Painted lady butterflies are world travelers. The ones we encounter in Europe fly from Africa to Sweden, ultimately returning to areas north and south of the Sahara. But what determines whether some butterflies travel long distances while others travel short distances? A group of scientists, including from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), shows that the different migration strategies are shaped by environmental conditions rather than being encoded in the butterfly’s DNA.

Scientists have uncovered a key mechanism in jellyfish embryos that provides new insights into how the body plan of these animals develops along a central axis from their ‘head’ to ‘tail’.

A study combining remote sensing and administrative data finds that since the mid-20th century, large, growing cities have ceased to be centers of upward social and economic mobility. 

Medical implants and biomedical devices often cause inflammatory responses due to poor biocompatibility. Apatite coatings offer a potential solution but limited cell adhesion is often a challenge. To address this, scientists  developed advanced apatite nanoparticles for implant coatings with superior cell adhesion. By adjusting pH during synthesis of  nanoparticles, they enhanced the surface properties of these nanoparticles, achieving improved water interactions and greater structural stability, paving the way for more effective and biocompatible medical implants.

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) spin-off company Gray Matter Solutions is partnering with Osler Group, a premium health and wellness organisation in Singapore, to offer a new screening tool that detects mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – the early stage before dementia – efficiently and affordably using Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

 

People in the early stages of dementia may experience mild memory lapses or struggle with complex tasks and decision-making, but these symptoms are often subtle and do not significantly disrupt daily life, making early detection very challenging. Traditionally, the gold standard for diagnosing MCI involves neuropsychological evaluations and imaging diagnostics such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which can cost over a thousand dollars and require several hours.

In contrast, this new AI-powered screening tool, named ReCOGnAIze which was developed at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), uses neuroscientific games to identify early signs of cognitive impairment in just 15 minutes. The AI-powered tool comprises four specially designed games covering clinically relevant cognitive and behavioural domains, developed from over 125,000 hours of research at LKCMedicine’s Dementia Research Centre (Singapore).

It is expected to have global relevance, particularly in Asia where an estimated 250 million people with chronic vascular diseases such as those with hypertension (commonly known as high blood pressure), are at risk of developing MCI.

An international team of researchers, led by physicists from the University of Vienna, has achieved a breakthrough in data processing by employing an "inverse-design" approach. This method allows algorithms to configure a system based on desired functions, bypassing manual design and complex simulations. The result is a smart "universal" device that uses spin waves ("magnons") to perform multiple data processing tasks with exceptional energy efficiency. Published in Nature Electronics, this innovation marks a transformative advance in unconventional computing, with significant potential for next-generation telecommunications, computing, and neuromorphic systems.