Science

More children have long covid than asthma. Reinfection can increase risks.

Call for contributions and nominations: COP30, Brazil

https://council.science/news/cop30-call/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=cop30-call

In a new study, a team of geologists and biologists led by CU Boulder resurrected ancient microbes that had been trapped in ice—in some cases for around 40,000 years.

The study is a showcase of the planet's permafrost. That's the name for a frozen mix of soil, ice and rocks that underlies nearly a quarter of the land in the northern hemisphere. It's an icy graveyard where animal and plant remains, alongside plentiful bacteria and other microorganisms, have become stuck in time.

That is, until curious scientists try to wake them up.

Transdisciplinary science: Early- and mid-careers shaping the future of science

https://council.science/podcasts/transdisciplinary-science-early-and-mid-careers/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=transdisciplinary-science-early-and-mid-careers

In 2005, Cassini found the first evidence that Enceladus has a hidden ocean beneath its icy surface. Jets of water burst from cracks close to the moon’s south pole, shooting ice grains into space. Smaller than grains of sand, some of the tiny pieces of ice fall back onto the moon’s surface, whilst others escape and form a ring around Saturn that traces Enceladus’s orbit.

Inspired by the Japanese art of kirigami, or paper cutting, scientists made parachutes that open automatically when dropped. And unlike traditional parachutes, they fall straight down, no matter which way they were originally facing, making their falls more predictable.

A thin disk of Mylar, perforated with a series of concentric slits, expands into an elegant latticework vase as its attached cargo falls. Pulled open by the rush of air, the shape slows the payload’s fall by producing drag.

Universities, freedom of speech, and freedom and responsibility in science

https://council.science/blog/universities-freedom-of-speech/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=universities-freedom-of-speech

In about one out of every 800 people, two chromosomes fuse together to form an unusual bond. These are known as Robertsonian chromosomes. It's a mystery that has long stumped scientists.

Now, scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have identified the precise location where human chromosomes break and recombine to form Robertsonian chromosomes.

via AFP: Cannabis extract relieves chronic back pain: high-quality trial

Frontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Call for peer reviewers

https://council.science/news/frontiers-planet-prize-fourth-edition-call-for-peer-reviewers/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=frontiers-planet-prize-fourth-edition-call-for-peer-reviewers

Frontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Applications open

https://council.science/news/frontiers-planet-prize-fourth-edition-applications/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=frontiers-planet-prize-fourth-edition-applications

A groundbreaking University of Chicago study published in April 2023 revealed unexpected similarities between photosynthesis and quantum physics[^9]. The research team discovered that excitons - paired electrons and holes that carry energy in leaves during photosynthesis - can form patterns similar to those seen in Bose-Einstein condensates, a quantum state previously only observed at extremely cold temperatures[^9].

"As far as we know, these areas have never been connected before, so we found this very compelling and exciting," said study co-author Professor David Mazziotti[^9].

The study, published in PRX Energy, found that these exciton patterns can form "islands" of condensate-like behavior even at room temperature in disordered plant systems, potentially doubling energy transfer efficiency[^9]. This contrasts with traditional exciton condensates that require near-absolute zero temperatures and highly ordered materials[^9][^15].

The findings open new possibilities for developing synthetic materials that could harness this effect. As Mazziotti noted, "A perfect ideal exciton condensate is sensitive and requires a lot of special conditions, but for realistic applications, it's exciting to see something that boosts efficiency but can happen in ambient conditions"[^9].

[^9]: UChicago News - Scientists find link between photosynthesis and 'fifth state of matter' [^15]: CBS News - New University of Chicago study discovers similarities between photosynthesis, supercooling of atoms

A new study by Columbia University researchers found that soccer heading causes damage to the brain's orbitofrontal region where gray and white matter meet, leading to reduced verbal learning ability[^1].

The research examined 352 adult amateur soccer players in New York City, using advanced diffusion MRI techniques to analyze the gray-white matter interface. Players who performed frequent headers (over 1,000 per year) showed blurring of the normally sharp boundary between gray and white matter in the orbitofrontal region[^2].

Key findings:

• Greater heading exposure directly correlated with less distinct gray-white matter boundaries
• Changes in brain structure mediated poorer performance on verbal learning tests
• Damage concentrated in outer brain layers rather than deep white matter
• Effects most pronounced in players doing over 1,000 headers annually

"What's important about our studies is that they show, really for the first time, that exposure to repeated head impacts causes specific changes in the brain that, in turn, impair cognitive function," said study leader Michael Lipton[^3].

The research team plans to investigate potential links between these brain changes and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), while also studying whether cardiovascular exercise might help protect against heading-related brain damage[^3].

[^1]: JAMA Network - Orbitofrontal Gray-White Interface Injury and the Association of Soccer Heading With Verbal Learning

[^2]: Columbia University - Soccer Heading Does Most Damage to Brain Area Critical for Cognition

[^3]: Columbia Radiology - Soccer Heading Linked to Measurable Decline of Brain Structure and Function

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68THmzSxJqI

President Donald Trump made baffling remarks during a Monday press conference, claiming that pregnant women should avoid Tylenol, the brand name of acetaminophen, arguing that it was associated with a “very increased” risk of autism.

It was a new low for the Trump administration, leading to widespread outrage and incredulity among experts.

Then things got even sketchier when the New York Times revealed that the researcher behind the studies cited during Monday’s press conference had a financial interest in warning users against the use of Tylenol.