New Light-Driven Catalyst Converts CO2 to Useful Chemical with High Efficiency

Hello and welcome to our June 17th 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 - Physicist Reconnects Nernst’s Theorem to Second Law of Thermodynamics, Resolving Century-Old Debate, and more.

• Chemistry - New Light-Driven Catalyst Converts CO₂ to Useful Chemical with High Efficiency, and more.

• Biology - Genetic Breakthrough Enhances Meat Quality Selection in Brazil’s Nelore Cattle.

• Materials & Nanotechnology- Turning Agricultural Waste into Clothing: Wheat and Oat Residues Offer Sustainable Textile Alternative, and more.

• Biotechnology & Biomedical Technology - New AI Tool Enhances Protein Design for Drug Development.

• Engineering & Technology - Engineers Develop Rule-Based Swarm Robotics Inspired by Nature’s Builders, and more.

• Robotics, AI, Hardware, Software, Gadgets - Smartwatch Could Be Used to Breach Air-Gapped Systems, Researcher Warns, and more.

• Astronomy, Space, & Astrobiology - Thick Clay Layers on Mars Formed Near Ancient Lakes, Offering Clues to Past Habitability, and more.

• Health & Medicine - Walking Over 100 Minutes Daily Linked to Lower Risk of Chronic Low Back Pain, and more.

• Neuroscience - Nighttime Light Exposure Triggers Depression-like Symptoms via New Brain Circuit, Study Finds, and more.

• Environment & Earth Sciences - Climate Change Triples Frequency of Stuck Jet Stream Patterns Driving Extreme Summer Weather, and more.

• Nature & Ecology - Artificial Light Extends Urban Plant Growing Seasons by Up to Three Weeks, and more.

• Other Sciences & The Arts - Medieval Bed Burials Reveal Cultural Variation and Migration Across Europe, and more.

Until Tomorrow,

~The STEAM Digest

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PHYSICS

Physicist Reconnects Nernst’s Theorem to Second Law of Thermodynamics, Resolving Century-Old Debate: In a new theoretical breakthrough, physicist José Martín-Olalla of the University of Seville has directly linked Nernst’s theorem—stating that entropy exchange vanishes as temperature approaches absolute zero—to the second law of thermodynamics. This connection challenges a long-standing interpretation from Albert Einstein, who argued in 1912 that Nernst’s theorem required a separate, third law. Martín-Olalla's paper demonstrates that a virtual engine, which neither produces work nor consumes heat, satisfies the formal conditions of the second law while proving the inaccessibility of absolute zero. The work reframes a foundational thermodynamic principle and clarifies its conceptual underpinnings after more than a century.

Physicists Sculpt Programmable Water Landscapes Using Surface Tension and 3D Printing: Researchers at the University of Liège have successfully manipulated the surface of water by arranging dense arrays of 3D-printed spines to combine individual menisci into complex, programmable liquid landscapes. These tailored surface reliefs—such as inclined planes or even the shape of the Atomium—can passively guide floating particles like microplastics or droplets using gravity alone. This novel technique, based on capillarity and surface tension, offers potential breakthroughs in particle sorting, microfluidics, and environmental cleanup. Future enhancements may allow real-time control of liquid topographies using responsive materials.

Researchers Capture Real-Time Atomic Cluster Formation and Energy Pooling:
A research team has observed for the first time how individual magnesium atoms form clusters in real time, revealing the detailed dynamics of bond formation and energy transfer. Using superfluid helium droplets at near-absolute zero as "nano-refrigerators" to isolate atoms, the team triggered cluster formation with a laser and tracked the process with femtosecond precision. A key finding was energy pooling, where atoms transfer laser-induced excitation to a single atom, elevating it to a higher energy state. The technique offers broad potential for studying chemical dynamics and may aid developments in solar energy and photomedicine.

CHEMISTRY

New Light-Driven Catalyst Converts CO₂ to Useful Chemical with High Efficiency:
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a light-activated catalyst that converts CO₂ into formate—a valuable industrial chemical—with high selectivity and efficiency. Unlike traditional catalysts, this system uses ligands instead of metal centers for the reaction, avoiding unwanted byproducts and enabling recyclability. The process mimics photosynthesis, uses abundant metals like iron, and was validated through advanced spectroscopy and computational modeling. It offers a sustainable route for carbon capture and chemical production.

Common Antibiotic Offers Clues for Safer Blood Pressure Drugs: Researchers from the UK and South Africa have discovered that ciprofloxacin, a widely used antibiotic, can block the ACE enzyme involved in blood pressure regulation—but in a new, indirect way. Unlike current ACE inhibitors that bind to the enzyme’s active site (causing side effects), ciprofloxacin binds to an allosteric site on the C-domain, selectively blocking angiotensin I without affecting ACE’s other functions. Though too weak for direct use, ciprofloxacin’s unique binding mode offers a template for designing next-generation ACE inhibitors that could treat hypertension with fewer side effects. Researchers now aim to develop chemical analogs based on this structure.

BIOLOGY

Genetic Breakthrough Enhances Meat Quality Selection in Brazil’s Nelore Cattle:
A comprehensive study led by UNESP researchers has identified key genetic markers and biological networks linked to meat quality traits in Nelore cattle (Bos taurus indicus), which make up 80% of Brazil’s beef herd. The study integrates genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data from nearly 7,000 bulls to uncover genes and proteins influencing tenderness, marbling, subcutaneous fat, and carcass yield. Findings highlight the roles of growth-related genes, heat shock proteins, cytoskeletal regulators, and metabolic pathways in shaping meat characteristics. This integrated approach marks a major step toward more precise and efficient genetic improvement strategies in Brazil’s beef industry.

MATERIALS & NANOTECHNOLOGY

Turning Agricultural Waste into Clothing: Wheat and Oat Residues Offer Sustainable Textile Alternative: Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a sustainable method to produce textile-grade cellulose pulp from agricultural waste, particularly wheat straw and oat husks. The study demonstrates that soda pulping—a simple, non-toxic process—can extract dissolving pulp from these residues more easily and with fewer chemicals than traditional wood-based methods. This innovation reduces reliance on cotton and forest resources, adds value to crop byproducts, and offers a scalable path for greener textile production using existing pulp and paper industry infrastructure.

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

New AI Tool Enhances Protein Design for Drug Development: Researchers from the University of Sheffield, AstraZeneca, and the University of Southampton have developed MapDiff, a machine learning framework that improves inverse protein folding—predicting amino acid sequences that fold into specific 3D structures. The tool outperformed existing state-of-the-art models in simulated tests, showing promise for accelerating the design of therapeutic proteins. Unlike AlphaFold, which predicts structures from sequences, MapDiff works in reverse, helping scientists generate proteins tailored for vaccines, gene therapies, and other treatments. The advance marks a key step in using AI for targeted biological design.

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Engineers Develop Rule-Based Swarm Robotics Inspired by Nature’s Builders:
Researchers at Penn Engineering have created a new approach to autonomous construction inspired by insect swarms like bees and ants. They describe mathematical rules that allow simple robots to build complex structures—like honeycombs—without a central plan. Each robot operates independently, responding only to local cues, enabling fault-tolerant, parallel construction. By simulating different parameters, the team discovered that introducing controlled disorder improves structural toughness. While physical implementation is still in development, the study introduces a paradigm shift in manufacturing: from master-planned assembly to decentralized, emergent construction driven by local behavior.

ROBOTICS, AI, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, GADGETS

Smartwatch Could Be Used to Breach Air-Gapped Systems, Researcher Warns: Cybersecurity researcher Mordechai Guri has proposed a novel method for infiltrating air-gapped computer systems using a smartwatch. Guri outlines how a smartwatch’s microphone could detect ultrasonic signals emitted by malware on an air-gapped system. These signals—transmitted at up to 50 bps over 6 meters—could be used to exfiltrate sensitive data. While the attack would require close proximity and careful coordination, Guri suggests it could be plausible in high-security espionage scenarios, especially if a compromised smartwatch were covertly planted on a target. The concept underscores emerging vulnerabilities even in systems presumed physically secure.

Wafer-Scale AI Chips Promise Energy-Efficient Leap in Computing Power:
A review by UC Riverside engineers highlights the promise of wafer-scale accelerators—giant AI chips like Cerebras' WSE-3—as a transformative and more sustainable alternative to traditional GPUs. These silicon-wafer-sized processors pack trillions of transistors and hundreds of thousands of AI cores onto a single chip, vastly reducing energy consumption and data transfer inefficiencies. Unlike modular GPUs, which face growing thermal and performance limits as AI models scale, wafer-scale systems enable ultra-fast training of massive models with up to 6× lower power use. The paper also stresses the need for eco-conscious manufacturing and lifecycle design to further reduce computing’s environmental impact.

ASTRONOMY, SPACE, & ASTROBIOLOGY

Thick Clay Layers on Mars Formed Near Ancient Lakes, Offering Clues to Past Habitability: A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin reveals that Mars’ thick clay deposits likely formed near ancient standing bodies of water, suggesting stable, potentially habitable environments billions of years ago. Using data from 150 clay sites captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists found these clays are typically located at low elevations near lakebeds but away from high-erosion valley networks. The findings indicate a calm, wet Martian climate and provide insight into why Mars lacks carbonate rocks—common on Earth—possibly due to the prolonged chemical weathering that formed clays and sequestered reactive compounds.

Fast Radio Bursts Reveal Universe's Missing Matter in Intergalactic Space: Astronomers have solved the decades-long mystery of the universe’s “missing” ordinary matter by using fast radio bursts (FRBs) to trace it. In a landmark study, researchers analyzed 60 FRBs—including the most distant on record, over 9 billion light-years away—and found that about 76% of baryonic matter resides in the intergalactic medium (IGM), the thin gas between galaxies. The findings confirm predictions from cosmological models and show that FRBs can map otherwise invisible cosmic structures. The discovery marks a major leap in understanding how matter is distributed and recycled in the universe.

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Walking Over 100 Minutes Daily Linked to Lower Risk of Chronic Low Back Pain: A large cohort study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that walking more than 100 minutes per day is associated with a 23–24% reduced risk of developing chronic low back pain. Analyzing data from over 11,000 adults using accelerometers, the study showed that both walking volume and intensity were linked to lower risk, with walking duration appearing slightly more influential. These findings support public health recommendations emphasizing regular walking as an accessible strategy to prevent chronic low back pain, one of the leading causes of disability and healthcare costs globally.

Tumor-Like Cell Growth Observed in Atherosclerosis-Affected Blood Vessels:
A study by researchers at the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital has revealed that atherosclerotic blood vessels may harbor large populations of cells descended from a single mutated ancestor—mimicking patterns seen in tumor growth. DNA sequencing of diseased tissue showed that over 10% of cells in some samples carried identical genetic alterations, suggesting extensive clonal cell proliferation. While atherosclerosis is not classified as a tumor, the findings hint at a genetic component that may influence disease progression beyond known factors like cholesterol and inflammation. The study opens new avenues for understanding—and potentially treating—one of the world's leading causes of death.

Banking Habits May Signal Early Cognitive Decline Up to 10 Years Before Diagnosis: A large-scale study analyzing banking data from over 66,000 individuals reveals that subtle changes in everyday financial behavior can signal early cognitive decline up to a decade before formal intervention. The research found that those later registered for power of attorney showed reduced spending on hobbies and travel, fewer online banking logins, and increased PIN resets and fraud reports. The study suggests that anonymized banking data could play a key role in detecting early dementia-related vulnerability and guiding protective measures, with strict privacy safeguards.

NEUROSCIENCE

Nighttime Light Exposure Triggers Depression-like Symptoms via New Brain Circuit, Study Finds: A new study reveals that chronic exposure to artificial light at night (LAN) can induce depression-like behaviors by activating a specific neural pathway in the brain. Conducted on tree shrews—diurnal mammals closely related to primates—researchers exposed the animals to blue light for two hours nightly over three weeks. The shrews developed symptoms like anhedonia, memory deficits, and reduced exploration. The study identified a novel visual pathway from retinal ganglion cells to the perihabenular nucleus (pHb), which connects to the brain's mood-regulating nucleus accumbens. Silencing this circuit prevented depressive symptoms, offering insight into how LAN may alter mood and guiding future interventions to counteract light pollution's mental health effects.

Study Reveals How the Brain Links Smells to Emotions—Good or Bad:
Researchers at UF Health have uncovered how the brain assigns emotional value to smells, offering insights into why certain odors, like microwaved fish, can evoke strong aversions. The study shows that the olfactory system connects more directly to the brain's emotional center, the amygdala, than other senses. Using mice, researchers identified two distinct brain cell types that help categorize smells as pleasant or unpleasant—depending not on the odor itself, but on how these cells connect to other brain areas. The findings could lead to new therapies for people with heightened odor sensitivity, such as those with PTSD, anxiety, or autism, by targeting or modulating these neural pathways.

ENVIRONMENT & EARTH SCIENCES

Climate Change Triples Frequency of Stuck Jet Stream Patterns Driving Extreme Summer Weather: A new study finds that human-caused climate change has tripled the frequency of amplified planetary wave events—patterns in the jet stream linked to prolonged heatwaves, droughts, and floods—since the 1950s. These quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) events, which cause jet streams to stall, have contributed to disasters like the 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave and 2010 Pakistan floods. The study reveals that Arctic warming is shrinking the temperature gap between the tropics and poles, weakening jet streams and locking extreme weather in place. Researchers say climate models have underestimated these events, obscuring the full risk of future summer extremes.

Human Impact on Stratosphere Detectable Since the 1880s, New Study Shows:
A new study reveals that human-induced changes to the stratosphere—specifically, cooling linked to greenhouse gas emissions—were already detectable by 1885, decades earlier than previously thought. Using historical data, environmental theory, and nine climate models, researchers simulated stratospheric conditions from 1860 onward. The study demonstrates that anthropogenic emissions, even before the widespread use of automobiles, were sufficient to alter the stratosphere, marking a key early signal of industrial-era climate influence. This finding underscores the deep historical roots of human impact on the atmosphere.

NATURE & ECOLOGY

Artificial Light Extends Urban Plant Growing Seasons by Up to Three Weeks:
A new satellite-based study of 428 cities in the Northern Hemisphere finds that artificial light at night significantly extends the plant growing season in urban areas—by an average of 12.6 days earlier in spring and 11.2 days later in autumn compared to rural areas. The research shows that artificial lighting has a stronger influence on growing seasons than urban heat island effects, especially at season’s end. The study also notes geographic differences, with European cities experiencing the earliest season starts and North American cities being the brightest. The findings raise concerns about the ecological impacts of urban lighting, particularly as cities shift to more plant-sensitive LED lights.

Biofluorescence in Marine Fishes Dates Back 112 Million Years and Evolved Over 100 Times: New research led by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History reveals that biofluorescence in marine fishes originated at least 112 million years ago and has independently evolved more than 100 times, especially among coral reef species. Published in Nature Communications and PLOS One, the studies document 459 known biofluorescent teleost species—including 48 newly identified—and uncover a wider spectrum of fluorescent emissions than previously reported, ranging from green to red. The findings suggest biofluorescence plays a significant role in reef fish diversification and may inform biomedical applications through the discovery of new fluorescent molecules.

OTHER SCIENCES & THE ARTS

Medieval Bed Burials Reveal Cultural Variation and Migration Across Europe:
A new study has examined the rare and regionally varied practice of medieval bed burials across Germany, England, and Scandinavia. The research highlights significant differences in burial practices, grave goods, and the identities of the interred. German bed burials, found in ordinary cemeteries, often include both men and women with modest goods, while English examples—mainly female—frequently use dismantled beds and appear in reused ancient mounds. Scandinavian bed burials, such as those at Gokstad and Oseberg, are monumental and rich in grave goods. Isotope analyses suggest that while bed burials may have originated in continental Europe, migrants likely introduced the practice to England and Scandinavia.

Tumat "Puppies" Identified as Ancient Wolves, Not Early Dogs: A multidisciplinary team has confirmed that the well-preserved Tumat puppies discovered in Siberia are not early domesticated dogs but Late Pleistocene wolves, dating to around 14,000 years ago. Genetic analysis showed the two pups were female siblings and likely died in a landslide while still in their den. Notably, the presence of black fur—previously linked to a dog-specific mutation—may have existed in ancient wolves. Gut analysis revealed they consumed milk and possibly woolly rhinoceros tissue, suggesting they were not fully weaned and that ancient wolves may have been capable of tackling larger prey or scavenging their remains. The discovery sheds new light on wolf ecology before domestication.

Whale Tooth Discovery in Copper Age Spain Sheds Light on Ancient Coastal Beliefs and Craft: A rare sperm whale tooth discovered at the Copper Age mega-site of Valencina in southwest Spain offers new insight into ancient marine symbolism and craftsmanship. Dated to 5,300–4,150 years ago, the half-kilogram tooth shows bioerosion from marine life, shark bite marks, and human modifications, including drilled holes and cut marks. Researchers believe the whale died naturally and its tooth was collected from the shore, worked on for crafting or symbolic use, and then ritually buried. This is the first marine ivory artifact found in Late Prehistoric Iberia, highlighting the sea’s cultural and spiritual significance for Copper Age societies in the region.