently dispensable.
At first glance, the result seems surprising, since the enzyme blockade inhibits the sugar degradation pathway in both cases. However, a closer look at the biochemical steps of glycolysis provides clarity: The metabolic pathway, which involves many reactions, is divided into two parts. First, the cell has to invest energy to generate the highly energetic intermediate fructose-bisphosphate.
This is where aldolase A comes in. If it is switched off, fructose bisphosphate accumulates in the cell, and the energy bound in it remains unused, trapped as it is. The cell cannot reap the energy profit from the steps that would normally follow. Glycolysis has reversed from an energy-producing to an energy-consuming process. What's more, the lack of energy further stimulates the production of fructose bisphosphate, creating a vicious circle.
Sooner or later, this leads to energy consumption exceeding energy production. In liver cancer cells, this results in a massive energy deficiency, the cell cycle is stopped and tumor growth is inhibited. The team also demonstrated this in liver cancer-bearing mice: If the animals' aldolase A was genetically switched off, the cancer growth was reduced and the mice survived significantly longer.
By switching off Aldolase A, we can overcome the metabolic plasticity of cancer cells. We not only block energy production through glycolysis, but also prevent the cell from switching to other metabolic pathways, because the energy is trapped in the fructose bisphosphate. Targeted inhibition of aldolase A could therefore be a promising strategy for combating cancer cells.
Part 1
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers. Only 12% of men diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are alive five years after diagnosis; for women it is 14%.
In pancreatic cancer, symptoms are unclear and often emerge late in its progression. It is difficult to treat once the cancer has spread, as it cannot be removed completely with surgery.
Now researchers have made significant advances in developing a treatment for pancreatic cancer and a new study published in Science Advances depicts how it is done. The study is based on the ADC (antibody drug conjugates) technique, which is being used to treat other types of cancers.
This study shows promising results with a new type of drug that can fight the cancer on several fronts. The treatment directly kills the cancer cells and the support cells that the cancer uses to grow and shield itself.
By targeting the support cells, the treatment also releases toxins that can kill neighboring cancer cells. Additionally, destroying the support cells weakens the tumor structure, making it easier for the body's immune system to attack and eliminate it.
The ADC consists of three main components: an antibody, a chemical linker that ties the antibody to the drug, and a strong chemotherapeutic drug. Once the ADC has located and entered the cancer cell, the linker decomposes, activating the chemotherapy and killing the cancer cell from the inside. This Trojan horse strategy offers targeted treatment without affecting the healthy cells.
Because ADC treatment is extremely accurate and causes minimal damage to healthy cells, it is a likely candidate for treatment of the more difficult cancers.
As part of the process, the researchers have humanized the ADC antibody, which means that we have changed its structure to resemble antibodies naturally occurring in the human body. This adjustment ensures that the body's immune system does not recognize the antibody as foreign and attack it. Humanization is a critical step in making the treatment both safe and effective for patients and represents a key milestone on the path towards clinical trials.
The researchers are now working to further develop the drug and get it ready for clinical testing on humans with pancreatic cancer.
Virginia Metrangolo et al, Targeting uPAR with an antibody-drug conjugate suppresses tumor growth and reshapes the immune landscape in pancreatic cancer models, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq0513
Some of the body's cells stay put for life, while others are free to roam. To move, these migratory cells rely on filopodia—sensitive, finger-like protrusions that reach out from the cell membrane into the local environment. In a healthy cell, this can be a lifesaver: say, when an immune cell is speeding to the site of an infection. But filopodia can also wreak havoc: metastatic cancer cells use them to invade new regions of the body.
Filopodia are composed of hexagonal bundles of proteins that give them structure and strength. How these intricate bundles come together has been a puzzle for more than 40 years. A major piece of that puzzle has now been solved by Rockefeller University's Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, which developed advanced imaging technology to reveal how underlying proteins build these cohesive assemblies.
The findings, published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, may improve some cancer treatments already in development, as understanding the structure of filopodia and the changes they undergo may help to refine these therapies or inspire new ones.
The study marks the first time such a complex higher-order protein assembly has been imaged at the atomic level—a technological advance that other scientists can now use to study similarly complex configurations.
Rui Gong et al, Fascin structural plasticity mediates flexible actin bundle construction, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01477-2
While slurping oysters is not likely to replace popping a pill, they could help in the fight against superbugs. A groundbreaking find by researchers has shown oysters might be able to help treat a growing worldwide public health problem: antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In a study published in PLOS ONE, the researchers demonstrate a protein in the blood, or hemolymph, of a Sydney Rock Oyster not only kills bacteria but increases the effectiveness of some conventional antibiotics against a range of clinically important bacteria.
This new research supports the potential use of natural products from oysters to treat bacterial infections. Importantly, the oyster hemolymph proteins were not toxic to human lung cells, suggesting it should be possible to optimize a safe, effective dose.
Antimicrobial proteins from oyster hemolymph improve the efficacy of conventional antibiotics, PLOS ONE (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312305. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti … journal.pone.0312305
**
Scientists have created the world's first fully 3D printed microscope in under three hours and for less than £50—a fraction of the cost of traditional devices.
Using a publicly available design from the website OpenFlexure the scientists produced the microscope's frame—and clear plastic lenses they designed themselves—using low-cost, accessible 3D printers.
The microscope was completed by adding a shop-bought camera and a light, with the whole device controlled by a Raspberry Pi computer processor.
The researchers have presented their results in a paper submitted for publication in the Journal of Microscopy which is currently in pre-print on the server bioRxiv ahead of publication following peer review.
To test the imaging performance of the system, the scientists used standard test samples: a stained blood smear and a stained, thin section of mouse kidney. The microscope demonstrated sub-cellular resolution, clearly imaging individual red blood cells and detailed structures in the kidney sample.
This opens the doors to democratized access, rapid prototyping, and bespoke design of microscopes and optics at a fraction of the price of traditional microscopes. It could help scientists and medics in low-income countries around the world, as well as enabling students to learn more about science through accessible, cheap kit.
Jay Christopher et al, A fully 3D-printed optical microscope for low-cost histological imaging, bioRxiv (2024). DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.16.628684
While manganese is an essential mineral involved in many bodily functions, both deficiency and excessive exposure can cause health issues. Maintaining a balanced diet typically provides sufficient manganese for most individuals; however, high levels of exposure can be toxic, particularly to the central nervous system.
Chronic manganese exposure may result in a condition known as manganism, characterized by symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease, including tremors, muscle stiffness, and cognitive disturbances.
New research published in Science Signaling employs model systems and human nerve cells to show the mechanisms by which manganese inflicts damage to the central nervous system. The study also suggests that the vitamin biotin may have a protective effect, potentially mitigating manganese-induced damage.
Exposure to neurotoxic metals like manganese has been linked to the development of Parkinsonism. In this study, researchers applied untargeted metabolomics using high-resolution mass spectrometry and advanced cheminformatics computing in a newly developed model of parkinsonism, leading them to the discovery of biotin metabolism as a modifier in manganese-induced neurodegeneration.
Chronic occupational and environmental exposure to manganese, commonly from welding fumes and some sources of rural drinking water, increases the risk of Parkinsonian syndrome, which involves similar but distinct neurological symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Manganese has been previously shown to bind with the protein alpha-synuclein, causing it to misfold and accumulate in the brain.
Using the fruit fly Drosophila, researchers developed a model that mimics occupational manganese exposure in humans and found that manganese induced motor deficits, mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction, neuronal loss, and reduced lifespan in flies.
The team validated these findings using human dopaminergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and demonstrated that manganese exposure selectively damages these cells. The loss of dopamine-producing cells is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonian syndrome.
The research indicates that B vitamin biotin, a micronutrient synthesized by gut bacteria, enhances dopamine production in the brain. Biotin supplementation reversed neurotoxicity in flies and iPSC-derived neurons, improving mitochondrial function and reducing cell loss.
This finding aligns with a growing scientific recognition that Parkinson's is a multisystem disorder, with early symptoms often emerging in the gut, and that changes in the gut microbiome may contribute to the disease.
"Biotin supplementation shows potential as a therapeutic strategy to mitigate manganese-induced neurodegeneration, and the safety and tolerability of biotin in humans make it a promising candidate for further exploration," say the researchers.
Biotin-rich prebiotics or biotin-producing probiotics could provide non-pharmacological intervention options.
Biotin rescues manganese-induced Parkinson's disease phenotypes and neurotoxicity, Science Signaling (2025). DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adn9868
Further experiments on mice revealed that shortly after conception, more methyl groups appear on histones near certain genes in uterine fibroblasts. In response, these genes remain inactive, which enables the uterus to support pregnancy.
Over the course of pregnancy, levels of methylation on these histones fade in a slow and steady way, eventually reaching low enough levels that the nearby genes—related to pregnancy events like labor—are activated. This erosion, which does not require KDM6B, functions as a timer.
Essentially, what appears to happen is this timer gets wound up right at the beginning of pregnancy, and then progressively winds down. When histone methylation erodes enough, nearby genes flip on.
When the researchers blocked KDM6B, histones near certain genes accumulated too much methylation early in pregnancy. This increased "setpoint" meant that, despite erosion, these genes were not activated on time, delaying labour.
While the new study did not directly study preterm births, the newly discovered molecular timer could help control pregnancy length in humans.
If the newly studied molecular signals are disrupted in humans, they could be linked to preterm birth risk, his team hypothesizes. For instance, some women could begin pregnancy with lower than usual levels of histone methylation; and this could lead to the erosion of the methylation to turn on labor-related genes too quickly.
KDM6B-dependent epigenetic programming of uterine fibroblasts in early pregnancy regulates parturition timing in mice, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.12.019. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)01432-6
Part 2
© 2025 Created by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Science Simplified! to add comments!