Tag Archives: emerged

Study Suggests Life First Emerged in Surface-Bound Prebiotic Gels

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In a new study published in the journal Chemical Systems Chemistry, Professor Tony Jia and his team at Hiroshima University have proposed a “prebiotic gel-first” framework. This framework explores how the origins of life might arise within gels adhering to surfaces. The authors also consider the potential existence of “xenophiles,” meaning alien biofilm-like structures that may be extraterrestrial or consist of various terrestrial components. They emphasize the importance of agnostic life detection strategies in the quest for both known and unknown forms of life.

An artist’s impression of a prebiotic gel on the surface of early Earth. Image credit: Nirmell Satthiyasilan.

“The question of how life began has intrigued humanity for ages,” remarked Professor Jia and his co-authors.

“While no one can journey back in time to witness the inception of life, scientists are continually piecing together plausible narratives from chemistry, physics, and geology.”

“Contrary to many theories that concentrate solely on the role of biomolecules and biopolymers, our theory incorporates the significance of gels in the origin of life.”

Within this newly proposed prebiotic gel-first framework, the researchers hypothesize that life could have emerged within gel matrices affixed to surfaces—adhesive, semi-solid substances that possess traits reminiscent of today’s microbial biofilms, which are thin layers of bacteria thriving on rocks, pond surfaces, and even human-made structures.

By integrating insights from soft matter chemistry and contemporary biology, they suggest that such primitive gels may have provided essential structure and functionality for increasingly sophisticated early chemical systems, long before the advent of the first cells.

Prebiotic gels may have addressed crucial hurdles in pre-living chemistry by trapping and organizing molecules, enabling concentration, selective retention, and environmental buffering.

Within these gels, primitive chemical systems may have developed early metabolism and self-replicating behaviors, paving the way for biological evolution.

“This is merely one theory among numerous others within the extensive field of origin-of-life research,” stated Dr. Kuhan Chandru from the Space Science Center at the National University of Malaysia.

“Yet, the significance of gels has been largely overlooked; thus, we aimed to synthesize fragmented research into a cohesive narrative that places primitive gels at the center of discourse.”

Scientists have extended this concept into astrobiology, proposing that similar gel-like systems could exist on other planets.

These possible “xeno-membranes” may serve as non-terrestrial analogues of biofilms and consist of unique chemical components specific to each region.

This viewpoint suggests that the structures themselves, rather than specific chemicals, could be the next focus for life-detection missions, expanding the methods by which astrobiologists can search for life beyond Earth.

The authors now plan to validate their model experimentally by investigating how simple chemical gels formed under early Earth conditions and what properties they imparted to emerging chemical systems.

Dr. Ramona Khanum, also from the Space Science Center at the National University of Malaysia, expressed: “We hope our research will inspire others in the field to investigate this and other unresolved theories concerning the origin of life.”

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Ramona Khanum et al. Prebiotic gel as the cradle of life. Chemical Systems Chemistry, published online on November 19, 2025. doi: 10.1002/syst.202500038

Source: www.sci.news

Embracing the Unconventional: How New Zealand Emerged as a Hub for Indie Games

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TIf you’re just entering the gaming realm, you may not be aware of Pax Australia. This large-scale gaming conference and exhibition occurs annually at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center every October. My favorite area has always been Pax Rising, which showcases indie video games and tabletop games, predominantly from Australia. This year, however, notable changes have emerged, with many outstanding titles coming from New Zealand across the Tasman.

At a booth hosted by Code – the New Zealand Government-supported Center for Digital Excellence – 18 developers from New Zealand showcased their upcoming games, drawing in a busy crowd excited about the local gaming scene. In terms of humor, head lice allowed me to control a parasitic headcrab monster that could seize control of people’s brains and manipulate them like puppets. how was your day is a charming time-loop game set in New Zealand, revolving around a young girl on a quest to find her lost dog. Meanwhile, kill something with friends is a cooperative multiplayer action game featuring bizarre medical trials, where I ripped off my own arm to battle hordes of enemies.

Crowds gather to experience Middle Management, a satirical game focused on office culture developed in New Zealand. Photo: Carl Smith

Two years after the massive success of Dredge, New Zealand’s independent gaming industry continues to flourish. According to an investigation by the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA), local game developer studio revenues have increased steadily each year since 2018, seeing a 38% rise to NZ$759 million (A$657 million) from 2024 to 2025. This amount is nearly double the A$339.1 million generated in Australia in 2024.

This surge in revenue is backed by remarkable successes such as Grinding Gear Games’ acclaimed Path of Exile series, which reported revenue of NZ$105 million between October 2024 and September 2025. PikPok, the studio behind the acclaimed Into the Dead series and the mobile hit Clusterduck, has recorded over 500 million downloads worldwide across all titles. Additionally, projects such as Flintlock: Dawn Siege, Crypto Master, and Dungeons and the Decadent Gambler have seen impressive figures as well. Some of these projects benefit from a 20% rebate provided by NZ On Air, which has paid out $22.4 million by 2024/25 to around 40 companies. For smaller studios lacking new investment, Code has become a vital vehicle for growth.

Founded in Dunedin in late 2019 by the New Zealand Government to support South Island studios, Code received a boost from government investments in 2022 to expand its national program, which not only funds developers but also provides them with industry-best practices. Recent funding rounds yielded nearly NZ$960,000 in prizes across 13 studios, with New Zealand National Party Minister Shane Letty promising double the funding in September, providing an additional NZ$2.75 million per year.

Multiple countries offer federal funding for game development, but what sets Code apart is its emphasis on training developers to compete on a global scale. Its programs encompass not only grants but also mentorship and professional skills workshops (covering areas such as media communication and budgeting). It also provides multiple funding streams, ranging from travel assistance to substantial grants (up to $250,000) for teams poised to grow. The initiative aims to empower developers to become independent. “In today’s environment, publishers and investors want to engage only with those who already have some validation,” states Vee Pendergrast, Code Development Manager. “We built that into our model.”

Mr. Pendergrast emphasizes that industry leaders invited to mentor will offer “cost-effective solutions to expensive challenges.” “Even if they’re receiving a consulting fee, their skills return to the ecosystem.”

According to Code’s estimates, every NZ$1 they invest yields NZ$2.67 in returns, and this is evident in the upcoming console release of Abiotic Factor, a Code-supported title by Deep Field Games, which has sold over 1.4 million copies solely on PC.

“Their games looked fantastic, the demos were engaging, and the developers were skilled at interacting with the media.” – Pax Australia floor. Photo: Carl Smith

At the Code booth during Pax, developers shared similar traits: their games looked fantastic, the demos were engaging, and they had strong media communication skills. One standout for me was Canvas City, a turn-based tactical combat game involving rollerblading. The studio, Disc 2 Games, spun off from Black Salt Games, the creators of the Code-backed hit Dredge. The success of Dredge provides separate funding for Disc 2, enabling them to innovate without growing the original company.

“Code offers excellent support for first-time developers,” says Nadia Thorne, CEO and producer at Black Salt. Since Dredge launched, she has become a mentor for Code. “Many indie studios lack the luxury of [coming to Pax for] this kind of exposure. Pooling our resources allows us to attend numerous shows that we otherwise couldn’t access.”

Kate Stewart and Will Adamson in “Apothecurse.” Photo: Carl Smith

Jevon Wright is developing his first game, Adaptory, after four years. This 2D survival game features players managing a crew that crash-lands in space and must build a base to survive. They discovered Code halfway through its development, allowing them to become part of the broader New Zealand scene. “We all know each other,” they express. “And we’re all here to support one another.”

Will Adamson demonstrating the game Apothecurse also praised the cooperative nature of this scene, stating, “We not only share ideas, experiences, and contacts, but also developers… There’s a true sense of community here.”

Steam lists 61 upcoming games from New Zealand for PC. This figure is impressive for a small nation, yet it’s just a fraction of the 19,000 games released on Steam in 2024 alone. To carve a niche in a saturated market, the games highlighted at Pax all presented something distinct. “We have a multitude of inventive, quirky, Kiwi-oriented products. That’s part of our overall brand,” explains Pendergrast. Consider Middle Management, for instance, an irreverent satire addressing office culture featuring a mind-draining octopus creature, or Dream Team Supreme, where two players control a two-headed robot using two decks of cards to battle monsters.

Not all projects backed by Code have emerged as commercial successes, but some stand out. “We’re happy to share our triumphs and setbacks and the experiences leading up to them,” notes Thorne. “We’re simply striving to make it easier for the next wave of developers.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Keylistbones Emerged in Bird Ancestors Millions of Years Earlier Than Previously Believed

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A group of paleontologists from Yale University and Stony Brook University made a significant discovery while studying dinosaur fossils, including two bird species found in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.

This scene illustrates the oviraptorid dinosaur Citipati appearing astonished as it rests on sand dunes. The creature raises its arms in a threat display, exposing its wrists and emphasizing the small, relocated, closed carpal bones (highlighted in blue x-ray). Image credit: Henry S. Sharp.

For years, the identity of a particular carpal bone in the bird’s wrist was a scientific enigma, until researchers determined it functioned as a trap.

This bone, originally resembling a kneecap-like sesame bone, shifted from its original position in the wrist, replacing another carpal bone known as Urna.

Positions in modern birds indicate a link that enables the bird to automatically fold its wings when it bends.

The bone’s large V-shaped notch allows for the alignment of hand bones to prevent dislocation during flight.

Consequently, this bone plays a crucial role in the bird’s forelimb and is integral for flight.

“The carpal bone in modern birds is a rare wrist bone that initially forms within muscle tendons, resembling knee-like bones, but eventually takes the place of the ‘normal’ wrist bones known as Urna,” commented one researcher.

“It is closely associated with the muscle tissue of the arm, linking flying muscle movement to wrist articulation when integrated into the wrist.”

“This integration is particularly vital for wing stabilization during flight.”

In their recent study, Dr. Bhullar and his team analyzed two Late Cretaceous fossils: Troodontid (birds of prey, related to Velociraptor) and citipati cf. osmorusca (an oviraptorid with a long neck and beakless jaw).

“We were fortunate to have two rigorously preserved theropod wrists for this analysis,” said Alex Rubenstal, a paleontologist from Yale University.

“The wrist bones are small and well-preserved, but they tend to shift during decay and preservation, complicating their position for interpretation.”

“Observing this small bone in its correct position enabled me to thoroughly interpret the fossil wrists we had on hand, as well as those from previous studies.”

“James Napoli, a vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at Stony Brook University, noted:

“While it’s unclear how many times dinosaurs learned to fly, it’s fascinating that experiments with flight appear only after they adapted to the wrist joint.”

“This adaptation may have established an automated mechanism found in present-day birds, although further research on dinosaur wrist bones is necessary to validate this hypothesis.”

Placing their findings within an evolutionary framework, the authors concluded that it was not merely birds but rather theropod dinosaurs that underwent the confinement of this adaptation by the origin of Penalaptra, a group of theropods that includes Dromaeosaurids and Oviraptorosaurs like Velociraptor.

Overall, this group of dinosaurs exhibited bird-like features, including the emergence of feathered wings, indicating that flight evolved at least twice, if not up to five times.

“The evolutionary replacement of Urna was a gradual process occurring much deeper in history than previously understood,” stated the researchers.

“In recent decades, our understanding of theropod dinosaur anatomy and evolution has expanded significantly, revealing many classical ‘bird-like’ traits such as thin-walled bones, larger brains, and feathers.

“Our findings suggest that avian construction is consistent with a topological pattern traced back to the origin of Penalaptra.”

The team’s paper was published in the journal Nature on July 9, 2025.

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JG Napoli et al. Theropod wrist reorganization preceded the origins of bird flight. Nature, Published online on July 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09232-3

Source: www.sci.news

Billions of Cicadas Have Emerged Across the U.S. Could Their Waste Be a Concern?

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Here’s a question you might want to skip while enjoying a meal: Which animal has the fastest urine stream in the world? Is it the elephant? The lion? Perhaps the horse?

Interestingly, as revealed in a journal study Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the unexpected contenders is the CICADA. Researchers, likely equipped with goggles, found that these tiny insects can shoot their pee at speeds of up to 3 meters per second.

While that’s quite astonishing, billions—possibly trillions—of cicadas emerged in the US in 2017, possibly making you reconsider your summer plans.

So, should you be hiding away until the cicada frenzy subsides? Experts say that it might be wise, but it may not be for the reasons you think…

What are Cicadas and why are they headed our way?

“Cicadas are remarkable insects known for their unique life cycle and distinctive sounds,” says Dr. Elio Charita, one of the primary researchers on their urination studies at BBC Science Focus. “These sap-sucking insects belong to the order Hemiptera and can be found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide.”

Cicadas can grow quite large and are, indeed, very noisy. Their calls can reach volumes comparable to a chainsaw.

“One intriguing aspect of cicadas is their long juvenile phase, during which they spend several years underground feeding on plant roots. Depending on the species, this phase can last from a few years to 17,” Charita continues.

This year, the US will witness the significant emergence of Brood XIV, the most extensive group of regular cicada broods, as noted by the University of Connecticut.

After spending over a decade underground, these fascinating insects will appear en masse for a brief but enthusiastic mating season. Expect to see them across much of the eastern US, including states like Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

If their activity persists until late June, prepare for their numbers to swell at any moment.

For more on the cicada life cycle, be sure to check out our detailed article.

Is it time to prepare for a pee-pocalypse?

Before stocking up on canned goods and toilet paper this summer, Dr. Jonathan Larson, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, tells BBC Science Focus that there’s really not much to worry about.

“For many, the thought of a swarm of six-legged bugs might recall sci-fi movies, but in reality, it’s more of a spectacular, almost Mardi Gras-like experience.”

Though large, cicadas pose no threat to humans, animals, or crops.

Larson also points out that compared to the Peruvian cicada species, which emerges annually, US cicadas are expected to feed and urinate less during their short lifespan.

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“In our studies, we find that these US species feed far less as adults compared to some others. When they emerge, their primary focus is finding a mate,” Larson explains.

Nevertheless, they still spend time feeding and urinating. Charita notes that cicadas have been seen urinating jets, even captured on camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnmgiaufm5o

Another upside (if you can call it that) is that cicada urine isn’t like that of larger animals. As mentioned, cicadas primarily excrete sap from trees, which is the same substance that forms the basis of maple syrup. Thus, what drips down is a sweet, watery substance known as “honeydew.”

Although it has a delightful name, I wouldn’t recommend tasting cicada pee this summer, but at least if it lands on you during a walk, it won’t be unpleasant.

As Larson says, “You can leave your umbrellas at home; these cicadas aren’t a big problem.” Phew.

“Watch your step.”

So, while cicada pee is remarkably fast, it’s not a major concern. According to Larson, the real issue arises when they die, not when they urinate.

“They tend to die en masse, creating piles of carcasses, which can lead to slippery sidewalks. I think that’s a more significant issue to worry about,” Larson says.

How significant could this be? Reports from 1990 indicated that people used snow shovels to clear sidewalks of dead cicadas.

What’s even worse is that when billions of these bugs die simultaneously, it leaves behind a nasty odor. Some have described the stench as reminiscent of rotten nuts.

Billions of cicadas emerge from the ground, mate, and soon after die. – Image credits: Getty

On the bright side, this process enriches the soil with nutrients, such as nitrogen. Although the smell may be unpleasant, these insects are beneficial to the ecosystem.

How Cicada Pee Could Inspire Future Robots

According to Charita, the fact that cicadas can generate such powerful urine jets is surprising for two reasons.

  1. Most insects don’t exhibit this behavior because producing jets like larger animals demands a significant amount of energy. Typically, insects excrete urine in droplets. And since cicadas primarily consume sap with low nutritional content, this adds another layer of energy efficiency issues.
  2. Moreover, earlier studies suggested that creatures weighing less than a kilogram are too small to generate such powerful jets, making cicadas’ ability unexpected.

Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for a variety of reasons. Given that cicada populations can number in the trillions, their role in environmental nitrogen cycling may be significant.

“We still do not fully grasp the ecological effects of cicada excretion on surrounding flora and fauna, especially for the seasonal species,” Charita notes.

Cicadas can produce jets of liquid traveling up to 3 meters per second. – Image credit: Elio Challita

When feeding, cicadas consume up to 300 times their body weight in sap daily, and all that sap has to go somewhere.

The research team also considers broader applications for this work. Insights gained could lead to advancements in small robotic jets, nozzles, and various applications in additive manufacturing and drug delivery systems.

“Our study underscores the significance of exploring seemingly trivial aspects of animal biology, such as excretion,” concludes Charita. “Investigating these processes reveals fascinating adaptations and illuminates how animals interact with their environments.”

“It also serves as a reminder that even in the most unexpected places, there’s still much to learn about the natural world.”

About our Experts

Elio Charita is a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard Microrobotics Research Institute. He previously worked at Georgia Tech, where he studied how ultrafast invertebrates (including insects, hexapods, and arachnids) tackle challenges in fluid dynamics (e.g., feeding, excretion, predator evasion, etc.).

Jonathan Larson is an extension entomologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, providing insect expertise for urban landscapes, turfgrass, nurseries, greenhouses, and household issues. He also co-hosts an informative insect podcast, Arthro-Pod.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Concerns Emerged from Foresight AI Utilizing 57 Million NHS Medical Records

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The Foresight AI Model employs information derived from records of hospitals and family practitioners across the UK

Hannah McKay/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The developers assert that an AI model trained with medical records of 57 million individuals through the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) could eventually assist physicians in anticipating illness and hospitalization trends. Nonetheless, other academics express significant concerns over privacy and data protection associated with the extensive utilization of health data, acknowledging that even AI developers are unable to ensure the absolute protection of sensitive patient information.

This model, branded as “Foresight,” was initially created in 2023. Its first iteration leveraged OpenAI’s GPT-3, the prominent language model (LLM) that powered the original ChatGPT, using 1.5 million authentic patient records from two hospitals in London.

Recently, Chris Tomlinson from University College London and his team broadened their objectives, claiming to develop the world’s first “national generative AI model for health data” with significant diversity.

Foresight utilizes Meta’s open-source LLM, LLAMA 2, leveraging eight distinct datasets of medical information routinely collected by the NHS between November 2018 and December 2023, including outpatient appointments, hospital visits, vaccination records, and other relevant documents.

Tomlinson notes that his team has not disclosed any performance metrics for Foresight, as it is still undergoing evaluation. However, he believes that its potential extends to various applications, including personalized diagnoses and forecasting broader health trends such as hospital admissions and heart conditions. “The true promise of Foresight lies in its capacity to facilitate timely interventions and predict complications, paving the way for large-scale preventive healthcare,” he stated at a press conference on May 6.

While the foreseeable advantages remain unsupported, the ethical implications of utilizing medical records for AI learning at this magnitude continue to raise alarms. Scholars argue that all medical records undergo a ‘degeneration’ process before integration into AI training, yet the risk of re-identifying these records through data patterns is well-established, especially in expansive datasets.

“Creating a robust generative AI model that respects patient privacy presents ongoing scientific challenges,” stated Luc Rocher at Oxford University. “The immense detail of data advantageous for AI complicates the anonymization process. Such models must operate under stringent NHS governance to ensure secure usage.”

“The data inputted into the model is identifiable, so direct identifiers will be eliminated,” remarked Michael Chapman, who oversees the data fueling Foresight, in a speech at NHS Digital. However, he acknowledged the perpetual risk of re-identification.

To mitigate this risk, Chapman explained that AI functions within a specially created “secure” NHS data environment, guaranteeing that information remains protected and accessible solely to authorized researchers. Amazon Web Services and Databricks provide the “computational infrastructure,” yet they do not have access to the actual data, according to Tomlinson.

Regarding the potential to expose sensitive information, Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye from Imperial College London suggests evaluating whether a model can retain the information it encounters during training. When asked by New Scientist whether Foresight has undergone such testing, Tomlinson indicated that it has not, but they are contemplating future assessments.

Employing such an extensive dataset without engaging the public regarding data usage may erode trust, cautions Caroline Green at Oxford University. “Even anonymized data raises ethical concerns, as individuals often wish to manage their data and understand its trajectory.”

Nevertheless, prevailing regulations offer little leeway for individuals to opt out of the data utilized by Foresight. All information incorporated into the model emanates from NHS datasets gathered on a national scale and remains “identified.” An NHS England representative stated that the existing opt-out provisions do not apply, asserting that individuals not wishing to share their family doctor data will not contribute to the model.

As per the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), individuals should retain the option to withdraw their consent concerning personal data usage. However, training methods involving LLMs like Foresight make it impossible to eliminate a single record from an AI tool. An NHS England spokesperson commented, “The GDPR does not pertain since the data utilized to train the model is anonymized, and therefore we do not engage with personal data.”

While the complexity of GDPR concerning the training of LLMs presents novel legal issues, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office indicates that “identified” data should not be viewed as equivalent to anonymous data. “This perspective arises because UK data protection laws lack a definition for the term, which can lead to misunderstanding,” the office emphasizes.

Tomlinson explains that the legal situation is compounded as Foresight is only engaged in studies pertaining to Covid-19. This means that exceptions to data protection laws instituted during the pandemic remain applicable, points out Sam Smith from Medconfidential, a UK data privacy advocacy group. “This Covid-specific AI likely harbors patient data, but such information cannot be extracted from the research environment,” he asserts. “Patients should maintain control over their data usage.”

Ultimately, the conflicting rights and responsibilities surrounding the utilization of medical data in AI developments remain ambiguous. “In the realm of AI innovation, ethical considerations are often overshadowed, prompting a reevaluation beyond merely initial parameters,” states Green. “Human ethics must serve as the foundational element, followed by technological advancements.”

The article was updated on May 7, 2025

Corrections regarding the comments made by the NHS England spokesperson were duly noted.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Big animals face heightened cancer risk, yet enhanced defenses have emerged

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African elephants have extra copies of genes that help resist cancer

Neil Aldridge/Nature Picture Library/Aramie

Larger animals live longer and have more cells, and are expected to be at a higher risk of developing cancer. A comprehensive analysis of 263 species suggests that this is true, but also finds that some large animals have evolved ways of reducing risk.

“We provide the first empirical evidence that there is a link between body size and cancer prevalence, meaning that larger species increase cancer than smaller species. “I say it. George Butler University College London.

The results are in contrast to previous studies found. There is no link between weight and cancer rate. But many of these were related to just a few dozen species, Butler says.

To gain a broader view, Butler and his colleagues analyzed data on the size and cancer rates of 79 bird species, 90 mammal species, 63 reptiles and 31 amphibians. The data comes from previous studies by other researchers who sifted through autopsy records that record whether a breeding animal stored in a place like Zoos or an aquarium had cancer when it died. .

The team found that smaller animals were slightly more likely to have cancer than fewer animals at the time of death. Each 1% increase in body weight was associated with an average increase of 0.1% in cancer rates between birds and mammals. Because body mass data were not available in reptiles and amphibians, the team used body length and found that it was associated with an average increase in cancer rate of 0.003% for every 1% increase.

Butler and his team say their discoveries will challenge a long-standing idea known as the Pete Paradox. on the other hand, Veragolbunova At the University of Rochester in New York, the weak correlation still needs explanation.

“The increased risk they see is very, very minor and not proportional to their body size,” she says. “If you take small animals like mice and humans are 100 times larger, or elephants are 100 times larger, the difference in cancer rates is not 100 times higher in humans and 1000 times higher in elephants.”

It suggests that larger species have evolved more ways to protect themselves, Golbunova says.

Indeed, by using evolutionary trees to infer evolutionary rates of animal body size, the team said that if the size increases more rapidly during evolution, birds and mammal species of similar sizes can be We found it to provide better protection against cancer.

Previous studies have identified genetic adaptations in elephants and whales, protecting against cancer by improving DNA repair and preventing broken cells from dividing.

A deeper understanding of how some animals resist cancer can lead to new treatments for people, says Golbunova. “In these cancer-resistant animals, there are specific biological pathways of different fine-tuning, for example, targeting these pathways and then killing cancer cells more efficiently, or perhaps killing cancer cells. You can even prevent cancer from occurring,” she says.

“As these mechanisms have been tested over millions of years in the course of evolution, they are likely to become highly promising drugs,” she says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New understanding suggests LUCA, the last common ancestor of all life, emerged earlier than previously believed

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Illustration showing LUCA possibly being attacked by a virus

Scientific Graphic Design

The organisms that gave rise to all life on Earth evolved much earlier than previously thought – just a few hundred million years after Earth formed – and may have been more sophisticated than previous assessments had suggested.

The DNA of all living organisms today is E. coli There are many similarities in the evolution leading up to the blue whale, suggesting that we can trace our origins back to a universal common ancestor, LUCA, billions of years ago. While many efforts have been made to understand LUCA, studies taking a broader approach have revealed surprising results.

“What we're trying to do is bring together representatives from different disciplines to develop a comprehensive understanding of when LUCA existed and what its biological characteristics were,” he said. Philip Donahue At the University of Bristol, UK.

Genes that are currently present in all major lineages of life may have been passed down uninterrupted from LUCA, which could help us understand what genes our ancient ancestors had. By studying how these genes changed over time, we should be able to estimate when LUCA lived.

In reality, this is a lot more complicated than it sounds, as genes are lost, gained, and swapped between branches. Donohue says the team created a complex model that took this into account, to work out which genes were present in LUCA. “We've found a much more sophisticated organism than many have previously claimed,” he says.

The researchers estimate that 2,600 protein-coding genes come from LUCA, up from previous estimates of as few as 80. The team also concludes that LUCA lived around 4.2 billion years ago, much older than other estimates and surprisingly close to the formation of Earth 4.5 billion years ago. “This suggests that the evolution of life may have been simpler than previously claimed, because evolution happened so quickly,” Donohue says.

The earlier date is largely due to the team's improved methodology, but also because, unlike others, they don't assume that LUCA could have existed only after the Late Heavy Bombardment, when Earth was hit so hard by space debris that any new life that emerged could have been wiped out. Based on rocks returned from the Moon, the period has been put at 3.8 billion years ago, but there's a lot of uncertainty around that number, Donohue says.

Their reconstruction suggests that LUCA had genes that protected it from ultraviolet damage, which leads them to believe that it likely lived on the ocean's surface. Other genes suggest that LUCA fed on hydrogen, which is consistent with previous findings. The team speculates that LUCA may have been part of an ecosystem with other types of primitive cells that are now extinct. “I think it's extremely naive to think that LUCA existed on its own,” Donohue says.

“I think this is compelling from an evolutionary perspective.” Greg Fournier “LUCA is not the beginning of the story of life, but merely the state of the last common ancestor that we can trace back to using genomic data,” say researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The results also suggest that LUCA had a primitive version of the bacterial defense system known as CRISPR to fight viruses. “Even 4.2 billion years ago, our earliest ancestors were fighting viruses,” the team members say. Edmund Moodyalso at the University of Bristol.

Peering into the distant past is fraught with uncertainty, and Donohue is the first to admit that his team may have missed the mark. “We've almost certainly got it all wrong,” he says. “What we're trying to do is push the envelope and create the first attempt to synthesize all of the relevant evidence.”

“This won't be the last word,” he said, “and it won't be our last word on this subject, but we think it's a good start.”

Patrick Forter Researchers at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, who coined the term LUCA, also believe that the organism did not live in isolation. “But the claim that LUCA lived before the Late Heavy Bombardment 3.9 billion years ago seems to me completely unrealistic,” says Forterre. “I'm convinced that their strategy for determining the age and gene content of LUCA has several flaws.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research indicates that fresh water emerged on Earth approximately 4 billion years ago.

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Geologists have analysed 4-billion-year-old zircon crystals from Jack Hills in Western Australia’s mid-west region to date the emergence of fresh water back just a few hundred million years after the Earth formed.

Artistic conception of early Earth. Image by Simone Marchi/NASA.

On the early Earth, extensive interactions between flowing (fresh) water and the emerging continental crust may have been key to the emergence of life, but when the water cycle first began is unclear.

In the new study, Curtin University scientist Hamed Gamaleldien and his colleagues used the oxygen isotope composition of zircon crystals from Jack Hills in Western Australia to determine when the water cycle began.

Their findings suggest that meteoric water appeared on Earth about 4 billion years ago, 500 million years earlier than previously thought.

“We were able to date the origins of the hydrological cycle, the ongoing process by which water moves around Earth and is essential for maintaining ecosystems and supporting life on Earth,” Dr Gamalerdien said.

“By examining the age and oxygen isotopes of microscopic crystals of the mineral zircon, we discovered an anomalously light isotopic signature that dates back 4 billion years.”

“These light oxygen isotopes typically result from hot freshwater altering rocks several kilometers below the Earth’s surface.”

“The evidence for the presence of fresh water this deep in the Earth casts doubt on existing theories that the Earth was completely covered by oceans 4 billion years ago.”

“This discovery was crucial for our understanding of how Earth formed and how life began,” said Curtin University scientist Hugo Orioluk.

“This discovery not only sheds light on the early history of Earth, but also suggests that land and freshwater systems provided the foundation for life to thrive within a relatively short time frame – less than 600 million years after Earth’s formation.”

“This discovery represents a major advance in our understanding of Earth’s early history and opens the door to further exploration of the origin of life.”

of Investigation result Published in this week’s journal Nature Chemistry.

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H. Gamaleldine othersThe Earth’s water cycle began 4 billion years ago or sooner. National GeographyPublished online June 3, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41561-024-01450-0

Source: www.sci.news

Research Indicates Multicellularity Emerged in Streptococcal Plants Approximately One Billion Years Ago

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A new study led by scientists at the University of Göttingen has provided evidence that the first multicellular streptococci probably existed about a billion years ago.

bierenbrodspot other. We sequenced 24 new transcriptomes of Klebsormidiophyceae and combined them with 14 previously published genome and transcriptome datasets. Image credit: Bierenbroodspot other., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.070.

streptococcus is best known as a clade of plants that contains a rich diversity of embryophytes (land plants).

However, next to the embryophytes there is a series of freshwater and terrestrial algae that are responsible for important information on the emergence of key traits in land plants.

this house, Klebsolmidioalgae stand out. Klebsolmydiophytes thrive in diverse environments, from the mundane (ubiquitous on tree bark and rocks) to extreme environments (from the Atacama Desert to Antarctica), display filamentous body surfaces, and can be found on land. They can show remarkable resilience as habitat colonizers.

Currently, the lack of a strong phylogenetic framework for Klebsolmydiophyceae hinders our understanding of the evolutionary history of these important traits.

Dr Tatyana Dariyenko, co-lead author of the study, said: “These small, hardy little creatures have a very high diversity in their morphology and are very good at living in sometimes very harsh environments. “It's really interesting that we're adapting.”

“Our comprehensive sampling aimed to map the global distribution of Klebsolmydiophyceae and highlight its adaptability, ecological importance and hidden diversity.”

“We analyzed the molecular clock based on genetic data calibrated using fossils.”

When delving into the complex evolutionary history of Klebsolmydiophyceae, Dr. Darienko and colleagues faced the challenge of disentangling phylogenetic relationships using traditional markers.

To overcome this, they utilized hundreds of genes obtained from the transcriptomes of 24 isolates from different continents and habitats.

“Our approach, known as phylogenomics, was to reconstruct the evolutionary history by considering whole genomes or large parts of genomes,” said Iker Irisarri, Ph.D., co-senior author of the study. Ta.

“This very powerful method allows us to reconstruct evolutionary relationships with very high precision.”

Researchers have uncovered a new phylogenetic tree for the family Klebsormydiophyceae, revealing that it can be divided into three orders.

“A deep dive into phylogenetic frameworks and our molecular clocks has revealed the ancient ancestor of Klebsormydiophyceae, a multicellular entity that flourished millions of years ago. Its descendants began to diverge into three distinct branches more than 800 million years ago,” said co-lead author Maaike Bierenbroodspot.

Scientists are investigating the evolutionary history of multicellularity within streptococci.

They discovered that the ancient common ancestor of land plants, other chain algae, and Klebsormydiophyceae was already multicellular.

“This discovery reveals the genetic potential of multicellularity among streptococci and shows that the origins of this important trait date back almost a billion years,” said co-author Jan de Vries. the professor said.

of study It was published in the magazine current biology.

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Maike J. Bielenbrodspot other. Phylogenomic insights into the first multicellular streptococci. current biology, published online on January 19, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.070

Source: www.sci.news