An article in the Soil Science Society of America Journal proposes a classification framework to help scientists better understand lunar soils. This emerging science of “planetary pedology,” the study and classification of soils beyond Earth, could help future missions select the best sites for construction, resource extraction and potentially cultivation, thereby supporting long-term, sustainable human settlement on the Moon.

Lactylation, a recently discovered post-translational modification derived from lactate, has emerged as an important epigenetic mechanism linking metabolism to gene regulation. Accumulating evidence suggests that lactate-driven lysine lactylation plays critical roles in tumor progression, immune modulation, and therapy resistance. This review summarizes current knowledge of lactylation in cancer biology and discusses its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. The metabolic-epigenetic connection revealed by lactylation research opens new avenues for understanding cancer metabolism and developing targeted therapies.

Researchers propose a novel scheme to produce isolated attosecond pulses using relativistic electron mirrors, paving the way for next-generation ultrafast spectroscopy.

An international study led by Curtin University has put to bed a scientific debate dating back 176 years, confirming that two historically significant oyster species from Western Australia and Fiji are in fact distinct species.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers successfully synthesized spherical Rh-Pd-Ir-Pt-Au HEA NPs with a mean diameter of approximately 10 nm in an aqueous mixed metal salt solution without any additional chemical reductants.

Platinum resistance remains a major obstacle in ovarian cancer treatment. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of cancer progression and drug resistance. This study identified circSFPQ_008 as a key driver of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer through the circSFPQ_008/SFPQ/BRCA1 axis. Targeting this pathway sensitized ovarian cancer cells to platinum chemotherapy, suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy for overcoming drug resistance. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of platinum resistance and identify potential therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

A research team has developed the Coastal Water Pathogen Database (CWPD), an open-access platform that integrates metagenomic evidence on pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi in coastal waters with information on antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors. 

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, underscoring the need for effective therapies. Although miR-125b-5p shows therapeutic potential, its efficacy in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-related HCC and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-trackable miR-125b-5p-engineered MSC platform for HCC therapy and to determine whether MASLD attenuates its antitumor efficacy through metabolic reprogramming.