A new study in Engineering reveals that S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) - producing probiotics might be a potential way to manage sleep disorders. The research identified Lactobacillus helveticus CCFM1320 as a promising probiotic. Tests on sleep-deprived mice and a clinical trial with insomnia patients showed that it could improve sleep quality, and the findings suggest a non-pharmacological alternative for treating sleep problems.

New research into lithium mining in the “Lithium Triangle” of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia — source of more than half of the world’s lithium resources — shows that the commonly accepted models used to estimate water how much water is available for lithium extraction and what the environmental effects may be are off by more than an order of magnitude. The paper, published in Communications Earth and Environment, reveals that there is far less water available than previously thought. With demand for the mineral, which is critical for batteries powering the green transition, projected to increase 40-fold in the coming decades, the research suggests local communities, regulators and the lithium mining industry must quickly collaborate to bring their water usage within sustainable limits.

Major milestone reached in digital Cuneiform studies: researchers from Mainz, Marburg, and Würzburg present an innovative tool that offers many new possibilities.