Engineers Discover New Method to Control Magnetic Microparticles for Advanced Material Design

Hello and welcome to Saturday’s STEAM newsletter! We bring you summaries of the latest news in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

In today’s edition:

• Science - Researchers Develop High-Field Superconducting Magnet to Boost Performance of World’s Most Powerful Heavy-Ion Accelerator, and more.

• Technology and AI - AI Model Developed to Identify Chemical Composition of Paints in Classical Artworks, New deepSPACE Design Software Revolutionizes Engineering with AI-Generated Concepts.

• Engineering - Engineers Discover New Method to Control Magnetic Microparticles for Advanced Material Design, New Study Proposes Using Lakebed Pipes for Hydrogen Storage, and more.

• Astronomy & Space - NASA’s Nuclear Propulsion Plans Could Cut Mars Mission Time in Half, and more.

• Health & Medicine - New Study Identifies Key Mechanism for Potential Atrial Fibrillation Treatment, and more.

• Neuroscience - New Nonlinear Dynamical Model Links Neural Activity to Behavior in Neuroscience Research, and more.

• Environment - Global Study Reveals Predictors of Primate Extinction Risk Due to Climate Change, and more.

• Nature - New Venomous Marine Species Offers Hope for Neurological and Pain Therapies, and more.

• Other Sciences & Arts - Study Finds News Consumers Distrust AI-Generated Headlines, and more.

Until Tomorrow.

~The STEAM Digest

If you’d like to see more of this or if you want to share with others, please use the following link: https://thesteamdigest.beehiiv.com/subscribe

This newsletter is curated by The STEAM Digest.

SCIENCE

Researchers Develop High-Field Superconducting Magnet to Boost Performance of World’s Most Powerful Heavy-Ion Accelerator: A collaboration between Berkeley Lab's Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division and Michigan State University's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) has led to the development of a groundbreaking superconducting magnet based on niobium-tin (Nb₃Sn) technology. The new magnet, capable of generating magnetic fields of up to 10.8 tesla, is designed to enhance FRIB's performance and expand its applications in research, medicine, and industry. By replacing the current niobium-titanium (Nb-Ti) magnets, the Nb₃Sn magnets can operate at higher frequencies (up to 45 GHz), enabling more powerful and precise ion beams for scientific studies. The team has already begun testing a prototype coil, aiming to develop a full system that will keep FRIB at the forefront of fundamental scientific research.

Twisted Crystals Unlock New Control Over Electrons Using Light: In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated how twisting layers of tungsten disulfide (WS2) crystals can allow light to manipulate electron movement. Led by Ritesh Agarwal and Eugene Mele, the team discovered that spirally stacking these crystals creates a Coriolis-like force, altering electron paths in a way similar to how rotating systems deflect objects on Earth. This control over electrons was achieved using circularly polarized light, marking a significant step in the field of "twistronics," which explores how twisting layered materials unlocks new properties. The research also revealed strong optical nonlinearity, suggesting potential applications in photonics and quantum material design.

Breakthrough X-ray Technique Reveals Crucial Metal Ions in Bacterial Enzymes for Antibiotic Development: Researchers from City St George's, University of London, have used a novel ultra-high precision X-ray scattering technique to identify the locations and types of metal ions critical for antibiotics like fluoroquinolones to effectively target bacterial enzymes. By examining the topoisomerase IV enzyme of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the team discovered the exact position of magnesium ions, along with the first-ever identification of potassium and chloride ions in the enzyme complex. This finding offers new insights into how antibiotics work and could lead to the development of drugs to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections, such as pneumonia and sepsis.

TECHNOLOGY AND AI

AI Model Developed to Identify Chemical Composition of Paints in Classical Artworks: A team of chemists and AI researchers from CNR, Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale, has created an AI model that can determine the chemical composition of paints used in classical paintings. The model was trained on a dataset of 500,000 synthetic spectra, representing 57 pigments and related compounds. The model analyzes macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) data, a non-invasive method to detect elemental compositions in paint. Tested on two paintings by Raphael, the AI accurately identified chemicals like lead, mercury, and copper in the artwork, demonstrating its potential to improve restoration efforts by reducing errors and preserving masterpieces.

New deepSPACE Design Software Revolutionizes Engineering with AI-Generated Concepts: Aerospace engineer Jordan Smart from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a groundbreaking design software, deepSPACE, which rapidly generates hundreds of design configurations, including 3D CAD models, based on user-defined requirements. The software leverages AI to create concepts ranging from conventional to unconventional, enhancing performance evaluations and cost analysis. By applying different protection strategies based on the inherent characteristics of systems, deepSPACE offers a more efficient and adaptable approach to design, requiring fewer simulations compared to traditional methods. While originally developed for aerospace applications, the software’s flexibility extends to other industries, and Smart hopes to make it accessible to a wider audience, including students.

ENGINEERING

Engineers Discover New Method to Control Magnetic Microparticles for Advanced Material Design: Researchers at Rice University have discovered a novel way to control micron-sized magnetic particles, known as superparamagnetic colloids, by exposing them to alternating, rotating magnetic fields. This process creates anisotropic (direction-dependent) structures, enabling the design of advanced materials with customized properties. The study revealed that the previously overlooked magnetic relaxation time—the delay in a particle’s response to magnetic field changes—plays a crucial role in how these particles interact and form structures. By harnessing this effect, the team could precisely control the alignment and shape of particle clusters, which has significant potential for developing materials for microrobots, drug delivery systems, and other high-performance applications.

New Study Proposes Using Lakebed Pipes for Hydrogen Storage: A study published in Nature Communications suggests a novel approach for hydrogen storage by utilizing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes located at the bottom of lakes and reservoirs. The research, led by Dr. Julian David Hunt from KAUST, highlights that these pipes—originally designed for water management—could store green hydrogen efficiently. Their ability to withstand high pressure and resist corrosion makes them ideal for long-term use. This method leverages existing infrastructure, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for large-scale hydrogen storage. The study estimates a global storage capacity of 15 petawatt-hours (PWh) in lakes and reservoirs, offering significant potential for future hydrogen economies.

Researchers Propose Tailored Safety Approach for Autonomous Machine Systems: A team of researchers from the University of Rochester, Georgia Tech, and the Shenzen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics has proposed a new method to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous machines while managing costs. Their approach challenges the current "one-size-fits-all" method that leads to costly redundancies, such as Tesla's use of dual Full Self-Driving Chips (FSD Chips) in each vehicle. Instead, the researchers suggest varying protection strategies based on different system components. They recommend lighter protections for fault-tolerant systems, such as the front end's environment-sensing functions, while applying more robust safeguards to the back end, which handles critical decision-making. The goal is to improve the reliability of autonomous systems without unnecessary cost and energy overhead, especially in complex AI-driven systems that rely heavily on neural networks

ASTRONOMY & SPACE

 NASA’s Nuclear Propulsion Plans Could Cut Mars Mission Time in Half: NASA, in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is developing nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) technology to significantly reduce the travel time for crewed missions to Mars. Unlike traditional chemical rockets, which rely on combustion to generate thrust, NTP systems use nuclear fission reactions to heat propellants, offering twice the efficiency and faster acceleration. A prototype system is planned for space demonstration in 2027. Researchers are designing advanced computational models to optimize reactor designs, aiming to meet performance and safety standards, potentially making the round-trip journey to Mars much faster and safer.

Astronomers Use James Webb Telescope to Unveil Winds Shaping Planet-Forming Disks: A team of astronomers led by University of Arizona researchers has used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to reveal unprecedented details about protoplanetary disk winds, which are streams of gas blowing from planet-forming disks around young stars. The study shows how these winds, powered by magnetic fields, help stars grow by removing angular momentum from the disk, allowing gas to fall onto the star. The research captured a three-dimensional structure of winds and jets, offering insight into how stars and planetary systems form, potentially resembling our solar system 4.6 billion years ago. The team aims to expand the study to more disks, seeking to understand how these winds evolve over time.

Astronomers Discover Large Radio Bubble in Star-Forming Galaxy NGC 4217: An international team of astronomers has discovered a large radio bubble in the halo of the star-forming galaxy NGC 4217, located 61.6 million light years away. Using the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) and the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), researchers identified a previously undetected faint component extending up to 65,000 light years from the galaxy's star-forming disk. The bubble's structure appears to be edge-brightened, with strong emission along its walls and a slight central depression. The bubble’s magnetic field strength was measured at 11 µG, with wind speeds rising from 300 to 600 km/s at its edge. The study suggests that the bubble could have been inflated by supernovae activity over a time-scale of 35,000 years, though not all the injected energy may contribute to its inflation due to energy loss through radiation.

HEALTH & MEDICINE

New Study Identifies Key Mechanism for Potential Atrial Fibrillation Treatment: Researchers from the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix and UC Davis Health have identified a new target for treating atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common heart rhythm disorder. The study focuses on the role of a lipid called phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in regulating small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK2 channels). These channels play a critical role in cardiac excitability, and their dysregulation is linked to AFib and heart failure. The researchers used computational and experimental approaches to understand how PIP2 modulates SK2 channels, offering insights into potential drug development for treating AFib and other cardiovascular diseases.

Indiana University Researchers Map Tumor Ecosystems in Pancreatic Cancer, Offering Insights for New Treatments: Researchers at Indiana University’s Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center have made significant strides in understanding pancreatic cancer by mapping the ecosystems of both primary and metastatic tumors. Using advanced spatial transcriptomics, the team identified seven distinct "neighborhoods" or spatial ecotypes within the tumors, each with unique cellular and gene activity characteristics. The study revealed that primary tumors had high fibroblast cell presence, while metastatic tumors, particularly in the liver, contained rapidly dividing cancer cells. These findings highlight the need for different therapeutic strategies to target primary and metastatic tumors. Future research will focus on exploring these ecosystems at a single-cell level to better understand their roles in prognosis and treatment response.

New Antibody-Drug Conjugate Shows Promise for Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer with Brain Metastases: An international team of researchers, led by Professor Nadia Harbeck from LMU University Hospital, has tested a new drug, trastuzumab deruxtecan, with promising results for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, especially those with brain metastases. The study found that this antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) significantly increased survival rates, with patients living over 17 months without cancer progression. Over 70% of participants showed regression in brain metastases, and 90% survived one year post-treatment. These findings offer new hope for treating brain metastases, an area where previous therapies have been ineffective due to the blood-brain barrier.

Engineered Bacteria Show Promise in Boosting Immunotherapy for Advanced Cancers: A new study highlights a novel approach to cancer treatment using genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to stimulate immune responses. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of Michigan modified E. coli to express immune-activating cytokines, allowing the bacteria to home in on tumors and enhance the effects of immunotherapy. In mouse models, this approach achieved a 50%-60% cure rate and showed synergy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The treatment increased CD8+ T cells and NK cell activity in tumors and improved the efficacy of CAR NK cells, showing potential for treating hard-to-treat tumors like mesothelioma. These promising results suggest the need for early-phase clinical trials to further explore this strategy.

NEUROSCIENCE

New Nonlinear Dynamical Model Links Neural Activity to Behavior in Neuroscience Research: Researchers from the University of Southern California and the University of Pennsylvania have introduced a novel nonlinear dynamical modeling framework that addresses limitations in previous neuroscience models. This new framework, called Dissociative Prioritized Analysis of Dynamics (DPAD), leverages recurrent neural networks (RNNs) to model complex neural dynamics linked to behavior, while separating and prioritizing behaviorally relevant dynamics from other neural activity. The model's multisection architecture and training process enable it to analyze dynamic transformations of neural activity with greater accuracy than previous methods, improving predictions of neural-behavioral relationships. Tested on five neuroscience problems, DPAD demonstrated its value in studying neural activity in non-human primates, offering potential applications in modeling neural dynamics across various brain functions and behaviors.

New "Invisibility Cloak" DNA Offers Targeted Gene Therapy for ALS and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology have developed a novel gene therapy technique that targets only diseased cells in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related conditions. The study introduces DNA molecules with "invisibility cloak" sequences, preventing healthy cells from reading their messages. Only in diseased cells, where the TDP-43 protein becomes dysfunctional, is the cloak lifted, allowing the DNA to reprogram the cells for potential therapeutic benefits. This approach could make gene therapies safer by limiting their effects to the small fraction of cells affected by neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), avoiding damage to healthy cells.

ENVIRONMENT

New Dating Method Reveals Age of Karst Landscapes and Insights into Earth's Climate History: A study introduces a novel method to accurately date karst landscapes, such as the iconic Pinnacles Desert in Western Australia. Karst landscapes, formed by water dissolving rock over thousands of years, are challenging to date since much of the material has eroded away. Researchers used a technique called (U/Th)-He geochronology to date iron nodules that formed alongside the karst, revealing that these formations are approximately 100,000 years old. This period was likely the wettest in the region’s past 500,000 years, contrasting with today’s dry conditions. Understanding the timing of karst formation offers valuable insights into Earth’s climate history and the environmental shifts that have shaped ecosystems, including those influencing early human populations. This research helps us better predict how current landscapes may respond to ongoing climate change.

New Study Sheds Light on Ancient Microbial Competition and Formation of Earth's Iron Deposits: An international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of Bristol and the University of Tübingen, has uncovered how different types of bacteria oxidized iron in Earth’s early oceans, long before oxygen was present in the atmosphere. Their study reveals that nitrate-reducing bacteria outcompeted phototrophic iron oxidizers by producing toxic nitrogen monoxide. These interactions likely influenced the formation of massive banded iron formations found today, such as those in South Africa. The study provides new insights into the complex microbial and geochemical processes that shaped Earth's early environment and contributed to iron oxidation in the oceans billions of years ago.

NATURE

New Venomous Marine Species Offers Hope for Neurological and Pain Therapies: A multidisciplinary research team led by Dr. Björn von Reumont has discovered and characterized toxins from the remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, a venomous crustacean living in the underwater caves of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The venom contains peptides called xibalbines, which resemble neurotoxic knottins found in spider venom. Some xibalbines, such as Xib1 and Xib13, inhibit potassium and sodium channels, showing potential for treating neurological conditions like epilepsy and pain sensitization. The study emphasizes the untapped medical potential of marine biodiversity and the importance of protecting the remipedes' endangered ecosystem.

Global Study Reveals Predictors of Primate Extinction Risk Due to Climate Change: An international team of biologists, planetary scientists, and conservationists has conducted a large-scale study analyzing global primate populations to gauge their extinction risks due to climate change. The study gathered data from 22,705 primate habitats across Madagascar, Asia, Africa, and the Neotropics. The researchers examined environmental factors such as changes in rainfall and vegetation, alongside primate characteristics like body size and habitat range, to assess their vulnerability to climate shifts. The study found that primates in different regions face varying levels of risk, with unstable rainfall patterns in the Neotropics posing a significant threat. The researchers identified 33 previously unrecognized species at high risk and highlighted the urgency of climate mitigation efforts to protect these populations from extinction.

OTHER SCIENCES & ARTS

Study Finds News Consumers Distrust AI-Generated Headlines: A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reveals that news consumers are less likely to trust and share AI-generated headlines, even when they are accurate. Researchers Sacha Altay and Fabrizio Gilardi conducted two experiments involving nearly 5,000 participants from the US and UK. They found that labeling headlines as AI-generated led to lower perceived accuracy, regardless of the content's truthfulness or origin. The study highlights an aversion to AI due to the assumption that AI-generated headlines lack human oversight. The researchers suggest that false content should be labeled as such, rather than just as AI-generated, and emphasize the need for clear labeling definitions to avoid unintended consequences.

Researchers Propose "Prosocial Market Economy" to Drive Sustainable Economic Success: An international team led by Associate Professor Jan Pfister from the University of Turku has introduced a new model for economic performance and sustainability called the "prosocial market economy." The study suggests that cooperation, ethical behavior, and sustainability are key to long-term business success. The model challenges traditional frameworks focused on self-interest and short-term profits, proposing that organizations prioritizing collaboration and collective well-being will outperform others over time. Drawing from evolutionary theory and insights from Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom, the research emphasizes that embedding prosocial values within organizations promotes both economic success and environmental sustainability. The prosocial market economy offers practical tools for fostering cooperation and sustainable practices, moving beyond superficial Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics to transform organizational cultures from within.