Cells use various signaling molecules to regulate the nervous, immune, and vascular systems. Among these, nitric oxide (NO) and ammonia (NH₃) play important roles, but their chemical instability and gaseous nature make them difficult to generate or control externally. A KAIST research team has developed a platform that generates specific signaling molecules in situ from a single precursor under an applied electrical signal, enabling switch-like, precise spatiotemporal control of cellular responses. This approach could provide a foundation for future medical technologies such as electroceuticals, electrogenetics, and personalized cell therapies.

Scientists from Stockholm University and the Swedish Museum of Natural history, in collaboration with partners in Greenland and Canada, have identified a previously undocumented class of PFAS* in the blubber of killer whales.

The new study, published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, reveals the presence of five fluorotelomer sulfones—highly fluorinated, lipophilic (fat-loving) chemicals never before reported in wildlife. Unlike well studied PFAS, which typically accumulate in protein-rich tissues such as liver and blood, these new substances accumulate in fat-rich blubber.

Scientists at Museums Victoria’s Research Institute have described a new species of ancient whale from a 26-million-year-old fossil found near Jan Juc, on Wadawurrung Country, along Victoria’s Surf Coast.

Not all blood vessels play equal roles in brain health. To uncover how the brain regulates its complex circulation, researchers built a detailed computer model of mouse brain vasculature. Focusing on transitional zone vessels—crucial links between arteries and capillaries—the model simulates how each segment adjusts like a tiny valve. It reveals how the brain stabilizes blood flow during pressure shifts or heightened activity, offering new insights into brain protection and potential breakthroughs in diagnosing stroke, Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injuries.