Marine animals have spent hundreds of millions of years evolving short protein fragments that fight microbes, calm inflammation, and tame tumors. A new review in the Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines maps how researchers are finally catching up: extracting these peptides at scale, decoding their structures with high-resolution mass spectrometry, and using AI to predict which ones might become drugs. The global market for marine peptides already tops USD 310 million, and the authors argue the next wave of therapies for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and drug-resistant infections may come from the bottom of the food chain.

A new study reveals that many oral cancers are no longer driven by traditional risk factors like smoking or Human papillomavirus infection. Instead, they arise from internal DNA damage and possible microbial influences. By analyzing tumor mutation patterns, researchers identified a distinct subtype of oral squamous cell carcinoma marked by immune evasion and antibacterial responses. These findings reshape our understanding of oral cancer and open the door to more precise, targeted treatments in the future.

Researchers developed an exosome-loaded microneedle patch that significantly accelerates oral ulcer healing. By enabling localized and sustained delivery, the patch reduces inflammation and promotes tissue regeneration. Multi-omics analysis reveals that the treatment works by modulating macrophage–epithelial interactions through the TSP-1/CD47/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Researchers found that a small change in 3D-printing settings can help produce better-fitting permanent dental crowns. Crowns printed at moderate angles performed best overall. Thinner layers improved accuracy and fit, while thicker layers produced more consistent results across repeated prints.

Cadmium contamination in paddy soils is a serious global food safety concern, threatening the health of millions who rely on rice as a staple. While cleaning up contaminated soil is often impractical, a team of scientists has demonstrated an effective and agronomically simple alternative: spraying rice leaves with a solution of tiny, engineered carbon dots (CDs).

In a field experiment on moderately cadmium-contaminated soil, researchers from the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences and Jiangnan University applied CDs to rice canopies. The application produced remarkable results. The higher-dose treatment not only reduced the cadmium accumulated in the rice grains by 46% but also increased the overall grain yield by 18%, all without harming the grain's nutritional quality.

In the global effort to combat climate change, soil has been recognized as the largest terrestrial carbon sink. Yet, most climate policies and carbon accounting systems focus only on the top 30 centimeters. A comprehensive new review, led by an international team of scientists from institutions including The University of Western Australia, Amity University, and Tsinghua University, explains why this surface-level view is dangerously incomplete and calls for a fundamental shift in how we manage the massive carbon reserves stored deep within the Earth.

This extensive work synthesizes global research to build a cohesive picture of deep soil carbon—the organic matter stored below the standard sampling depth. The analysis confirms that these subsoil layers contain a colossal amount of carbon, estimated at over 850 petagrams worldwide, which accounts for 50% to 60% of the total carbon stock in the top meter of soil. By examining the sources, distribution, and stability of this carbon, the review provides a critical framework for understanding its role in long-term climate mitigation and soil health.