Good morning. Yeah, we get it — it was a big week for sports and most of us had our eyes glued to the the big game in Las Vegas. But who says there’s no science in football? The biology of drinking electrolytes, the physics of a perfect spiral, the chemistry between Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes Taylor Swift. The list goes on and on…

So if you were too busy critiquing TV ads, dancing to Usher like it’s 2004 or stressing over your same-game parlay, don’t worry. We got you covered. Here’s what happened last week in the world of science:

BIOLOGY

What we’re learning from nature’s stingers

Wasps, jellyfish, scorpions, rays — these animals all have one unpleasant thing in common: stingers. Whether for offense or defense, a number of living things around the world use stinger-like structures to strike and damage their foes. With so many different (unrelated) organisms using the stinger strategy, scientists recently set out to study the shape of stingers and uncover why they’re so effective in nature.

What’d they discover?

The researchers found that stingers all share a similar shape — they taper from the tip to the base following a mathematical pattern called a power law. This shape makes for the optimal stinger, perfectly balancing its ability to penetrate stuff with its risk of buckling under pressure. These findings shed some light on why stingers across different species are all so similar and could even inspire new designs for needle-like structures in engineering and medicine.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2316320121

EARTH SCIENCE

Explosive volcanic eruptions may have paved the way for life on Earth

You know it, you love it — nitrogen is crucial for life here on our beloved space rock. But as dinitrogen (N2) in the atmosphere, nitrogen can’t be used by living things and needs to be converted. While today most of this conversion happens through biological processes like fixation in soil, researchers believe that in Earth's early pre-life days, it had to have happened another way.

We’re talking processes?

Nitrogen can also be converted through lightning strikes, which produce nitrogen oxides (NOx) that react with water vapor in the atmosphere to create nitrate and nitrite ions. Lighting can happen during explosive volcanic eruptions, but no substantial proof of nitrogen conversion via volcanoes has been found in geological records — until now.

What proof?

Researchers recently discovered high nitrate levels in volcanic deposits from past eruptions, and the composition of the nitrates suggests they were produced by volcanic lightning. Based on this discovery, the researchers believe that a large explosive volcanic event could’ve provided enough usable nitrogen for the emergence of life on Earth.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309131121

NEUROSCIENCE

Stressed out? A new study may have just revealed why.

Stress comes from a lot of places — that big presentation at work, the final exam for that class you hate, or even the finale of that show you’ve been watching. But have you ever wondered where stress REALLY comes from? Like, in the brain? A team of researchers recently published a study on that exact question.

What’d they find?

Researchers found that a protein called MMP8 is increased in the blood of people with major depressive disorder and in mice experiencing chronic stress. In the mice, an increase in MMP8 led to changes in the brain's structure and function, specifically in regions involved in social behavior. By blocking MMP8, the researchers were able to prevent stress-induced changes in behavior and brain function in mice. Now, researchers think that targeting proteins like MMP8 could potentially lead to new treatments for stress-related mental health disorders.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-07015-2

ENVIRONMENT

The most efficient ways to remove atmospheric CO2

What’s the best way to get rid of all that pesky carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere? A recent study set out to compare two different strategies to limit atmospheric CO2 and determine which is best. One strategy involves expanding bioenergy production (sourcing fuel or electricity from organic materials), while the other focuses on reforestation and afforestation (planting new forests).

Well, which is better?

The study found that while reforestation is effective at removing CO2, it can also slightly warm the planet, especially in areas with bad tree growth conditions. On the other hand, bioenergy expansion could have a cooling effect on the Earth as a whole but also may increase summer temperatures in vulnerable tropical areas. Overall, both strategies are viable options — but we have to be strategic in our land use and pick out ideal places for re/afforestation and bioenergy expansion so we don’t accidentally impact local climates in a negative way.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2306775121

ONCOLOGY

We’re starting to use cancer’s own tricks against it

There are a lot of different ways we fight cancer — but few strategies are as promising as T cell therapies. Here’s some brief background:

• T cell therapies involve extracting a patient's own immune cells, called T cells, from their blood.

• These T cells are then modified or trained in the laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

• Once the T cells are prepared, they are infused back into the patient's body, where they can seek out and destroy cancer cells.

Ok, what’s new?

The one problem with T cell therapies is that often, the T cells struggle with longevity and their “cancer-killing” ability. Recently, scientists looked at mutated, cancerous T cells that cause lymphoma to see if they hold the key to better anti-cancer therapies. They tested 71 mutations…

And then what?

One mutation they found actually improved how T cells worked against tumors. It boosted a signaling pathway that made the T cells better at fighting cancer. Importantly, when they used these modified T cells in experiments, they didn't turn cancerous themselves and remained safe in the body for a long time — up to 418 days after being transferred into the body. So thanks to cancer, we may have just discovered a new approach to fighting it!

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07018-7

TOP HEADLINES

Science in the News

• Scientists have successfully developed the first functional 3D-printed human brain tissue.

• Saturn’s moon Mimas (also known as the ‘Death Star’ moon) may have a hidden ocean under its crust.

• A new species of pterosaur has been discovered in Scotland.

• Researchers have identified a brand new cell that remembers allergies.

• A newly discovered ironmaking method may pave the way for a more eco-friendly iron and steel industry.

• New evidence shows that Alzheimer’s patients have genetic alterations to their immune system.

• A team of physicists recently discovered a new kind of magnetism.

IN THE MICROSCOPE

What’s a phylogeny?

A phylogeny is like a family tree, but for all living organisms — scientists use them to understand and visualize the evolutionary relationships between different species.

To create a phylogeny, scientists use different types of data, including:

🧬 Genetic information, such as DNA sequences, can be used to compare the similarities and differences between species. This helps determine how closely related different organisms are and identify common ancestors.

🌿 Physical characteristics, like the structure of bones, organs, or even the shape of leaves help scientists connect evolutionary relationships and build the branches of the phylogenetic tree.

🦴 Fossils help paleontologists uncover information about extinct species. By analyzing the age and characteristics of fossils, scientists can piece together evolutionary events and add missing links to the tree.

It's important to know that phylogenies aren't static — they're constantly evolving as new data and advancements in technology emerge. The "tree of life" continues to grow every day!

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