The octopus-inspired artificial “skin” changes appearance on demand

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Researchers have created an artificial “skin” that can change color and texture on demand. The material can go from matte to glossy and exhibit a variety of other effects, before returning to its initial state. The team used an electron beam to create a “landscape” of protrusions on the surface of the polymer that reversibly swell upon contact with water. The bumps absorb varying amounts of water, creating a substance that can radically change its appearance when wet. The flow of liquid can be controlled by covering the material with a transparent film.

Nature | 4 minutes read

reference: nature paper

Traces of toxic compounds have been found on 60,000-year-old arrowheads, providing the oldest chemical evidence that Paleolithic hunter-gatherers used poison to bring down prey. Chemical analysis revealed a compound called bubandrin, derived from the poison bulb plant (Boophone clips), on arrowheads discovered in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The use of poisons “demonstrates advanced planning, strategy and causal thinking” among hunter-gatherers, says archaeologist Justin Bradfield. This also suggests that they had a complex understanding of the properties of plants, says archaeologist April Noel.

Nature | 4 minutes read

reference: Advancement of science paper

As smallpox continues to spark local outbreaks in Africa and elsewhere, researchers are racing to understand more about the virus that has caused two public health emergencies in the past three years. In December, a preprint study found that one strain of smallpox appeared to lurk in the testicles of infected male mice. UK health officials reported that one person was infected with an unprecedented strain, which is a mixture of two other types. “We should not underestimate what the virus can do if it is allowed to firmly establish itself in humans and continue to adapt,” says infectious disease physician Bugoma Tetanji.

Nature | 6 minutes read

reference: Preprint from bioRxiv (Not peer-reviewed) & UK Health Security Agency report

Features and opinion

Scientists have been able to recover DNA from… Holy ChildIt is a work of art more than 500 years old, and is believed to be painted by Leonardo da Vinci. After analysis, The team suggests that the DNA could be da Vinci’sWhich indicates that the artwork is actually his work and not one of his students. The current findings are not conclusive proof, but they could demonstrate the promise of “Arteomics,” an emerging technology that uses DNA and other biological traces to authenticate works of art rather than relying on expert opinion. If proven reliable, arteomics “opens not only a new window, but a whole new world” to verify the art, says chemist Stefan Simon.

Science | 15 minute read

reference: Preprint from bioRxiv (Not peer-reviewed)

Last year, scientists conducted a small test of a new and controversial geoengineering technique to combat ocean acidification: Forcefully pump the alkali sodium hydroxide into the water. If the oceans remain at a normal pH, it is possible that the oceans will continue to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, and marine life will escape the devastating effects of acidification. Preliminary results suggest that the method, called enhancing ocean alkalinity, could work, with minimal impacts on marine ecosystems. But tackling ocean acidification globally will require the technology to be rolled out on a large scale, which could have unpredictable long-term impacts, some researchers say.

New York Times | 14 minute read

Instead of wrangling an ever-changing definition of “ultra-processed food,” policymakers should create a universal definition of “non-ultra-processed food,” three health policy researchers say. Using this consistent definition in health policies would make regulatory decisions surrounding food products clearer and prevent manufacturers from reformulating their products to avoid being labeled as ultra-processed. “Instead of encouraging manufacturers to substitute one ingredient for another, we need a definition that will incentivize the production and distribution of ultra-unprocessed foods,” the authors wrote.

Natural Medicine | 8 minutes read

Picture of the week

These 773,000-year-old fossils, recovered from a quarry in Morocco, could give researchers clues about the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) – the ancient lineage we share with Neanderthals, whose precise identity has long eluded scientists. The researchers found that the fossils are similar in age to those found in Ancestor of HomoIt is another type of Neanderthal discovered in Spain, but it is morphologically distinct. The age of the fossils fills a large gap from about 1 million to 600 thousand years ago when only a few similar fossils have been discovered in Africa. (Nature News & Opinions | 7-minute read)

reference: nature paper

Today I wonder Shots of a giant phantom gel (Giant Stegiomedusa) recorded at a great depth below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The video, taken in December, is somewhat of a miracle, as the species has only been spotted about 120 times since its discovery in 1899.

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