Experiments from the Caltech lab of Chiara Daraio, G. Bradford Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics and Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator, have yielded a fascinating new type of matter, neither granular nor crystalline, that responds to some stresses as a fluid would and to others like a solid. The new material, known as PAM (for polycatenated architected materials) could have uses in areas ranging from helmets and other protective gear to biomedical devices and robotics.

A global survey and educational campaign, called "Under the Snakefluence," aims to better understand public perceptions of snakes and to help prevent bites, which contribute to up to 138,000 deaths worldwide each year. A Cal Poly biological sciences graduate student and professor are collaborating with Austrialian and U.S. snake experts and others throughout the world to gather information and assess educational insights to help people in more than 20 countries. Participating countries include people from Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Peru and the Philippines, in addition to the U.S. and Australia.

The ability to alter proteins to refine control over binding affinity and specificity can create tailored therapeutics with reduced side effects, highly sensitive diagnostic tools, efficient biocatalysis, targeted drug delivery systems and sustainable bioremediation solutions. However, various approaches to such protein redesign have time-consuming drawbacks. Researchers led by Truong Son Hy, Ph.D., offer a simplified method they call ProteinReDiff that uses artificial intelligence to speed the redesign of ligand-binding proteins.

A team of researchers from the University of Ottawa has developed innovative methods to enhance frequency conversion of terahertz (THz) waves in graphene-based structures, unlocking new potential for faster, more efficient technologies in wireless communication and signal processing.

A recent study from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India has revealed new details about how our cells clean up and recycle waste. This process, known as autophagy, is like a self-cleaning mechanism for cells, helping the cells stay healthy by getting rid of damaged parts and recycling useful components. The process involves formation of a vesicle called autophagosome, which encapsulates the cellular waste. The autophagosome then fuses with another type of vesicle called lysosome. The fused stage is called autolysosome. The autolysosome ultimately matures into lysosome, where the waste is degraded by different enzymes and important starting materials are released back into the cytoplasm. The autophagosomes, autolysosomes and lysosomes can be considered as different stages of the cellular recycling process. Therefore, when cells notice they have too much "junk" inside, autophagy kicks into action. It is like a little clean-up crew inside the cell that sorts out the waste, recycles useful parts, and disposes off the rest. However, autophagy is not just about tidying up. The process is also extremely crucial for survival. When cells face tough times, like deprivation of nutrients or oxygen, autophagy can break down older, less useful components to provide essential material and aid in survival. Hence, this is one of the most important processes in our body. Impaired autophagy is linked to cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, metabolic disorders like diabetes and cancer. Various proteins and small molecules work in tandem to regulate this vital process. Dysregulation of any of the regulators can lead to disruption in autophagy. Hence, for better understanding of how autophagy works, we need to know what’s happening inside the autophagic vesicles at every stage of the process. This is where this recent finding made an exciting leap forward.