mindblowingscience

[mindblowingscience]

The Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists is launching the first Black health journal in Canada. The Canadian Nigerian Medical Journal serves as a place where diagnoses, targeted treatments, and ongoing research are shared as they pertain to the Black community, with the goal of improving health outcomes for Black Canadians. The launch took place this weekend in Edmonton, and the journal's editor-in-chief, Dr. Moses Ademola, hopes it will serve as a platform for unique insights and contributions from the Black medical community.

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland @abpoli

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Two new cavefish species of Triplophysa (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the karst subterranean rivers of Yunnan, China

Jianhan Cao , Shuang Song , Wenjing Yi , Hongmei Xiang , Hongfu Yang , Jie Li , Wansheng Jiang

Abstract

Cavefish are of considerable interest owing to the remarkable adaptations for surviving in harsh subterranean conditions. These adaptations, often described as constructive traits or regressive features, reflect trade-offs in metabolic requirements and energy utilization in response to life in darkness. In this study, we describe two new cavefish species, Triplophysa yangi sp. nov. and Triplophysa wenshanensis sp. nov., from karst subterranean rivers in Yunnan Province, China.  Triplophysa yangi is distinguished from its congeners by its bilaterally expanded anterior swim bladder chambers, which protrude from the enlarged bony capsule, distending the lateral body wall and becoming externally visible. Additionally, it has highly developed pectoral and pelvic fins with filamentous extensions.  Triplophysa wenshanensis can be identified by its nearly cone-shaped head, triangular head profile, and light brown to flesh pink body colour with faint brown blotches. Molecular phylogenetic analysis places both species in the hypogean group of Triplophysa, increasing the number of cavefish species in this genus from 39 to 41. The most distinctive feature of T. yangi, its expanded anterior swim bladder chambers protruding beyond the enlarged bony capsules, might represent an innovative stygomorphic trait among Chinese cavefish. This trait is hypothesized to be associated with a unique energy-saving buoyancy mechanism, crucial for the ability of the species to remain suspended and survive in perpetual darkness.

Read the paper here: Two new cavefish species of Triplophysa (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the karst subterranean rivers of Yunnan, China | Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society | Oxford Academic

[mindblowingscience]

Astronomers have detected signs of complex organic molecules, the precursors to the building blocks of life as we know it, in a planet-forming disk around a distant star. The findings imply that the chemical seeds of life are constructed in space and are then spread to young or newly forming planets. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array (ALMA), a system of radio telescopes in Chile, the team detected traces of 17 complex organic molecules in the protoplanetary disc of V883 Orionis, a young star located around 1,305 light-years away in the constellation of Orion.

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Liver cancer cells thrive on fat, posing a serious risk of cancer diagnosis for millions of people living with fatty liver disease. But researchers at McMaster University in collaboration with Espervita Therapeutics have developed a promising new treatment that helps the immune system attack and destroy these tumors. The discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature, opens new possibilities for slowing tumor growth and empowering the body's natural defenses. This is particularly important, as current treatments for liver cancer are not very effective, with fewer than one in five people surviving longer than five years.

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An ichthyosaur fossil discovered near Fernie, B.C., which has been sitting in an Ottawa museum for more than a century, was recently identified as a new species by a team of scientists.   The Fernatator prenticei is a marine predator that looked similar to a dolphin, existed about 250 million years ago, and went extinct before the dinosaurs did 66 million years ago. The fossil was originally discovered by Tom Prentice in 1916 when he was fishing in the Elk River, around 12 kilometres south of Fernie, which is about 940 kilometres east of Vancouver. 

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[mindblowingscience]

I saw this post on Facebook today, and was gonna make a joke about how he's so good in the lab because, when it comes to experiment samples, he knows you gotta keep 'em separated.

But I happened to search the lyric online really quick, and found this:

AMAZING. It's actually where the line came from! Bravo, sir.

[mindblowingscience]

NASA and India paired up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite on Wednesday capable of tracking even the slightest shifts in land and ice. The $1.3 billion mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters, according to scientists.

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Algal growth is accelerating in lakes across Canada, including those far from human development, and a new study shows that climate change is the primary driver. A research team led by scientists at McGill University and Université Laval examined lake sediment cores from 80 lakes across Canada to uncover long-term changes in algae levels. The study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, reveals a dramatic uptick in lake algae production since the 1960s.

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In a study published today in Scientific Reports, UNSW Sydney researchers found that the underwater songs of leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in Antarctica share structural similarities with the nursery rhymes often sung by humans to their young. "Leopard seal songs have a surprisingly structured temporal pattern," says Lucinda Chambers, a UNSW Ph.D. candidate and lead author of the study.

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[mindblowingscience]

A potential new male contraceptive drug has just undergone its first tests in human volunteers. The results give the first indication that the drug, which does not use artificial hormones or affect testosterone production by the testes, may be safe in humans. While previous attempts have been made to develop a male contraceptive in the past, these largely failed to pass clinical trials due to their unacceptable side effects.

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An international research team has uncovered that natural interbreeding in the wild between tomato plants and potato-like species from South America about 9 million years ago gave rise to the modern-day potato. In a study published in the journal Cell, researchers suggest this ancient evolutionary event triggered the formation of the tuber, the enlarged underground structure that stores nutrients found in plants like potatoes, yams, and taros.

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Martian glaciers are mostly pure ice across the Red Planet, suggesting they might potentially be useful resources for any explorers that might land there one day, a new study finds. For decades, scientists have often seen glaciers coated in dust on the slopes of the mountains of Mars. Previous research suggested these were either glaciers that were comprised mostly of rock and as little as 30% ice, or debris-covered glaciers that were more than 80% ice.

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An epidemic that's been sustained for 44 years might finally be quelled, with the milestone approval of the first HIV drug that offers 100% protection with its twice-yearly injections. It's a landmark achievement that stands to save millions of lives across the globe. The makers are also providing affordable access to the drug in the US and beyond, signing royalty-free licensing agreements with six generic manufacturers to produce and supply it. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the novel lenacapavir – sold under the brand name Yeztugo – a class of drugs known as capsid inhibitors, which provide almost 100% protection against HIV infection, which currently affects 1.3 million people every year. In 2024, the journal Science named lenacapavir the Breakthrough Invention of the Year, and we've extensively covered it on its way to market. The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provides HIV-negative individuals around 99% protection from contracting the devastating virus through sex.

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"It is an extraordinary loss of intellectual expertise that the American people invested millions in developing

Every scientist who earns a graduate degree in the US is the product of an investment by the public

This is like setting money on fire"

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Assoc. Prof, Particle Cosmology

[mindblowingscience]

Researchers at the University of Basel have repurposed a natural enzyme so that it catalyzes a highly challenging chemical reaction. Their approach opens new possibilities for synthesizing complex molecules—such as pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals—in a more environmentally friendly and efficient way. The findings are published in the journal Nature.

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Could clothing monitor a person's health in real time, because the clothing itself would be a self-powered sensor? A new material created through electrospinning, which is a process that draws out fibers using electricity, brings this possibility one step closer. A team led by researchers at Penn State has developed a new fabrication approach that optimizes the internal structure of electrospun fibers to improve their performance in electronic applications. The team has published its findings in the Journal of Applied Physics.

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Synthetic parabens and formaldehyde releasers are falling out of favor, but keeping creams safe from microbes remains a challenge. The global shift toward "clean-label" cosmetics has left formulators scrambling for milder preservatives. A research paper led by Dr. Maria Trapali (University of West Attica, Greece), now offers a drop-in solution: the simple pairing of Lavandula angustifolia hydrosol with its own essential oil. The study is published in the Journal of Dermatologic Science and Cosmetic Technology.

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