Research Team Discovers Semiconducting Silicone, Opening Door to Flexible, Colorful Electronics

Hello and welcome to our May 23rd 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 - Caltech Physicists Achieve First Hyper-Entanglement in Neutral Atoms, Unlocking New Quantum Information Potential.

• Biology - TB Bacteria Use Molecular "On-Off Switch" to Evade Treatment, Study Finds.

• Chemistry - Personal Care Products Found to Suppress Indoor Human Oxidation Field, and more.

• Materials - Research Team Discovers Semiconducting Silicone, Opening Door to Flexible, Colorful Electronics, and more.

• Biotechnology & Biomedical Technology - Stanford Researchers Develop Week-Long Implantable Biosensor for Continuous Molecular Monitoring, and more.

• Engineering & Technology -

• Robotics, AI, Hardware, Software, Gadgets - MIT-Led Study Traces Southwest Airlines’ 2022 Meltdown to Hidden Network Weaknesses Using New Diagnostic Tool, and more.

• Astronomy, Space, & Astrobiology - GENESTAR: New Protocol Paves the Way for Genomic Research in Space, and more.

• Health & Medicine - Developmental Protein TBX3 Identified as Key Driver of Colorectal Cancer Metastasis, and more.

• Pediatrics - Tropical Cyclones Linked to Higher Infant Mortality in Poorer Nations, Study Finds.

• Nature & Ecology - Bizarre Sea Worm Rewrites Reproduction Rules, and more.

• Other Sciences & The Arts - AI Chatbots Now Rival Humans in Empathy and Persuasion—But at What Cost?, and more.

Until Tomorrow,

~The STEAM Digest

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PHYSICS

Caltech Physicists Achieve First Hyper-Entanglement in Neutral Atoms, Unlocking New Quantum Information Potential: In a groundbreaking study, Caltech physicist Manuel Endres and his team have achieved the first-ever demonstration of hyper-entanglement in massive particles—neutral atoms manipulated via optical tweezers. By cooling individual atoms to near-standstill and leveraging their normally problematic motion, the researchers encoded quantum information simultaneously in both the electronic and motional states of the atoms. This dual-layer entanglement, or hyper-entanglement, expands the information capacity per atom and marks a leap forward in quantum control. The work not only showcases a novel cooling technique inspired by Maxwell's demon, but also establishes motion as a valuable quantum resource—paving the way for more efficient quantum computing, simulations, and precision measurement technologies.

BIOLOGY

TB Bacteria Use Molecular "On-Off Switch" to Evade Treatment, Study Finds: Researchers have discovered that Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses a reversible mechanism called ADP-ribosylation to pause and restart its growth—offering new insight into why tuberculosis (TB) is so hard to treat. The study identifies two enzymes: DarT, which halts DNA replication by tagging DNA with ADP-ribose, and DarG, which removes the tag to resume growth. This molecular "switch" helps TB survive under stress and may explain its persistence during antibiotic treatment. Targeting this process could lead to more effective therapies for the 10.8 million people affected globally each year.

CHEMISTRY

Personal Care Products Found to Suppress Indoor Human Oxidation Field:
A new study reveals that personal care products like lotions and perfumes can significantly suppress the human oxidation field—a self-generated chemical zone that alters indoor air composition near the body. Using controlled chamber experiments and advanced chemical modeling, researchers found that ingredients such as ethanol (in perfumes) and phenoxyethanol (in lotions) reduce levels of hydroxyl radicals (OH) around individuals by reacting with or blocking ozone-skin interactions. The findings raise important questions about how common products influence indoor air chemistry and long-term health exposures in enclosed environments.

Research Team Develops Device to Detect Airborne Biomarkers, Paving the Way for Needle-Free Diagnostics: Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed ABLE (Airborne Biomarker Localization Engine), a compact device that condenses air into liquid to detect trace molecules—potentially replacing invasive blood tests. The study shows ABLE can identify airborne glucose, E. coli, and inflammation markers by collecting vapor droplets onto a slick surface for analysis. Inspired by neonatal care needs, ABLE could revolutionize non-invasive diagnostics for vulnerable patients, infection monitoring, and public health. The team now aims to miniaturize the system and explore new biomarkers to expand its clinical use.

Researchers Achieve Sunlight-Driven Ammonia Production Using Atmospheric Nitrogen and Water: In a breakthrough study, researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a low-energy, sunlight-powered method for producing ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen and water—mirroring natural nitrogen fixation in plants. Using two molecular catalysts—a molybdenum-based catalyst for activating nitrogen and an iridium photocatalyst for water splitting—the team achieved ammonia production at 10 times the scale of previous light-driven methods. This marks the first time that visible light, nitrogen, and water have been successfully combined in a photocatalytic system to synthesize ammonia, offering a promising path toward clean, sustainable fertilizer production with significantly reduced carbon emissions.

MATERIALS

Research Team Discovers Semiconducting Silicone, Opening Door to Flexible, Colorful Electronics: University of Michigan researchers have discovered a semiconducting silicone copolymer, overturning the long-standing belief that silicones are exclusively insulating. The new material combines cage-like and linear silicone chains, enabling electron transport across Si–O–Si bonds—a property previously thought impossible due to their bent bond angles. The copolymer’s electrical conductivity and tunable color spectrum (from blue to red based on chain length) suggest promising applications in flexible displays, wearable sensors, and smart textiles. This breakthrough could usher in a new generation of soft, colorful, and stretchable electronics.

Cornell Researchers Advance AI for Smarter, Faster Materials Discovery: Scientists are pioneering new AI methods to accelerate molecular and materials design. In Advanced Science, they demonstrate that knowledge distillation can compress large AI models into faster, more efficient versions for molecular property prediction. In Nature Computational Science, they introduce a physics-informed generative AI that creates realistic crystal structures by embedding crystallographic rules into the learning process. A third study in Advanced Materials outlines a new paradigm—generalist materials intelligence—AI that reasons like a scientist using both data and scientific literature. These advances promise faster, more grounded discovery in fields from drug design to energy storage.

Researchers Develop Crack-Resistant Natural Rubber with 10x Toughness:
A research team has dramatically improved the crack resistance of natural rubber—a material widely used in products like gloves, tires, and medical devices. By preserving long polymer chains during processing instead of breaking them down through traditional vulcanization, the researchers created a "tanglemer" structure that enhances durability. This new rubber is four times more resistant to crack growth under repeated stress and ten times tougher overall. While the process currently suits thin products due to water evaporation during production, it opens doors for use in soft robotics and flexible electronics.

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Stanford Researchers Develop Week-Long Implantable Biosensor for Continuous Molecular Monitoring: Stanford scientists have engineered a breakthrough implantable biosensor system, SENSBIT (Stable Electrochemical Nanostructured Sensor for Blood In situ Tracking), capable of continuously monitoring molecular changes in the bloodstream for up to a week. The study demonstrates SENSBIT’s ability to track drug levels in live rats and human serum with unmatched durability—surpassing previous biosensor longevity limits of just 11 hours. Inspired by the gut’s natural defenses, the device features a nanoporous gold structure and mucosa-like coating to shield its components from immune system attacks. This innovation marks a major step toward real-time, long-term biological monitoring, with implications for early disease detection and personalized treatment.

New Gene Delivery Toolkit Offers Unprecedented Precision for Brain and Spinal Cord Therapies: Researchers supported by the NIH’s BRAIN Initiative have developed a groundbreaking set of gene delivery systems that can precisely target specific neural cell types in the brain and spinal cord. Using engineered adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), the tools deliver genetic material with exceptional accuracy, enabling targeted studies and potential treatments for neurological diseases like ALS, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy. The toolkit includes AI-powered software to identify cell-specific genetic enhancers and has been validated in various species, including human tissue. These tools promise to accelerate neuroscience research and pave the way for highly specific gene therapies.

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

AI System Identifies 3D-Printed Parts by Machine Fingerprint, Transforming Supply Chain Oversight: A research team has developed an AI system capable of tracing 3D-printed parts to the exact machine that produced them, based on microscopic surface features captured in simple photographs. The study reveals that each 3D printer leaves a unique "fingerprint" on parts—even among identical machines using the same settings. Trained on over 9,000 parts, the AI model achieves 98% accuracy from just 1 mm² of surface area, offering powerful applications in supply chain verification, quality control, and counterfeit detection across industries from aerospace to medical devices.

ROBOTICS, AI, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, GADGETS

MIT-Led Study Traces Southwest Airlines’ 2022 Meltdown to Hidden Network Weaknesses Using New Diagnostic Tool: Researchers have developed a novel computational framework to diagnose failures in complex systems like airline scheduling—demonstrated through an analysis of Southwest Airlines’ massive 2022 holiday-season disruption. The study used sparse failure data from the crisis alongside extensive data on routine operations to reverse-engineer the breakdown’s root causes. The key factor: decentralized and depleted aircraft reserves, especially after winter storms in Denver disrupted aircraft circulation. The cascading failures eventually crippled unaffected regions like Las Vegas, forcing Southwest into a full system reset. The new method, now available as an open-source tool called CalNF, could support real-time monitoring and preventive strategies for other cyber-physical systems, including electric grids and autonomous fleets.

AI Model Predicts Gully Erosion with 91% Accuracy, Boosting Farm Conservation Efforts: Researchers have developed a new AI-based method to predict gully erosion, a severe form of soil degradation that impacts agriculture and water quality. The approach combines stacked machine learning models with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to boost accuracy and interpretability. Tested in Jefferson County, Illinois, the best model achieved a 91.6% prediction accuracy—significantly higher than previous models. SHAP analysis revealed that crop leaf area index was the most influential factor, showing how vegetation helps reduce erosion. This transparent, data-driven tool can help land managers prioritize and implement effective conservation practices.

ASTRONOMY, SPACE, & ASTROLOBIOLOGY

GENESTAR: New Protocol Paves the Way for Genomic Research in Space: As commercial space travel increases, understanding how space affects human biology has become essential. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, supported by the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), developed the GENESTAR protocol—a standardized method for collecting and analyzing biological samples from astronauts. Tested during the Axiom-2 mission, GENESTAR enables high-quality molecular analysis while ensuring participant privacy and data security. With over 300 samples collected, the protocol showed a 98% success rate for blood samples and over 91% for non-blood samples. Beyond space, GENESTAR could also aid in studying conditions like osteoporosis on Earth. The team is now applying the protocol to more missions and developing in-flight self-sampling tools.

Silent Collapse: Could Hidden Black Holes Be Growing Inside Living Stars?:
New research explores the idea that black holes may sometimes form quietly inside stars rather than through dramatic supernovae. These “endoparasitic” black holes could originate when dark matter slowly accumulates in a star's core, triggering collapse. In white dwarfs, the outcome of this process depends on the star’s rotation—leading to full collapse, formation of a rare naked singularity, or a stalled hybrid star with a black hole hidden at its center. In neutron stars, even a small black hole grows rapidly, consuming the star from within. These findings suggest a hidden population of tiny black holes or singularities may be lurking inside seemingly normal stars, offering new ways to probe dark matter and test the limits of general relativity.

Hidden Planet Revealed by Wobbly Orbit of Exoplanet Puli: Astronomers studying the exoplanet HAT-P-12b (nicknamed Puli) have discovered that its transit times vary by over two minutes—suggesting the gravitational influence of an unseen companion planet. In a recent study, researchers led by Kaviya Parthasarathy analyzed 46 light curves, including data from NASA’s TESS and new ground-based observations. Of several models tested, a sinusoidal model—consistent with the gravitational pull of another planet—best fit the data. The suspected companion has a 6.24-day orbit and is about 2% the mass of Jupiter. This marks another success in using transit timing variations (TTVs) to detect hidden exoplanets.

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Developmental Protein TBX3 Identified as Key Driver of Colorectal Cancer Metastasis: Researchers have uncovered how colorectal cancer cells hijack the Wnt signaling pathway, critical for embryonic development, to become more aggressive and metastatic. The study reveals that TBX3, a protein essential for limb and heart formation during development, cooperates with Wnt signaling in colorectal tumors to activate genes that promote cancer spread. Crucially, TBX3 appears to be non-essential for normal intestinal stem cells, making it a promising therapeutic target. By disrupting TBX3-specific interactions, future treatments may block metastasis without harming healthy tissues—offering a path to safer, more effective cancer therapies.

New Strategies to Boost T-Cell Immunity in Cancer Uncovered: A research team has uncovered two key mechanisms to enhance cancer immunotherapy. They show that blocking the A2BR receptor during 4-1BB stimulation reduces T-cell exhaustion by stabilizing key metabolic molecules, improving T-cell survival in multiple cancers. They reveal that the enzyme MGAT1 increases CD73 levels on tumors, suppressing immune response. A new inhibitor, W-GTF01, blocks this effect, restoring T-cell activity—especially in hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer. Both findings offer promising new targets to improve immunotherapy.

New COPD Diagnostic Framework Captures At-Risk Patients Missed by Traditional Spirometry: A study introduces a multidimensional diagnostic framework for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that identifies high-risk individuals overlooked by current spirometry-based criteria. Drawing from large U.S. (COPDGene) and Canadian (CanCOLD) cohorts, the new model integrates symptoms and chest CT imaging with spirometry. Among over 9,000 participants in COPDGene, 811 individuals without airflow obstruction were newly diagnosed using minor criteria—including emphysema, airway wall thickening, and chronic symptoms—and were found to have significantly higher mortality and exacerbation rates. The study suggests that relying solely on airflow limitation underdiagnoses COPD, particularly among certain populations, and calls for a more inclusive, clinically predictive approach to improve early detection and health equity.

PEDIATRICS

Tropical Cyclones Linked to Higher Infant Mortality in Poorer Nations, Study Finds: A new study reveals that tropical cyclones significantly increased infant mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries during the early 21st century. Researchers analyzed 1.7 million child records across seven countries, finding an average 11% rise in infant deaths (4.4 additional deaths per 1,000 births) following storm exposure, especially within the first year of life. Surprisingly, this mortality spike was not attributed to reduced healthcare access or undernutrition, indicating unknown drivers. Notably, even lower-intensity storms showed deadly effects, highlighting the escalating risk from climate change. Impacts varied by country, with the highest mortality increases in Bangladesh, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The findings stress the urgent need for targeted disaster preparedness and child health protections in vulnerable regions.

NATURE & ECOLOGY

Bizarre Sea Worm Rewrites Reproduction Rules: The marine worm Ramisyllis kingghidorahi, named after Godzilla’s nemesis, reproduces by growing branching bodies inside sea sponges, each ending in eye-bearing reproductive units called stolons that detach and swim off to mate. A new study shows stolons are genetic hotspots, especially in genes linked to eye development. Surprisingly, the worm’s head showed little difference between sexes, challenging previous assumptions. Researchers also found signs of genome duplication, which may explain the worm’s complex structure. The findings offer new insights into how life evolves in hidden ocean habitats.

Sensitive Teeth Evolved from Ancient Fish Armor, Study Finds: New research reveals that dentin, the sensory tissue inside modern teeth, first evolved in the armored exoskeletons of ancient fish, not in the mouth. The study shows that these early structures—called odontodes—helped ancient Ordovician fish sense their environment, much like sensory organs in modern arthropods. Using high-resolution CT scans at Argonne National Laboratory, researchers discovered that many supposed early "teeth" in Cambrian fossils actually resembled sensory structures in invertebrates, prompting a reclassification of some fossils. The findings support the "outside-in" hypothesis of tooth evolution, suggesting sensory armor predates oral teeth—shedding new light on how complex vertebrate traits first emerged.

Snapdragons Tune In: Flowers Respond to Bee Buzzes by Sweetening Nectar: New research presented at the 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America reveals that snapdragon flowers can detect the tiny wingbeat sounds of bees and respond by increasing the sugar and nectar they produce. When recordings of the Rhodanthidium sticticum bee were played near snapdragons, the plants altered gene activity related to nectar production, likely as a co-evolutionary strategy to attract pollinators. Researchers suggest this vibroacoustic sensing may help flowers influence pollinator behavior and enhance survival. If confirmed, plant acoustics could eventually be used to improve pollination in crops. The study, funded by the Human Frontier Science Program, has not yet been peer-reviewed.

OTHER SCIENCES & THE ARTS

AI Chatbots Now Rival Humans in Empathy and Persuasion—But at What Cost?:
A new meta-analysis study reveals that advanced large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 can now surpass human abilities in persuasive, empathetic communication—often indistinguishable from real people. These "anthropomorphic agents" convincingly mimic emotions, infer intentions, and adapt communication styles, making them powerful tools in education, health, and customer service. However, their human-like qualities also raise significant concerns around trust, manipulation, and disinformation. With users readily sharing personal information and trusting AI responses, the potential for misuse—such as deceptive marketing or political influence—is growing. Researchers warn that the seductive nature of these systems demands urgent regulation. They propose labeling AI "human-likeness" and stricter disclosure rules to prevent manipulation. Without action, AI’s expanding social influence could mirror or exceed the societal impacts seen with unregulated social media.

Ancient Arabian Use of Psychoactive Syrian Rue Uncovered in 2,700-Year-Old Fumigation Vessels: A study reveals the earliest known use of Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) as a medicinal and psychoactive fumigant in ancient Arabia. Researchers analyzed organic residues from Iron Age fumigation vessels excavated at Qurayyah, Saudi Arabia, using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to detect harmala alkaloids. This discovery—representing the oldest global evidence of harmal burning—highlights the sophisticated botanical knowledge of ancient Arabian societies and the enduring cultural relevance of plant-based therapeutic practices.