Boron, Not Carbonate, Found to Control pH in Lithium-Rich Brines of Salt Pans

Hello and welcome to our May 25th edition. The STEAM Digest is a curated newsletter that brings you the latest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

In today’s edition:

• Physics - Researchers Unveil Simple Geometric Method for Designing Complex Kirigami Structures, and more.

• Biology - Cellular "Motor Movie" Reveals How Key Protein Duo Powers Intracellular Transport, and more.

• Chemistry - Boron, Not Carbonate, Found to Control pH in Lithium-Rich Brines of Salt Pans.

• Materials - Researchers Discover New 2D Copper Boride Instead of Borophene on Copper, and more.

• Biotechnology & Biomedical Technology - New Drug-Infused Bed Nets Kill Malaria Parasites in Mosquitoes, Offering Breakthrough in Disease Control, and more.

• Robotics, AI, Hardware, Software, Gadgets - Researchers Develop Light-Powered Underwater Artificial Muscles for Soft Robotics, and more.

• Astronomy, Space, & Astrobiology - Discovery of Distant Trans-Neptunian Object Challenges Assumptions About Outer Solar System, and more.

• Health & Medicine - Global Skin Cancer Burden in Older Adults Doubles, Driven by Population Growth and Male Predominance.

• Neuroscience- Remembering One Thing Can Strengthen Others—If They Share the Same Context, and more.

• Environment - Saltwater Intrusion Threatens Global Deltas as Sea Levels Rise, New Study Finds.

• Nature & Ecology - Ancient Gene Key to Root Development Also Drives Organ Formation in Primitive Land Plants, and more.

• Other Sciences & The Arts - Ancient Origins of Tooth Sensitivity Traced to Early Fish Armor, Not Chewing, and more.

Until Tomorrow,

~The STEAM Digest

If you would like to share The STEAM Digest newsletter with others, please use the following link: https://thesteamdigest.beehiiv.com/subscribe

PHYSICS

Researchers Unveil Simple Geometric Method for Designing Complex Kirigami Structures: Scientists have developed a new inverse design method for kirigami that avoids advanced computational tools. The study reveals a simple geometric relationship between the deformation of kirigami and the shape of its rotating units, enabling swift and intuitive design. By applying a shear strain in the opposite direction to the deployed shape, designers can directly map the contracted form to achieve precise morphing behavior. This approach opens the door to faster and more versatile applications of kirigami in materials science, robotics, and engineering.

Engineered Nanodiamond Shells Boost Quantum Sensors for Living Cells:
Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a novel siloxane-coated nanodiamond quantum sensor that maintains high quantum coherence inside living cells—crucial for early disease detection. The study draws inspiration from QLED TV technology, applying a protective shell to stabilize the quantum properties of diamond nanoparticles. This shell suppresses disruptive surface effects, enhancing spin coherence up to fourfold, along with increased fluorescence and charge stability. The breakthrough not only solves a long-standing mystery in quantum sensing but also provides a framework for engineering better quantum biosensors, advancing cellular diagnostics and quantum materials science.

BIOLOGY

Cellular "Motor Movie" Reveals How Key Protein Duo Powers Intracellular Transport: Researchers have captured real-time 3D movies showing how the protein Lis1 activates the motor protein dynein, which transports vital cargo inside cells. The study used time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy to reveal 16 intermediate structural states—several previously unseen—as Lis1 progressively switches dynein from an inactive “Phi” state to an active “Chi” state. These insights into dynein-Lis1 interactions provide a foundation for developing treatments for disorders like lissencephaly, a fatal developmental condition caused by Lis1 dysfunction.

Global Study Uncovers How Plankton Chemically Adapt to Ocean Environments:
A global study led by the University of Bremen and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reveals how plankton adjust their lipid chemistry to survive diverse ocean conditions. Analyzing over 200 GB of open-access mass spectrometry data from 930 ocean samples, researchers found that plankton in colder waters exhibit greater lipid diversity, using strategies like shortening fatty acid chains, while those in warmer, nutrient-poor regions shift lipid composition and increase unsaturated fatty acids at depth. The findings offer new insights into how plankton adapt in real-world ocean settings and demonstrate the power of combining lipidomics and data science in marine research.

CHEMISTRY

Boron, Not Carbonate, Found to Control pH in Lithium-Rich Brines of Salt Pans:
A Duke University-led study reveals that boron, not carbonate, is the dominant factor controlling pH and alkalinity in the ultra-saline brines of lithium-rich salt pans like Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni. Unlike seawater and other saline waters where carbonate governs pH, these unique brines exhibit a boron-driven geochemistry, with boric acid and borates dictating pH behavior—especially as brines concentrate during evaporation in lithium extraction processes. Researchers analyzed samples and compiled global data from over 300 lithium brine analyses in the Andes and Tibetan Plateau. They found that boron consistently exerts the strongest influence on alkalinity, especially as brine becomes more acidic during evaporation. The discovery provides critical insights for optimizing lithium extraction technologies and managing environmental impacts in a growing industry vital to the renewable energy sector.

MATERIALS

Researchers Discover New 2D Copper Boride Instead of Borophene on Copper:
More than a decade after predicting that boron would bind too tightly to copper to form borophene, researchers at Rice University and Northwestern University have discovered a new two-dimensional copper boride compound. The study reveals that instead of forming borophene, boron atoms and copper create a defined 2D zigzag-patterned superstructure with unique electronic properties—confirming Rice's earlier theoretical prediction. The finding sheds light on boron's complex behavior with metal substrates and introduces a new class of atomically thin metal borides with potential applications in energy storage, electronics, and extreme environment technologies. The discovery highlights the promise and challenges of manipulating boron at the atomic level and opens the door to further exploration of 2D metal boride materials.

New Method Enables High-Purity, Ultraflat Diamond Films Without High Heat:
Rice University researchers have developed a novel technique to create ultrathin, high-purity diamond films without high-temperature annealing. Traditionally, ion implantation and thermal treatment were used to lift off diamond layers, but the new method uses diamond overgrowth instead. After bombarding the substrate with carbon ions to create a buried damage layer, researchers grow a new diamond epilayer via microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. This process converts the damage into a graphitic release layer, enabling clean lift-off. The resulting films are purer than the original substrate and suitable for applications in quantum computing, electronics, and thermal management. The technique is also more sustainable and allows substrate reuse.

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

New Drug-Infused Bed Nets Kill Malaria Parasites in Mosquitoes, Offering Breakthrough in Disease Control: A multi-institutional study reveals that bed nets treated with anti-malarial compounds called ELQs (endochin-like quinolones) can kill malaria parasites inside mosquitoes, rather than targeting the mosquitoes themselves. Developed at Oregon Health & Science University and tested at Harvard's Catteruccia Lab, the strategy bypasses growing insecticide resistance and reduces disease transmission. Lab tests showed that mosquitoes landing on ELQ-treated materials absorbed the compound through their legs, effectively curing them of infection. With field trials beginning soon, this novel approach could become a powerful new tool in the global fight against malaria, which killed over half a million people in 2023.

New 3D-Printed Device Enables Complex, Multi-Tissue Models for Disease Research: Researchers at the University of Washington and UW Medicine have developed STOMP (Suspended Tissue Open Microfluidic Patterning)—a fingertip-sized, 3D-printed device that dramatically improves control over cell placement in engineered tissue. STOMP uses capillary action to precisely pattern different cell types within a suspended gel matrix, enabling realistic lab models of complex tissue interfaces, such as bone-ligament and healthy-diseased heart tissue. By enhancing existing casting methods and incorporating degradable hydrogel walls, STOMP allows for more versatile and lifelike models—a breakthrough for studying neuromuscular disorders, heart disease, and regenerative medicine.

ROBOTICS, AI, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, GADGETS

Researchers Develop Light-Powered Underwater Artificial Muscles for Soft Robotics: A collaborative team has developed innovative light-powered artificial muscles capable of functioning untethered underwater. The actuators are based on azobenzene-functionalized semicrystalline liquid crystal elastomers (AC-LCEs), which contract or expand under UV or visible light. These artificial muscles achieve strains over three times greater than previous designs and outperform mammalian muscle in work capacity. Demonstrated in untethered robotic systems that grip, release, and crawl underwater, the technology enables battery- and wire-free actuation and retains deformed shapes after light is removed. The team aims to commercialize this next-generation soft robotic solution by 2030.

AI Power Use Could Match Half of All Data Center Energy by Year's End, Study Warns: In a new opinion piece in Joule, PhD candidate Alex de Vries-Gao of VU Amsterdam estimates that AI applications will consume 82 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024—equivalent to Switzerland's annual energy use. Using publicly available data and industry reports, de Vries-Gao projects that if AI demand doubles this year, AI could account for up to half of all global data center power consumption. With AI firms increasingly secretive about energy usage, the study highlights concerns over rising energy prices and environmental impacts, as many data centers still rely on fossil-fuel-based electricity, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

ASTRONOMY, SPACE, & ASTROLOBIOLOGY

Discovery of Distant Trans-Neptunian Object Challenges Assumptions About Outer Solar System: A research team has discovered a massive trans-Neptunian object, 2017 OF201, with an exceptionally distant and elongated orbit. Likely large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet (~700 km in diameter), the object resides far beyond the Kuiper Belt and challenges the notion that this region of the solar system is empty. Identified using archival telescope data and a computational algorithm, the object's aphelion is over 1,600 times Earth’s orbital distance, with an orbital period of ~25,000 years. Its unusual trajectory does not align with patterns attributed to the hypothesized Planet Nine, potentially complicating that theory. The discovery underscores the vast unexplored frontier of our solar system and the democratizing potential of open-access astronomical data.

Revolutionary ALMA Observations Reveal Dynamic Planet Formation in Protoplanetary Disks: An international team of astronomers at MIT has captured the most sensitive and detailed observations yet of 15 protoplanetary disks, reshaping our understanding of early planet formation. The study leverages five years of coordinated ALMA observations through the exoALMA program. Unlike previous models assuming largely static disks, the new high-resolution gas dynamics data reveal unexpected motion patterns and complex structures such as vortices that may facilitate dust aggregation—a critical step in planet formation. The findings challenge existing models and suggest a far more dynamic early solar system environment, providing a transformative dataset for future research while ALMA undergoes major upgrades.

Primordial Black Holes May Be Undying Dark Matter—Detectable Through Gravitational Waves: A Japanese research team proposes that primordial black holes (PBHs)—formed in the early universe—could still exist as cold dark matter if stabilized by a quantum phenomenon called the memory burden effect, which significantly slows their evaporation. The study calculates the gravitational waves generated alongside PBH formation and shows that upcoming observatories like LISA, DECIGO, and Cosmic Explorer may be able to detect these signals. If observed, the results would confirm that PBHs with masses between 100 kg and 10 million kg could make up dark matter, offering an alternative to elusive dark matter particles like WIMPs or axions.

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Global Skin Cancer Burden in Older Adults Doubles, Driven by Population Growth and Male Predominance: A global analysis reveals a dramatic rise in skin cancer among adults aged 65 and older, driven primarily by population growth and disproportionately affecting men. The study analyzed data from 204 countries, showing that squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma have steadily increased since 1990—doubling in incidence over 30 years. In 2021, skin cancers accounted for 4.4 million new cases in this age group. High-income nations such as Australia, New Zealand, and North America recorded the highest melanoma rates, while East Asia saw the fastest rise in basal cell carcinoma. With projections showing continued increases through 2050, the study underscores an urgent need for early detection, prevention, and policy action to mitigate the rising health and economic toll.

Daylight Enhances Immune Cell Activity via Circadian Clock, Study Finds:
Researchers at the University of Auckland have discovered that daylight boosts the bacteria-killing ability of neutrophils—the most abundant type of white blood cell—by activating their internal circadian clocks. Using transparent zebrafish as a model organism, scientists observed that neutrophils' immune response peaks during the early daylight hours, aligning with increased activity and exposure to potential infections. The study suggests that targeting the circadian clock in neutrophils could enhance immune function and lead to novel treatments for inflammatory diseases.

Inherited DNA Variations Found to Influence Gene Activity in Pediatric Brain Tumors: A study led by Baylor College of Medicine reveals that germline structural variations (SVs)—large inherited differences in DNA—can influence gene regulation in pediatric brain tumors by altering DNA methylation. Analyzing over 1,200 tumor samples from the Children’s Brain Tumor Network, researchers linked thousands of SVs to changes in methylation patterns and gene expression, particularly near cancer-related genes like MSH2, RPSA, and PALB2. These findings suggest that inherited genetic structures, along with epigenetic modifications, contribute significantly to cancer development and patient outcomes. The research offers a new catalog of candidate genes that could help predict cancer risk and inform personalized treatments.

NEUROSCIENCE

Remembering One Thing Can Strengthen Others—If They Share the Same Context: A study by researchers reveals that reactivating a consolidated memory can also indirectly strengthen related memories, but only when they were formed in the same context. The study involved 238 participants who learned face-name pairs alongside everyday objects. Memory reactivation on the second day improved recall of both the targeted and associated items by the third day—but only when the associations were contextually bound. The findings shed light on context-dependent mechanisms in episodic memory and suggest that reactivation may reinforce not just individual memories but entire contextual memory networks.

Researchers Pinpoint Brain Cells Behind Semaglutide's Weight-Loss Benefits Without Side Effects: A study reveals that semaglutide’s appetite-reducing and fat-loss effects are driven by a specific group of nerve cells in the brain’s dorsal vagal complex, distinct from those linked to side effects like nausea and muscle loss. Using mouse models, researchers showed that stimulating these cells replicated semaglutide's benefits without the drug, while destroying them weakened its effects. The findings could lead to more targeted obesity and diabetes treatments with fewer adverse effects, and offer new insight into how the brain regulates energy balance.

ENVIRONMENT

Saltwater Intrusion Threatens Global Deltas as Sea Levels Rise, New Study Finds:
A long-term study led by the University of Portsmouth reveals accelerating saltwater intrusion in Bangladesh’s Bengal Delta, driven by sea-level rise, reduced river flows, and intensified storm surges. Analyzing two decades of data, researchers found rising salinity in rivers and estuaries—especially since 2007—posing threats to agriculture, drinking water, and livelihoods. The study introduced the OCEAN framework to explain how offshore dynamics trap salt in coastal zones. Highlighting the global relevance, the research urges integrated river-ocean-climate strategies and long-term salinity monitoring in other vulnerable deltas like the Mekong and Louisiana wetlands.

NATURE & ECOLOGY

Ancient Gene Key to Root Development Also Drives Organ Formation in Primitive Land Plants: A study reveals that the RLF gene, essential for root development in modern plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, also governs organ development in ancient rootless liverworts (Marchantia polymorpha). The research demonstrates that the RLF gene is functionally conserved and interchangeable between these distant plant species. RLF encodes a heme-binding protein, previously not linked to organ development, suggesting it was co-opted early in land plant evolution for new roles like root formation. The findings highlight a broader evolutionary principle: repurposing existing molecular tools for novel functions.

Exploring the Conscious Minds of Crows and Ravens: What Corvids Might Feel and Know: A new study published in Animal Cognition examines the possible conscious experiences of corvids—crows, ravens, jays, and magpies—highlighting their complex sensory, emotional, cognitive, and social lives. Researchers analyzed five dimensions of corvid experience, including sharp sensory perception, human-like emotional states, advanced memory and planning skills, partial integration of consciousness, and a rich sense of self. Corvids demonstrate behaviors such as tool use, food caching, mirror recognition, and social awareness, suggesting they possess sophisticated forms of consciousness. The findings underscore the need for better welfare practices and further scientific exploration into avian minds.

Marine Heat Waves Reshape North Sea Plankton Ecosystems, Study Warns:
New research reveals that marine heat waves are amplifying the effects of long-term ocean warming on plankton communities in the North Sea. Drawing on over 60 years of ecological data from the Helgoland Roads time series, scientists found that intense short-term heat events have become more frequent and damaging, especially during late summer. Experimental simulations of future climate scenarios showed significant shifts in plankton species, favoring smaller phytoplankton and certain bacteria like Vibrio, while reducing vital zooplankton biomass. The studies stress that both gradual warming and sudden heat waves must be considered in ecological forecasts and marine conservation efforts.

OTHER SCIENCES & THE ARTS

Ancient Origins of Tooth Sensitivity Traced to Early Fish Armor, Not Chewing:
A new study led by researchers at the University of Chicago suggests that teeth first evolved as sensory organs, not for chewing, nearly 500 million years ago. The research shows that hard structures called odontodes, found on the armored skin of early fish like Anatolepis, likely served to detect environmental stimuli—similar to sensilla in modern arthropods such as crabs and spiders. CT scans and modern fish experiments confirmed nerve connections in external teeth of catfish, sharks, and skates, revealing that tooth sensitivity may have helped early vertebrates navigate predator-rich waters. Over time, these structures migrated to the mouth, evolving into the modern teeth we use—and sometimes suffer from—today.

Iconic 'Roman Massacre' at Maiden Castle Debunked by New Radiocarbon Dating: A new study by archaeologists has overturned the long-held belief that dozens of skeletons buried at Maiden Castle in Dorset were victims of a single Roman attack during the conquest of Britain. The research used radiocarbon dating to reveal that the individuals died over several decades, between the late 1st century BC and early 1st century AD. The evidence suggests intermittent violence—likely internal conflict or dynastic strife—rather than a singular Roman massacre. The findings challenge a cornerstone of British historical narrative and raise broader questions about interpreting ancient burial sites.