Scientists build whole-Earth simulation to help find life on other planets

A whole-Earth model simulated 5 billion years of chemical exchange among the core, mantle, crust, surface and atmosphere without life, reproducing 19 planetary properties. Adaptable to rocky exoplanets, it provides a baseline for assessing whether observed atmospheres can arise without biological activity.

Samantha Gilbert-Janizek et al., A Whole-planet Model of the Earth without Life for Terrestrial Exoplanet Studies, The Planetary Science Journal (2026). DOI: 10.3847/psj/ae9d79

Now I can proudly say, I did my PhD before the technology arrived. My PhD is genuine !

Engineered probiotic senses inflammation and helps repair the gut in mice

Inflammatory bowel disease damages the lining that separates the gut's contents from the rest of the body. Calming the inflammation is only part of the treatment challenge, however—that protective barrier also needs to heal.
Researchers have engineered a probiotic bacterium that uses the chemical signs of inflammation to switch on production of a protein that encourages intestinal repair. Given orally to mice with chemically induced colitis, the bacteria both reduced tissue damage and promoted recovery of the gut lining.
The researchers describe their approach in the journal Cell Reports. Their experiments connect two promising treatment pathways of detecting an inflamed gut and delivering a repair signal in response.

Yu Zhao et al., An engineered probiotic for diagnosis and mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease, Cell Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.118171