Mosquitoes have a specialized organ called Johnston’s organ, which sits at the bottom of their antennae, detects vibrations, and generates its own oscillations, thereby amplifying signals for the mosquito’s detection. The antennae are also segmented and covered with fine hairs, which makes them flexible to a wide range of frequencies and more sensitive to air vibrations. Inspired by these concepts, researchers have created a sensor that works without amplification circuits or signal processing and filtering and enhances vibration signals, simply based on the geometry of the device.

Scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Helmholtz Munich have developed RegVelo, a new AI framework that predicts how cells acquire their identities and identifies the genetic regulators guiding those changes. Published in Cell, the study used zebrafish neural crest development to show RegVelo can uncover early drivers of cell fate, including regulators of pigment cell formation, and then support those predictions experimentally. The researchers also applied the framework across multiple biological systems, suggesting its value extends beyond neural crest cells as a broadly useful tool for studying how cells change over time. The team says the new model could pave the way for future cell therapy treatments.

Harbour porpoises were once found across a much wider area of the Baltic Sea than they are today, including regions where they are now rare or absent. This is shown in a new study that uses centuries-old Swedish newspapers to reconstruct past distribution patterns.