The presence of S. jamesii starch on tools, combined with earlier genetic, ecological, and ethnographic research, indicates that Indigenous people intentionally transported, cultivated, and managed the plant across the Four Corners region. These activities define an “anthropogenic range” created through extensive trade networks and long-term use, a key indicator of early domestication.

A new membrane technology stemming from the research led by teams from India could change how industries separate chemicals, reducing energy use and improving water recycling. With a nature-inspired design, the ‘POMbranes’ developed by the scientists are built from molecular units with permanent one-nanometre openings. When assembled into thin films, these openings act as fixed gateways, allowing only smaller molecules to pass, enabling highly selective filtration without the need for traditional heat-driven methods, such as evaporation. The membrane’s flexibility, stability, and lower energy demand make it attractive for use in industries such as textiles and pharmaceuticals.

In a world first, a research team led by the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science has shown it is possible to engineer a quantum mechanical process inside proteins, opening the door to a new class of quantum-enabled biological technologies. The study has been published today (21 January) in Nature.