Two researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) were honoured at the 21st International Electromagnetic and Light Scattering Conference in Milazzo, Italy:

Prof. Andreas Macke, Director of TROPOS was honoured with the "Elsevier van de Hulst Prize for Light Scattering" 2025 for his significant contributions to the understanding of scattering properties of atmospheric ice crystals. Prof Macke has developed and applied light scattering models based on geometrical optics for complex irregular ice crystals and thus achieved a breakthrough in the consideration of realistic crystal structures. His models and results are used worldwide in numerous scientific fields such as astrophysics, biology, medicine and, of course, atmospheric physics. The prize honours the life's work of an individual scientist who has made a pioneering contribution to the research field of electromagnetic scattering by particles and its applications.

Dr Moritz Haarig from TROPOS received the AS&T Young Scientist Award for the best presentation at the conference. The AS&T Award has been presented since 2025 for outstanding conference contributions by young scientists.

Joint research between the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University and the University of Trento (Italy) has, for the first time, ascertained the composition of the intestinal microbiome of the indri, a critically endangered lemur only found in the north-east of Madagascar. In addition to determining up to 47 hitherto unknown species of bacteria, the study has concluded that the indri’s microbiome is transmitted within their social group. This could have implications for the preservation of their habitats.

In the paper published on Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine(STCM), the authors utilized synthetic biology technology to create the first artificial herbal cell (AHC) based on a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation: Compound Danshen Yeast 1.0. This breakthrough provides foundational technology for producing TCM formulations through one-step fermentation using simple carbon sources like glucose and ethanol—eliminating the need for wild harvesting or cultivation of medicinal herbs. By harnessing synthetic biology, the team reprogrammed a single yeast strain to simultaneously synthesize three classes of active ingredients—notoginsenosides (protopanaxadiol), tanshinone diterpenoid (miltiradiene), and borneol.

A University of Queensland-led study has found Australian skinks have evolved molecular armour to stop snake venom from shutting down their muscles and the revelation could inform biomedical approaches to treating snakebite in people.

In an era where artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly but raising deep ethical and environmental questions, two faculty members at The University of Akron (UA) are contributing to a bold new vision for the future of AI that is inspired by nature itself. 

Dr. John Huss, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, and Dr. Peter H. Niewiarowski, professor of integrated bioscience in the Department of Biology, are co-authors of a newly published research paper proposing a biomimetic and ethically grounded framework for artificial intelligence. The article, titled Ethically Grounded Design Paradigm for AI: A Biomimetic Approach, was published in Sciforum and co-authored by Dr. Paweł Polak and Dr. Roman Krzanowski of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, Poland. The full paper can be accessed at: https://sciforum.net/paper/view/23219. 

The paper revisits the biological roots of AI and argues for a reorientation of how artificial intelligence is designed and implemented. Drawing on the concept of biomimicry — the practice of learning from nature’s evolutionary innovations — the authors advocate for AI systems that are more energy-efficient, ethically responsible and ecologically embedded.

The research points out that many of today’s AI systems, particularly large language models and other high-powered platforms, consume enormous amounts of energy and computing resources. According to the authors, this trajectory is unsustainable and raises serious environmental concerns.

Beyond environmental impacts, the paper also delves into questions of ethics and human-AI interaction. The researchers argue that for AI to be genuinely beneficial, it must incorporate ethical principles such as empathy, cooperation, and humility — traits found in natural symbiotic systems.

The authors suggest that biomimicry can help address these challenges by serving as a guide for how AI might evolve in ways that are aligned with life on Earth. By examining mutualistic relationships in nature — such as symbiosis between species — the researchers propose models for “beneficial AI” that coexist with, rather than dominate, its human and environmental context.