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Brain Organoids Reveal Early Changes in Familial Alzheimer’s

Researchers from ShanghaiTech University, including Zhen-Ge Luo, used brain organoids derived from individuals with fAD to examine disease-related changes that occur during early brain development. The organoids, which are lab-grown models of human brain tissue, displayed several features associated with AD: elevated amyloid protein accumulation, a reduction in mature neurons, increased cell death and gene expression differences relative to healthy controls.

Role of thymosin β4 in brain pathology

Among the differentially expressed genes, the researchers identified TMSB4X, which encodes thymosin β4 (Tβ4), a protein with anti-inflammatory properties. TMSB4X expression was reduced in both the fAD organoids and in neurons from post-mortem samples of individuals with AD, suggesting a possible link between lower Tβ4 levels and disease pathology.

Quantum precision reached in modeling molten salt behavior

Scientists have developed a new machine learning approach that accurately predicted critical and difficult-to-compute properties of molten salts, materials with diverse nuclear energy applications.

In a Chemical Science article, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers demonstrated the ability to rapidly model salts in liquid and solid state with quantum chemical accuracy. Specifically, they looked at thermodynamic properties, which control how molten salts function in high-temperature applications. These applications include dissolving nuclear fuels and improving reliability of long-term reactor operations. The AI-enabled approach was made possible by ORNL’s supercomputer Summit.

“The exciting part is the simplicity of the approach,” said ORNL’s Luke Gibson. “In fewer steps than existing approaches, machine learning gets us to higher accuracy at a faster rate.”

AI chatbots can be easily manipulated to make us share more personal data

Millions of people chat with AI tools every day, trading small talk for quick answers or support. A new study presented at the 34th USENIX Security Symposium shows how easily those friendly agents can be tuned to make you reveal far more than you planned.

The researchers report that malicious chatbots can push users to disclose up to 12.5 times more personal details than standard ones. The most effective tricks leaned on reciprocity and reassurance, not blunt questions about your life.

New research shows manipulative AI chatbots can make you reveal much more personal information than neutral ones.

Oregon State University researchers make key advances in radiation detection

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering have developed new technology for uranium enrichment measurement and trace element detection, vital for nuclear non-proliferation and supporting the development and operation of next-generation nuclear reactors. Findings were published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

A $2 gold nanotech test that detects deadly diseases in minutes

Arizona State University scientists have unveiled NasRED, a revolutionary one-drop blood test that can detect diseases like COVID-19, Ebola, HIV, and Lyme with incredible speed and precision. Using gold nanoparticles to spot microscopic disease markers, the device delivers results in just 15 minutes—outperforming traditional lab tests in sensitivity, speed, and affordability. Portable and costing only $2 per test, it could be deployed from remote clinics to urban hospitals, offering a lifeline for early detection and outbreak control worldwide.

Scientists may have found the tiny DNA switch that made us human

Ultimately, HAR123 promotes a particularly advanced human trait called cognitive flexibility, or the ability to unlearn and replace previous knowledge.

In addition to providing new insights into the biology of the human brain, the results also offer a molecular explanation for some of the radical changes that have occurred in the human brain over the course of our evolution. This is supported, for example, by the authors’ finding that the human version of HAR123 exerts different molecular and cellular effects than the chimpanzee version in both stem cells and neuron precursor cells in a petri dish.

Further research is needed to more fully understand the molecular action of HAR123 and whether the human version of HAR123 does indeed confer human-specific neural traits. This line of research could lead us to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying many neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism.

Gaia’s variable stars: A new map of the stellar life cycle

One of the best places to study stars is inside “open clusters,” which are groups of stars that formed together from the same material and are bound together through gravity.

Open clusters act as laboratories, showing how stars of different masses and ages behave. At the same time, some stars, known as “variable stars,” regularly change in brightness, and their flickers and pulses help scientists learn about the physics inside stars and about the wider galaxy.

Until now, astronomers studied clusters and variable stars separately, and usually one cluster at a time. But that approach missed the bigger picture, leaving gaps in our understanding of how the lives of stars unfold across the galaxy.

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