Hello. Welcome to Lab Report! Whether you’re a subscriber reading this in your email inbox, exploring our website to see what we’re all about, or had a super cool friend refer you — we’re happy you’re here.

Our purpose is simple — to bring science to people who want it in a fast, simple and reliable way. Every Monday morning, we’ll have a handful of feature stories (based on studies published in the last week), followed by top headlines in scientific news and ‘In the Microscope’, a deep-dive on a term, topic or subject in science, but without all the jargon.

So, without further ado, welcome to the first edition of Lab Report. Here’s what’s been going on in the world of science…

BIOLOGY

Scientists are learning about shapes with machine learning

Proteins aren’t just a part of your New Year’s resolution diet — they’re essential machinery in the processes that keep living things, well, living. And how they link, fold and interact with one another is a key aspect of biology. But even today, we still struggle to understand how the shape of a protein, or its tertiary structure, relates to what it does.

So what’s new?

There’s a new AI application in town, but it’s no ChatGPT or self-driving car. Researchers have developed a machine learning (ML) model to help us better understand the biophysics of protein structure. Mainly, it can predict the impact of mutations on a protein’s overall stability and its ability to bind to other proteins.

Why’s this important?

Beyond helping scientists better understand how proteins work, this ML model may have big implications in further research, and even medicine. With this tool, we could potentially design brand-new proteins that have specific functions we want...

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300838121

ASTROPHYSICS

Measuring the mass of a black hole from far, far away

In our universe, there's a close connection between the characteristics of the center of galaxies and the mass of the supermassive black hole at their core — suggesting that galaxies and black holes evolve together over time. In a recent study, scientists set out to study this relationship. They were particularly interested in a period 8-12 billion years ago, when both star formation and black hole growth were at their highest.

How did they do it?

The researchers focused on a bright, distant quasar, which is the very energetic and luminous region around a black hole, where gas and dust is falling in and emitting electromagnetic radiation. By observing the quasar and tracking the velocity of gas around the black hole, they could determine its mass.

Well, what did they find?

They actually discovered that the black hole in this galaxy was smaller than expected. This suggests that the galaxy grew faster than its supermassive black hole, or in other words, there might be a delay between the formation of a galaxy and its supermassive black hole in some systems.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg0946

NEUROSCIENCE

Pepperidge Farm (and your brain) remembers

Ever struggled to learn an awesome dance move or wondered how your brain remembers how to ride a bike? Recently, scientists wanted to understand the role of a brain area called the somatosensory cortex in learning and remembering movements.

What did they do?

The researchers disrupted the somatosensory cortex after people learned new movements by applying what’s called a theta-burst stimulation. Afterwards, they tested memory by having participants recreate the movements or recognize them with the help of a robot. They hypothesized, if this area of the brain is crucial for remembering, disrupting it should affect the person’s memory of the movements.

And the results?

The team found that when they disrupted with the somatosensory cortex, people had trouble remembering the movements. But, disrupting another area related to movement (the motor cortex) didn't affect memory at all. This tells us that the somatosensory cortex is essential for keeping memories of movements. Try to remember that!

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2316294121

ENGINEERING

Renewable energy is getting a bit more flexible

We all know solar panels — the black sheets in fields and on rooftops around the world pumping out clean, renewable energy. But one good look at solar panel design reveals a pretty glaring problem with the technology. They’re rigid and flat. Recently, researchers boldly asked “what if they were bendy?”.

What did they make?

In an effort to make solar cells better and more flexible, researchers developed panels by utilizing nanocrystals and contact-free laser printing, while also attempting to make them as thin as possible. They succeeded! And these new solar panels are not only light and flexible, but efficient. The team now hopes this advancement in solar technology could lead to making practical, bendable, and roll-up solar cells that are not only efficient but also low-cost for everyday use, maybe even for travel.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06948-y

ECOLOGY

Top predators may impact their ecosystem in more ways than one

In an ecosystem, the actions of a top predator can have major downstream effects on every aspect of the ecosystem — even the geomorphology, or shaping of Earth’s surface. Recently, a group of researchers set out to show that animals, such as the sea otter, can actually impact erosion and the physical structure of their environment.

Ok, what was the experiment?

In a study spanning multiple decades, researchers observed an estuary, or river mouth, and found that the edges of salt marshes generally eroded less with more sea otters around. Interesting, but not conclusive. So they also conducted an experiment in which sea otters were excluded from estuaries, and as a result, the population of burrowing crabs increased (because sea otters eat crabs). With more burrowing crabs came more damage to the salt marsh…

So what?

This study shows that sea otters, and perhaps other top predators, play a vital role in preventing erosion and maintaining the physical integrity of their ecosystem. The researchers suggest that protecting and restoring top predators might be a viable way to preserve coastal wetlands.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06959-9

TOP HEADLINES

Science in the News

• Neurotechnology experts are cautiously excited about the first human trials of Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip.

• Researchers in Switzerland have submitted a request for a new, much larger supercollider.

• An excavation in Germany has revealed that modern humans crossed paths with Neanderthals 45,000 years ago.

• The first-ever newborn great white shark is believed to have just been seen in the wild.

• A breakthrough gene editing therapy shows promising results in patients with a serious hereditary disorder.

• A college student recently discovered a new species of dinosaur by accident.

IN THE MICROSCOPE

The pH scale

Ever heard of it? pH stands for "potential of hydrogen," and it's a measure that tells us how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is considered acidic, and anything above 7 is basic.

Lemon juice is an example of a very acidic substance, while ammonia solution (used in cleaning products) is super basic. Pure water is neutral.

pH is used all the time in science, including chemistry, biology, and environmental science. In chemistry, it helps characterize substances and understand chemical reactions. In biology, pH is crucial for maintaining the right conditions in living things, as lots of biological processes are sensitive to changes in acidity. Scientists also use the pH scale to help measure water quality.

To measure pH, we use pH meters or indicators. Meters provide precise numerical values, while indicators, like litmus paper, change color based on the pH, giving a rough estimate. If you’ve ever had pet fish, you’ve probably used them!