SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT

 

Dear olivier hartmanshenn,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 43: How psilocybin reshapes brain circuits In mice, psilocybin accelerated dendritic spine formation and maturation, with effects depending on prior stress. It enhanced spine growth and reduced spine loss in stressed brains. Serotonin 2A receptors in layer 5 pyramidal neurons were necessary and sufficient for structural plasticity, but not for the head-twitch response, a proxy for hallucinogenic activity.   Children who eat more ultraprocessed foods show stronger brain responses to appetizing foods Among 46 children aged 7–10, higher ultraprocessed food intake was associated with stronger dorsal striatum responses to food images. Stronger responses were linked to increases in BMI and body fat percentage one year later. The observational findings do not establish causation.   More daily steps over a long period linked to better attention and decision-making In an observational analysis of 3,093 adults, higher long-term daily step counts were associated with better attention, cognitive control and reward planning. Higher systolic blood pressure was linked only to poorer decision-making, while diastolic pressure showed no significant associations. These findings do not establish causality.   An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans An ancient PTERV1 retroviral insertion silences LINC00662 in chimpanzee brain organoids, whereas the gene is active in human organoids. Removing the insertion restored gene expression in chimpanzee cells. Silencing LINC00662 in human organoids reduced expression of genes involved in neuronal development and synapse formation.   Annual 'Teens and Screens' report reveals young audiences are redefining modern storytelling A survey of over 1,500 people aged 10–24 showed preferences for hopeful, relatable stories and friendship-focused narratives. More platonic relationships were sought by 57.3%, and 55% wanted more neurodivergent characters. Moviegoing ranked highest among listed weekend activities, while responses to AI stories were more positive among younger respondents.   Cranberry juice may be a boon for oral hygiene In a trial of 14 children and eight adults, unsweetened 100% cranberry juice was associated with slower dental plaque growth and reduced plaque acid production 30 minutes after consumption. The small sample and short follow-up limit conclusions; longer-term studies are needed to establish oral health benefits.   Vegan-fed cats less often reported overweight in survey In a survey of 1,305 cats, caregiver-reported veterinary assessments indicated 34% lower adjusted odds of overweight among vegan-fed cats than meat-fed cats. The difference was not statistically significant, and the small vegan-fed group limits conclusions about dietary effects.   Nutritional supplement may help ease 'brain fog' after breast cancer treatment In an uncontrolled trial of 18 breast cancer survivors, eight weeks of oxaloacetate supplementation was associated with improved cognitive symptoms, processing speed and executive function, and reduced fatigue. Two participants stopped treatment because of gastrointestinal symptoms. The small sample and lack of a placebo group limit conclusions about efficacy.   Study identifies key drivers of microbiome-linked cancer immunotherapy side effect A Western-style diet and altered gut microbiota promoted regulatory T cell instability and checkpoint inhibitor–related inflammation in mice. Similar instability occurred in patients with severe adverse events. In mice, targeted immune signaling blockade, a high-fiber diet or metabolite supplementation restored T cell stability and reduced inflammation.   Peat bogs, the natural archives of mining fallout, reveal ancient Europe's hidden metal networks Lead isotopes in European peat archives reconstruct 6,000 years of lead–silver mining. Early signals point to Greece and the Aegean around 3700–2200 BC, while Roman-era pollution indicates substantial mining in France, Germany and Britain, not just Spain. Emissions peaked in the early Roman period, declined in the Early Middle Ages and later rebounded.   DNA once dismissed as 'noise' reveals new bacterial species in prostate cancer patients Reanalysis of sequencing data from 194 prostate cancer patients recovered 249 near-complete bacterial genomes, including 18 new species, mostly from the mouth. A species-specific DNA test was validated for one organism. Whether these bacteria contribute to prostate cancer remains unknown.   Global warming may have halted an emerging ice age, study suggests Radiocarbon-dated plants indicate that the Barnes Ice Cap, a Laurentide remnant, reached its minimum extent about 3,000 years ago and began expanding about 2,000 years ago. Warming reversed this growth by the 1960s. The expansion is interpreted as the onset of a glacial period subsequently interrupted by modern warming.   Beehives act as 'living immune systems' with layered antimicrobial defenses Honey bee hives have spatially organized antimicrobial defenses that protect brood and food stores while favoring beneficial microbes. Honey and propolis provide strong broad defenses, while inner materials act more selectively. Chemical defenses vary with surrounding habitat, linking colony protection to environmental resources.   Physicists trap and tame single particle of antimatter for months A single positron was confined for months in an electromagnetic trap at 0.3 K and cooled to its cyclotron quantum ground state. Microwave-driven transitions between individual energy levels were controlled and detected, establishing a one-positron quantum cyclotron for precision magnetic-moment measurements.   How do people quickly recognize what others may be feeling? Face- and voice-selective brain regions encoded emotions from both facial expressions and voices, with some representing the same emotion similarly across senses. Combined face and voice cues reshaped emotional processing, indicating interactions between these sensory systems.   Ants break a basic rule of biology to help them adapt to new environments Across 565 Pheidole species, workers and soldiers showed widespread overlap in antenna size despite large differences in head and body size. Antenna size scaled with body size within, but not across, castes. In P. dentata, social signals, juvenile hormone and an allometry-regulating organ regulated this decoupling.   Venomous primate thought lost to science for nearly a century turns up in gardens and on roads across Indonesia Records of more than 90 rescues from 2015–2025 confirm that the critically endangered Bangka slow loris survives across much of Bangka Island after nearly a century without scientific documentation. Habitat loss, infrastructure and the pet trade threaten its survival. Conservation priorities include habitat protection, population surveys and monitoring released animals.   Combined estrogen and testosterone therapy increases lumbar spine bone mineral density In 51 postmenopausal women, combined estrogen and testosterone therapy significantly increased lumbar spine T-scores, while estrogen alone produced no significant increases. Femoral neck and hip T-scores remained stable with both regimens. Larger studies are needed to confirm benefits and assess safety.   How cancers evade chemotherapy by entering a 'zombie-like state' Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) block death receptor–mediated killing after chemotherapy, allowing cancer cells to enter premature senescence and release inflammatory signals that promote wound-healing responses. IAP antagonists selectively eliminated these senescent cells by reactivating death receptor–mediated cell death.   DNA programs a cell-free material to build its own motors and move Cell-free gene expression embedded in microtubule sheets produced kinesin motors, driving buckling, fragmentation and flow without intact cells. DNA-encoded crosslinkers and feedback circuits programmed sustained motion, transient activity or repeated changes in flow speed, while patterned boundaries guided deformation.