A deep sea worm that inhabits hydrothermal vents survives the high levels of toxic arsenic and sulfide in its environment by combining them in its cells to form a less hazardous mineral. Chaolun Li of the Institute of Oceanology, CAS, China, and colleagues report these findings in a new study published August 26^th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

New Journal Launch: Energy & Environment Nexus (EEN) We are thrilled to announce the launch of Energy & Environment Nexus, a open-access journal dedicated to the critical interplay between energy systems and environmental sustainability.  Featuring transdisciplinary research, #AI, and policy insights.

Research involving more than 2,000 Brazilians reveals that while everyone’s performance is consistently lower in the morning, the afternoon shift only improves the performance of students with few or no symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Despite advancements in hardware, AI, and machine learning, deploying robots in dynamic, real-world settings—and getting them to do what we want—remains difficult. Cristian-Ioan Vasile, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics at Lehigh University, has received funding through the NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program to develop structured methods for assessing the capabilities of learning-enabled agents and use that information to improve planning and coordination of robots working in teams.

On Aug. 7 and 8, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team assessed the observatory’s solar panels and a visor-like sunshade called the deployable aperture cover — two components that will be stowed for launch and unfold in space. Engineers confirmed their successful operation during a closely monitored sequence in simulated space-like conditions. On the first day, Roman’s four outer solar panels were deployed one at a time, each unfolding over 30 seconds with 30-second pauses between them. The visor followed in a separate test the next day. These assessments help ensure Roman will perform as expected in space. Roman is slated to launch no later than May 2027, with the team working toward a potential early launch as soon as fall 2026.