LMU researchers demonstrate that oxygenic photosynthesis can occur with only a single photosystem, overturning a fundamental principle of biology.

Elephants use air-transmitted sound to communicate with one another but also rely on ground vibrations to cover even larger distances. A new study focusing on elephants’ middle ear structure showed that their ears are more sensitive to low-frequency vibrations transmitted through bone than human ears. This sensitivity is thought to be due to elephant anatomy: their large and heavy middle ear bones can effectively transmit lower-frequency sounds to the inner ear. The study analysis also indicates that elephants’ ability to voluntarily close their ear canal may further improve their bone-conduction hearing. This later mechanism is similar to people hearing their own voice louder after putting in earbuds.

Why does the immune system become less effective as we age? A new USC study published in BMC Biology offers fresh insights by examining a key immune cell type across tissues: macrophages.

Macrophages act as the body’s cleanup and maintenance crew. Found in nearly every tissue, they help fight infections, remove damaged cells, repair tissues, and keep inflammation under control – acting as a first line of defense for the immune system. But like many cells in the body, macrophages change as we get older.

In this new study, researchers analyzed data from macrophages collected from different mouse tissues, including the brain, lungs, liver, and other organs. By comparing younger and older animals, they uncovered common patterns of aging shared across many macrophage populations, as well as important differences depending on where the cells come from.