Swarms of pico-satellites could work together as a single large antenna for direct-to-smartphone communications, as reported by researchers from Japan. Instead of relying on a single large satellite with a phased-array antenna, the team showed that pico-satellites orbiting Earth in formation could each carry individual phased-array elements and be synchronized wirelessly. The proof-of-principle experiment demonstrated reliable, high-quality data transmission, paving the way for cheaper, more reliable network coverage worldwide.

TCF3::HLF-positive B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a rare and highly aggressive childhood cancer that causes severe damage to bones through mechanisms that remain unclear. To tackle this gap, researchers from Japan have developed a new mouse model that closely mirrors the disease as seen in humans. With it, they uncovered an inflammatory feedback loop that accelerates leukemia growth and bone destruction, highlighting a potential therapeutic target to combat disease progression and protect bone health.

A new study from Juntendo University suggests that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), a biomarker commonly used to detect heart failure, may also help predict chronic kidney disease progression in individuals with diabetes. Researchers found that BNP levels were associated with declining kidney function even within clinically normal ranges. When combined with traditional urinary markers such as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, BNP improved the identification of patients at higher risk of kidney disease progression.

A single-celled predator maintains stolen chloroplasts with its own proteins, linking the host cell and stolen organelles at the molecular level. This process, now supported by biochemical evidence, may offer clues to early steps in the evolution of plant cells.

New research regarding single crystals holds the potential for room-temperature sensors that can detect volatile organic compounds.

We generated bone forming cell (osteoblast)- or adipocyte-specific aromatase deficiency mice. Although osteoblast-specific aromatase deficiency mice had no bone loss phenotype, male adipocyte-specific aromatase deficiency mice (Aro^ΔaP2) exhibited bone loss and increased osteoid due to decreased serum phosphate and urinary phosphate reabsorption because of reduced phosphate transporters (NaPi2) protein expression in the kidney. These results indicate that locally synthesized estrogens by aromatase in adipocytes can play a significant role in bone mass maintenance.

Move over lithium-ion batteries – researchers found a creative way to combine materials (lithium metal and a ceramic surface) that may prove to be better for energy storage used in electric vehicles and portable electronics.

Researchers introduce a novel generative AI-driven framework, MMCN (Memory-aware Multi-Conditional generation Network), for forecasting future urban layouts by jointly considering building density, building height, transportation networks, and historical development patterns. Leveraging a generative architecture-enhanced diffusion model with multi-conditional control, semantic prompt fusion, and spatial memory embedding, MMCN offers a novel approach to modeling complex urban evolution. This framework provides a powerful tool to explore sustainable urban development, demonstrating AI’s transformative potential in urban design.

Interactions between diet and the gut microbiome have been shown to have broad roles in shaping host metabolism and health. Now, researchers at the Human Biology Microbiome Quantum Research Center (WPI-Bio2Q, directed by Kenya Honda, M.D., Ph.D., co-senior author of the study) and Keio University, together with researchers from City of Hope and the Broad Institute, show how specific gut microbes are able to interpret diet and subsequently drive the conversion of white adipose tissue into beige fat, a metabolically active form of fat that burns energy instead of storing it.

 

The study, which has been published in Nature, also identified the molecular pathways that connect these aspects of dietary protein intake, microbial metabolism, and the host’s fat-burning response.

 

“These findings show, in a mechanistic way, how gut microbes are able to act as an important mediator of dietary cues, and how these bacteria are able to produce signals that shape host metabolism” said Scott Behie, member of WPI-Bio2Q and co-author of the study.

Researchers have discovered a new way to control magnetic “spin” using electric current, enabling states that were previously considered unstable. This breakthrough could move computing beyond simple binary systems by harnessing continuously fluctuating signals. The findings may lead to more powerful and efficient technologies for AI and next-generation devices.