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Feature Stories

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Dec-2025 05:11 ET (3-Dec-2025 10:11 GMT/UTC)

Uptake of DNA fragments from dying cells could redefine mammalian evolution and genomics

Cactus Communications

For decades, scientists have known that bacteria can exchange genetic material in a process called horizontal gene transfer. Research by Professor Mittra’s group suggests that horizontal transfer also happens in mammals via fragments of DNA known as cell-free chromatin particles that are released from dying cells. Once inside new host cells, the chromatin particles acquire novel functions and act as autonomous “satellite” genomes. This discovery may redefine mammalian genomics and evolution.

Genetic newborn screening improves case detection: 1 in 500 more affected infants identified

Genetic newborn screening supports early identification of a child’s critical condition, guiding to a better start in life. Large-scale evidence shows that adding next-generation sequencing (NGS) as a first-tier screen catches conditions that standard blood-spot tests miss. The study found one additional affected newborn in every 500 who would have been missed by routine biochemical screening.

Chip-scale cold atom experiments could unleash the power of quantum science in the field

University of California - Santa Barbara

Cold atom experiments are among the most powerful and precise ways of investigating and measuring the Universe and exploring the quantum world. By trapping atoms and exploiting their quantum properties, scientists can discover new states of matter, sense even the faintest of signals, take ultra-precise measurements of time and gravity, and conduct quantum sensing and computing experiments.

‘Earth System Engineering’ examines impact of life

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

An international team including University of Tennessee, Knoxville Professor Alycia Stigall, offers a new way to examine the long-term impact of humans and other living organisms on the planet.

Millions of birds fly ‘highways’ across the U.S. – and their migration routes are breaking down

Binghamton University

Climate change is disrupting bird migration, leaving birds without proper habitats, food and putting them at risk of extreme weather. Binghamton University, State University of New York researchers are studying how migratory birds are responding to environmental changes over time.

Cornell teams up on broccoli hybrid built for cold weather climates

Cornell University

ITHACA, N.Y. -A new variety of broccoli called “NorthStar,” a co-hybrid between parents developed at Cornell University and the global seed company Bejo Zaden, can withstand warmer, more unpredictable conditions such as the ones in the Northeast growing region. The hybrid greatly expands the regions where broccoli can be grown, increasing food security, sustainability and access—while reducing the carbon and financial costs of shipping.

Breathtaking breakthrough: Lung-on-a-chip defends itself

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt researchers have developed the first lung-on-a-chip with a functioning immune system, a breakthrough published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Led by Ankur Singh and Krishnendu “Krish” Roy, the team created a postage stamp–sized device where blood and immune cells circulate, fight infection, and heal, just as they would in a living lung. The advance not only provides unprecedented insight into diseases like influenza, asthma, and cancer but also offers a path toward reducing animal testing. Long-term, the technology could enable personalized medicine, with chips built from patients’ own cells to predict which therapies will work best.

Journal: Nature Biomedical Engineering

From volcanoes to asteroids, HAMsTER Lab advances planetary science and the origins of life

University of Texas at San Antonio

In a science lab on the fourth floor of UTSA’s Multidisciplinary Studies Building, UTSA students engage in meticulous choreography around a glowing furnace, melting rocks to produce lava.

The task helps them survey the vast landscapes of the universe — from the Earth to the moon — in a space known as the Heat and Mass Transfer & Experimental Rheology Lab , HAMsTER for short.

Led by Alan Whittington, professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, the lab offers students interested in petrology and planetary sciences the opportunity to apply their interests in a range of research opportunities. While one group may be examining the lava flow of volcanoes on Earth, another is melting down and testing samples of meteorites to chart varying thermal properties.

Mushroom poisoning: mix-ups can be fatal

BfR Federal Institute for Risk Assessment

Cases of poisoning from eating self-picked mushrooms are quite common. Every year, the poison centres in the German federal states ("Laender") answer a few thousand questions about mushrooms. “In Germany, there are some really poisonous mushrooms that look like edible ones. Even experienced collectors can make mistakes,” says Dr Yuri Bruinen de Bruin, head of the National Poison Registry unit at the BfR. Popular local edible mushrooms include the field mushroom and the Russula. These mushrooms are often confused with the green death cap, which is highly poisonous. The toxins contained in this mushroom can cause liver failure and consuming even a small amount can be fatal. Children and elderly people are particularly at risk, as even small amounts can cause serious health problems. Not all mushrooms cause the same symptoms of poisoning. While mushroom poisoning can involve a variety of symptoms, it often begins with discomfort, accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Using AI to predict when patients can safely stop using antidepressants

University of South Australia

New machine learning models developed by University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers could help clinicians identify when patients can successfully stop long-term antidepressant use.

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