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Fat location, not BMI, drives heart ageing risk in men and women
New research shows fat distribution predicts premature cardiovascular ageing more than BMI, revealing why visceral and liver fat harm the heart while lower-body fat protects women before menopause.

Structured Graphical Abstract: The association of body fat phenotypes and cardiovascular ageing was assessed in 21,241 participants. This showed how shared and sex-specific patterns of body fat are associated with protective and harmful changes in cardiovascular ageing. *Protective effects of oestradiol in pre-menopausal women.

In a recent article in the European Heart Journal, researchers investigated how different patterns of body fat distribution influence cardiovascular aging by gathering data from more than 20,000 individuals.

Their findings indicate that liver fat, muscle fat infiltration, and visceral fat predicted accelerated cardiovascular aging in men and women. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and android fat predicted higher cardiovascular age-delta in men only, while total abdominal adipose tissue was associated with adverse outcomes in both sexes. Gynoid fat was protective in pre-menopausal women, but in men, it was associated with a higher age-delta.

Background

Obesity is a complex condition marked by excess fat accumulation that harms health. It is increasing worldwide, affecting nearly half of adults. While obesity is commonly measured by body mass index (BMI), people with similar BMI can have very different risks for cardiovascular disease. This occurs largely because fat distribution matters.

Visceral fat, stored deep in the abdomen, is particularly harmful. It promotes vascular problems, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction. Obesity also accelerates cardiovascular ageing. This process signals declining physiological resilience. It is linked to inflammation, genetic and metabolic factors, and tissue dysfunction.

Sex differences further complicate this picture. Women generally store more fat in the lower body, while men accumulate more visceral fat, which increases cardiovascular risk. Female sex hormones, especially before menopause, may offer protection by influencing metabolism and fat distribution. However, it remains unclear how these sex-specific fat patterns affect cardiovascular ageing.

About the study

This study analyzed data from over 21,000 UK Biobank participants aged 40–69, including those with existing cardiovascular disease, to capture the lifetime impact of fat distribution on cardiovascular ageing.

Cardiovascular age was predicted using a pre-trained machine learning model based on 126 imaging traits of cardiac structure, function, vascular dynamics, and myocardial tissue composition. The difference between predicted and actual age was calculated as the ‘cardiovascular age-delta.’

Whole-body and regional fat distribution were measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This included assessments of gynoid, android, liver, muscle-infiltrated, visceral, and subcutaneous fat.

Cardiac MRI provided detailed measures such as ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, aortic distensibility, myocardial strain, and fibrosis. All imaging data underwent automated segmentation and quality control.

Associations between fat phenotypes and cardiovascular age-delta were tested with multivariable linear regression, stratified by sex. Additional analyses examined BMI, physical activity (via questionnaire-based metabolic equivalent scores), and blood biomarkers (lipids, sex hormones, and metabolites).

To explore causality, Mendelian randomization was conducted using genetic instruments from genome-wide association studies of fat depots and cardiovascular ageing. Finally, cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure were identified from health records, and their relationship with cardiovascular age-delta was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models.

Key findings

Researchers noted clear sex-related differences in fat distribution. Women generally had more abdominal subcutaneous, muscle-infiltrated, and gynoid fat, while men carried higher levels of visceral, android, and total body fat.

Age-related patterns also diverged; visceral fat increased more steeply in men, while subcutaneous fat declined slightly in both sexes.

Across the cohort, visceral fat, liver fat, muscle fat infiltration, and total abdominal fat were consistently associated with accelerated cardiovascular ageing in both sexes. However, sex-specific effects emerged.

In men, android and abdominal subcutaneous fat were linked to higher cardiovascular age-delta, while in women, gynoid, trunk, and whole-body fat were protective, especially before menopause. BMI was a weaker predictor than direct measures of fat distribution.

Physical activity partially reduced but did not eliminate visceral fat’s adverse impact on cardiovascular ageing.

Diabetes amplified the harmful impact of visceral and other fat depots, though metformin users showed a somewhat reduced effect.

Genetic analyses supported a protective role of gluteofemoral (gynoid-type) fat, while visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat showed non-significant but harmful directions of effect.

Biomarker analyses revealed that higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B were associated with faster cardiovascular ageing, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and favorable lipid metabolites were protective.

Sex hormones also played a role: oestradiol was protective in pre-menopausal women but adverse in men, while free testosterone was linked to slower ageing in both sexes.

Cardiovascular events were ascertained from health records and modeled with Cox methods; atrial fibrillation and type 2 diabetes were associated with higher cardiovascular age-delta, whereas MACE and all-cause mortality were not significant in this cohort.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that obesity contributes to premature cardiovascular ageing, but fat distribution, rather than overall body mass, is the critical determinant. Visceral and liver fat, along with muscle fat infiltration, accelerated cardiovascular ageing in both sexes, while gynoid fat was protective in women, likely influenced by oestradiol before menopause.

These findings suggest that hormonal regulation and fat depot biology jointly shape sex differences in aging and emphasize the limitations of BMI as a risk measure, highlighting imaging-based fat assessment as a more precise tool.

Potential interventions include pharmacological strategies that reduce visceral and liver fat while mitigating inflammation and cellular senescence, for example, GLP-1 receptor agonists, with emerging roles suggested for SGLT2 inhibitors and other pathways, alongside lifestyle measures like diet and exercise.

Limitations include under-representation of older adults, limited ancestral diversity, and a cross-sectional design, which prevents tracking changes over time. Additional limitations include a lack of external validation at an equivalent scale, potential MR biases from sample overlap and pleiotropy, and unmeasured factors such as VO₂max and detailed diet. Overall, the study identifies adipose tissue distribution as a key modifiable factor in cardiovascular ageing and a promising target for extending healthspan.
Journal reference:

Sex-specific body fat distribution predicts cardiovascular ageing. Losev, V., Lu, C., Tahasildar, S., Senevirathne, D.S., Inglese, P., Bai, W., King, A.P., Shah, M., de Marvao, A., O’Regan, D.P. European Heart Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf553, https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf553/8237967
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August 25, 2025
New Study Rocks Jupiter’s Giant Impact Theory

Jupiter holds secrets at its heart that continue to puzzle scientists. The largest planet in our Solar System has what researchers call a “dilute core,” a central region that doesn’t have sharp boundaries like once expected. Instead of a distinct rocky centre surrounded by layers of gas, Jupiter’s core gradually blends into the hydrogen-rich layers above it, creating a smooth transition zone.

This unusual structure was first discovered by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016. The finding surprised astronomers, who had assumed giant planets would have more clearly defined cores. The mystery deepened when observations revealed that Saturn appears to have a similar dilute core structure.

Juno awaiting its launch in 2011 (Credit : Bill Ingalls)

One popular explanation for Jupiter’s fuzzy core involved a catastrophic collision early in the planet’s history. Scientists theorised that a massive object, perhaps containing half of Jupiter’s core material, crashed into the young planet with such force that it thoroughly mixed the central region. This collision would have been so violent that it scrambled the dense rock and ice at Jupiter’s centre with the lighter hydrogen and helium surrounding it.

A team of researchers at Durham University decided to put this giant impact theory to the test using powerful computer simulations. Working with scientists from NASA, SETI, and the University of Oslo, they used the DiRAC COSMA supercomputer to model what would happen when massive objects collide with Jupiter sized planets. The team ran multiple simulations using cutting edge software, testing various impact scenarios including extremely violent collisions. They employed new methods to better simulate how materials would mix during such catastrophic events.

A picture of The Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics Building, at Durham University (Credit : Padgriffin)

The results were clear and unexpected; none of the simulations produced a stable dilute core like the one Jupiter actually has. Instead, the computer models showed that after a giant impact, the dense rocky material would quickly settle back down, creating a sharp boundary between the core and the outer hydrogen layers, exactly the opposite of what Juno observed.

“We see in our simulations that this kind of impact literally shakes the planet to its core, just not in the right way to explain the interior of Jupiter that we see today.” – Dr. Thomas Sandnes from Durham University.

The study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, suggests that Jupiter’s dilute core formed through a much more gradual process. Rather than being created by a single dramatic collision, the unusual structure likely developed as the growing planet slowly absorbed both heavy and light materials during its formation billions of years ago. This gradual formation theory gains support from the fact that Saturn also has a dilute core. Dr. Luis Teodoro from the University of Oslo pointed out that Saturn’s similar structure strengthens the idea that dilute cores are not the result of rare, extremely high energy impacts but instead form gradually during the long process of planetary growth and evolution.

These findings have implications beyond our Solar System. Astronomers have discovered many Jupiter and Saturn sized planets orbiting other stars. If dilute cores form gradually rather than through rare catastrophic events, it suggests that most of these distant worlds might have similarly complex internal structures. The research demonstrates that while giant impacts certainly played important roles in planetary formation, they cannot explain every feature we observe. As scientists continue to study our stellar neighbourhood and the thousands of planets beyond, mysteries like Jupiter’s core remind us that the universe still holds many surprises.

Source : New study counters idea that Jupiter’s mysterious core was formed by a giant impact

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August 25, 2025
Rusfertide Earns FDA BTD for Erythrocytosis in Polycythemia Vera
Results from the phase 3 VERIFY trial of rusfertide for erythrocytosis in patients with polycythemia vera led to the FDA decision.

The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to rusfertide for the treatment of erythrocytosis in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), according to a press release from Protagonist Therapeutics.¹

Results from the phase 3 VERIFY study (NCT05210790) led to the decision, with data being presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Rusfertide is a potential first-in-class hepcidin-mimetic peptide.²

“We are very pleased with the FDA’s decision to grant breakthrough therapy designation to rusfertide, which underscores its potential to demonstrate substantial improvement over available PV therapies,” Dinesh V. Patel, PhD, president and chief executive officer at Protagonist, said in the press release.¹ “We remain on track for [new drug application] submission of rusfertide in polycythemia vera by the end of this year.”

A total of 283 patients were randomly assigned to receive either rusfertide plus the current standard of care (CSC) or placebo plus CSC. The trial included 3 different parts:
- Part 1a, where patients were assessed weeks 0 to 32 and treated with subcutaneous rusfertide or placebo at 20 mg every week, with dosing levels ranging from 10 mg to 90 mg;
- Part 1b occurred from weeks 32 to 52, and rusfertide was given at the same dose as part 1a;
- Part 2 occurred from weeks 52 to 156 and allowed dose levels of 10 mg to 120 mg.
The primary end point was clinical response from weeks 20 to 32.

Baseline patient characteristics for part 1a showed a median age of 57 years, 73.0% were male, 46.4% were in the high-risk category of being 60 years or older and/or having a prior thromboembolic event, the median PV duration was 2.9 years, and 23 patients required 7 or more therapeutic phlebotomies.

A total of 56.0% of patients in part 1a had concurrent cytoreductive medication, 39.2% had hydroxyurea, 13.3% had interferon therapy, and 2.7% received ruxolitinib (Jakafi). A total of 76.9% were responders in the rusfertide arm vs 32.9% in the placebo arm (P <.0001).

Across subgroups, rusfertide plus CSC maintained a response benefit compared with placebo plus CSC. The mean number of phlebotomies reduced from weeks 0 to 32 in the rusfertide plus CSC arm was 0.5 compared with 1.8 in the placebo arm (P <.0001). Additionally, 62.6% of patients in the rusfertide arm were able to maintain their hematocrit of less than 45% through week 32 compared with 14.4% in the placebo arm (P <.0001).

Those in the rusfertide arm had an improvement in their PROMIS Fatigue SF-8a total T-score at week 32 of –1.78 compared with 0.17 in the placebo arm; the least square mean difference was –1.95 (P = .0268). There was also an improvement in the MFSAF TSS7 score of –2.40 vs –0.54; the least square mean difference was –1.87 (P = .0239).

The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse effects between the rusfertide and placebo arms were injection site reactions (55.9% vs 32.9%), anemia (15.9% vs 4.1%), fatigue (15.2% vs 15.8%), headache (10.3% vs 11.6%), and COVID-19 (9.7% vs 11.0%). Discontinuation due to TEAEs occurred in 5.5% of patients in the rusfertide arm and 2.7% in the placebo arm.

Prior to randomization, 10 skin malignancies were detected, and during part 1a, 8 patients had non-PV cancer events. In 3.4% of patients in the rusfertide arm and 4.8% in the placebo arm, serious AEs occurred.

References
1. Rusfertide receives breakthrough therapy designation for treatment of erythrocytosis in patients with polycythemia vera. News release. Protagonist Therapeutics. August 25, 2025. Accessed August 25, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/4uekd7ce
2. Kuykendall AT, Pemmaraju N, Pettit K, et al. Results from VERIFY, a phase 3, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled study of rusfertide for treatment of polycythemia vera (PV). J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(suppl 17):LBA3. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.17_suppl.LBA3
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August 25, 2025
New York Outbreak Highlights Need for Comprehensive Solutions that begin at the Source

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With the number of confirmed Legionnaires’ Disease cases rising in New York as well as the death toll, it is time for policy makers to address the problem at its source, according to the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires Disease.

Since July 25, 2025, more than 108 individuals have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem. Tragically, six individuals have died. Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, is caused by the waterborne bacteria legionella found naturally in source water and soil. If not properly treated and filtered, legionella can escape water treatment plants, entering water distribution systems, and ultimately infecting building, facility, and home water systems where humans can become exposed. Proactive and comprehensive measures must be taken to address legionella from source-to-tap if we are going to succeed in preventing the serious disease it causes.

“The current policies are not working,” said Bob Bowcock, Alliance Board Member and water expert who founded Integrated Resource Management. “What is needed is a comprehensive approach that recognizes the waterborne pathogens infiltrate homes and buildings through the water supply. Focusing only on end use is only going to lead to more outbreaks and more deaths.”

Local Law 77 passed a decade ago, mandates registration, inspection, cleaning, disinfection, and testing of certain water-using equipment in buildings. However, despite these measures, the city continues to face elevated cases and outbreaks that remain unabated, impacting economically disadvantaged areas the most. The singular emphasis on end-user equipment is reactionary once the bacteria has already entered premise plumbing systems rather than a comprehensive or preventative water-quality strategy.

In a recent op-ed in the New York Daily News (https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/08/24/erin-brockovich-harlem-legionnaires-disease-demands-real-action/), environmental activist Erin Brockovich wrote: “We need to move from reaction to prevention, and that means covering the whole water system from source to tap. New Jersey recently passed a law to require water management programs for both water utilities and buildings, stronger investigations, public education, and case tracking. Illinois has similar rules to mitigate risks upstream…Even the NYS Department of Health has issued a guide to reduce risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria at home and I couldn’t agree more that the public deserves far greater education, awareness and transparency related to this disease and the waterborne bacteria that causes it.”

Further, numerous studies^[i] have found a clear link between periods of heavy rainfall and an increased risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Intense rain creates environmental conditions that support the growth and spread of legionella bacteria. On July 14, New York City experienced heavy rain and flash flooding, with Mayor Eric Adams reporting that Harlem experienced some of the heaviest rainfall during the event. The City’s Department of Environmental Protection called it one of the most intense rainstorms since Hurricane Ida. Given the well-documented connection between rainfall and Legionnaires’ cases, New York City should carefully examine the likelihood that this storm disrupted the water distribution system by dislodging and dispersing legionella bacteria, contributing to the current outbreak with cases first diagnosed 11 days after (incubation period for Legionnaires’ disease is 10-14 days).

“This disease is preventable,” Bowcock said. “But prevention begins at the water source and distribution system through proactive monitoring, management, and treatment to prevent the spread of the bacteria as water moves through the system to the end user. It is time to stop pretending that legionella bacteria magically fly through the air. It is spread through water and so logically the way to stop it is in the source of our water. The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease calls on New York to look to the recent actions taken by its neighbors in New Jersey who passed a comprehensive, source-to-tap law for Legionnaires’ disease prevention which takes effect in May 2026, and craft a workable policy that will stop these outbreaks and protect New York residents.”

The CDC reports that there are more than 8,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported annually, with individual cases comprising 96% and outbreaks accounting for only 4%. One in ten individuals who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from it and the fatality rate is higher among more susceptible populations.

The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire’ Disease is a national nonprofit focused on preventing Legionnaires’ disease through education, advocacy, and awareness. For more information, visit the Alliance’s website: https://preventlegionnaires.org/.

^[i] Hicks LA, Rose CE Jr, Fields BS, Drees ML, Engel JP, Jenkins PR, Rouse BS, Blythe D, Khalifah AP, Feikin DR, Whitney CG. Increased rainfall is associated with increased risk for legionellosis. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2007.
Chen N-T, Chen M-J, Guo C-Y, Chen K-T, Su H-J. Precipitation increases the occurrence of sporadic Legionnaires’ disease in Taiwan. Scientific Reports. 2020.
Garcia-Vidal C, Labori M, Viasus D, Simonetti A, Garcia-Somoza D, Dorca J, Gudiol F, Carratalà J. Rainfall is a risk factor for sporadic cases of Legionella pneumophila pneumonia. PLoS ONE. 2013.
For more information, visit the Alliance’s website: https://preventlegionnaires.org/

SOURCE Prevent Legionnaires’

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August 25, 2025
Details About the First iPhone Foldable Are Coming Into Focus

We keep collecting more details about what Apple’s first foldable iPhone will look like when it launches in 2026. The latest information is pretty intriguing.

As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the foldable is code-named “V68.” It will have four cameras and be available only in black-and-white variations. The device will also rely on Touch ID (not Face ID) and will not have a SIM card slot. The four cameras will consist of one on the front, two on the back, and one on the inside.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

The report collects the latest news about the Fold, Flip or whatever Apple calls its first foldable. We’ve already reported that the phone will cost nearly $2,000 and will be released as part of the iPhone 18 bonanza in September 2026. We have words of warning for Apple as it prepares to become the final major mobile player to jump into the foldable phone pool, with rivals Samsung and Huawei already having taken a big lead in the race.

Watch this: Apple’s Foldable iPhone Said to Use Samsung Parts

05:05

Moving beyond the iPhone ‘rectangle’

Jon Rettinger, a tech influencer with over 1.65 million YouTube subscribers, is enthused about Apple finally adding a new-look item to its product line.

“The beauty of Android has always been a variance of form factors,” Rettinger told CNET. “You have flips, folds, even rolls now. On the Apple side of the fence, it’s just been, ‘What size rectangle do you want?’ I, for one, am beyond excited about the prospect of Apple diving into the foldable space.”

Rettinger admires the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, calling it “about as close to the perfect foldable as possible.” But he thinks that Apple can help disrupt the segment with its own version.

“Apple is entering a mature market with its first product. The tolerance for first-time issues, especially at an anticipated high price, will be extremely low,” he says. “However, if they ship a competitive product, I think they’ll have an absolute home run on their hands.”

Let’s bite into the details of the latest Apple iPhone foldable rumors. Bloomberg says Apple has changed course on the screen tech. The company is no longer going with on-cell touch sensors, which “can create air gaps between the screen and its cover” and thereby increase the visibility of a crease — one of the biggest pitfalls of foldable phones so far with all brands.

Instead, Apple will use an in-cell touchscreen, similar to what current iPhones use. The company believes this will enhance touch accuracy and reduce the visibility of the crease.

The report also says the iPhone foldable will utilize a C2 modem, Apple’s first cellular chip with “capabilities approaching the latest from Qualcomm.”

Like Rettinger, fellow influencer Austin Evans, who has 5.68 million YouTube subscribers, is also “really excited” about the iPhone foldable and is “curious about how Apple will differentiate,” Evans told CNET.

“The biggest thing I’d like to see is for it to turn into an iPad mode when open,” Evans said. “Especially if they include Pencil support.”

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August 25, 2025
Snoop Dogg Criticizes LGBTQ Representation in Disney’s ‘Lightyear’

Snoop Dogg doesn’t seem too happy with the LGBTQ representation in Disney‘s 2022 movie Lightyear.

The rapper and hip-hop icon shared on a recent episode of the It’s Giving Podcast that he was taken by surprise when he took his grandchildren to see Pixar’s Toy Story spinoff, as it featured a montage of two women sharing a kiss and raising a child together. He said this led to a whole bunch of questions from his grandchildren about same-sex couples that he said, “I don’t have an answer for.”

“They’re like, ‘She had a baby — with another woman,’” Snoop recalled on the podcast, which appears to have since deleted his comments on the matter from the YouTube episode. “Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, ‘Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman!’”

The “Gin and Juice” rapper just remembered thinking at the time, “Oh shit, I didn’t come in for this shit. I just came to watch the goddamn movie.” Snoop said he tried telling his grandson, “Hey man, just watch the movie,” but that he just kept firing off questions: “‘They just said, she and she had a baby — they’re both women. How does she have a baby?’”

“It fucked me up,” the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” artist added. “I’m like, scared to go to the movies now. Y’all throwing me in the middle of shit that I don’t have an answer for. It threw me for a loop. I’m like, ‘What part of the movie was this?’ These are kids. We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer.”

Lightyear, the origin story of the human Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, featured Chris Evans’ voice as the beloved character. The animated pic also included an LGBTQ relationship between Buzz’s best friend and commander, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba), and her wife, Kiko, with glimpses of their life as a couple and an onscreen kiss.

The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that the same-sex kiss was nearly cut from the film during the creative process, but after internal backlash from employees around Disney’s previous public silence on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the kiss was reinstated in the final cut.

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August 25, 2025
Kraft, other companies defeat test lawsuit over ultra-processed foods – Reuters
1. Kraft, other companies defeat test lawsuit over ultra-processed foods Reuters
2. The Resilience of Ultra-Processed Food Giants: Navigating Legal Storms and Market Realities AInvest
3. Lawsuit that blamed ultra-processed foods for Philly-area teen’s illnesses is dismissed Inquirer.com
4. Attorneys Considering ‘Every Legal Avenue Available’ After Judge Tosses Ultra-Processed Foods Case Law.com
5. Kraft, other companies beat test lawsuit over ultra processed foods By Reuters Investing.com
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August 25, 2025
‘Cyborg’ moon jellyfish created to study changes in Earth’s oceans

The ocean covers most of our planet, yet much of it remains out of reach. Scientists have long struggled to study life in the deep sea. Robotic equipment is expensive, and people cannot dive to extreme depths.

These issues leave entire marine ecosystems unexplored. Nicole Xu, an engineer at CU Boulder, is confident that her lab’s “cyborg” moon jellyfish can help.

These sea creatures, also known as Aurelia aurita, are simple but remarkable. They move with little effort, pulsing gently as their translucent bells expand and contract. Their tentacles drift behind them like threads, yet every motion is purposeful.

Creating “cyborg” moon jellyfish

Xu has watched jellyfish for years, first as a fascinated student and now as a researcher. She studies their movements not just to admire them, but to put them to work.

Her team attaches small electronic devices to the animals. These devices stimulate their muscles and allow researchers to steer them. Soon, the system may carry sensors to track temperature, acidity, and other ocean data.

That could send jellyfish into places humans rarely reach, and return information that is otherwise too costly to gather.

“Think of our device like a pacemaker on the heart,” Xu said. “We’re stimulating the swim muscle by causing contractions and turning the animals toward a certain direction.”

Survival through 500 million years

Climate change is hitting the ocean hard. The water is getting warmer and more acidic as carbon dioxide levels rise.

Marine life struggles to adapt, and many species are in danger. Scientists need to measure how these changes unfold.

The challenge is scale. The ocean is vast, deep, and unpredictable. Sending ships or robots everywhere is simply not possible.

That is where jellyfish stand out. They are some of the most energy-efficient creatures alive. They have survived in their current form for more than 500 million years.

Moon jellyfish are ideal explorers

Jellyfish don’t have a brain or spine, but their basic organs and nerve nets keep them moving.

They also lack nociceptors, so they don’t experience pain the way humans do. Their stings cannot break human skin, which makes them easier to work with.

Moon jellyfish live in many environments. They often float near shorelines where food is abundant. But they also dive to extreme depths, even as far as the Mariana Trench, 36,000 feet (10,900 meters) down.

That range makes them ideal for exploration. Xu first tested her biohybrid jellyfish in 2020, guiding them through shallow waters near Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

“There’s really something special about the way moon jellies swim. We want to unlock that to create more energy-efficient, next-generation underwater vehicles,” she said.

Learning how moon jellyfish work

Xu’s lab doesn’t only focus on movement. She and her team study how jellyfish push water as they swim. To see this, they fill tanks with biodegradable particles like corn starch. They then shine lasers through the water.

The particles light up the flow patterns created by the jellyfish. This approach replaces older methods that used synthetic tracers such as glass beads. Those tracers were more toxic and less sustainable. Corn starch is safer, cheaper, and better for the animals.

Her group also works on improving steering in natural ocean conditions. The open sea is far less predictable than a lab tank, so making the technology reliable outside is a big step.

Xu believes these advances can lead to new tools that draw ideas from nature rather than replacing it. But the research is not only about technology – it also raises ethical questions.

Nicole Xu stands behind the main jellyfish tank in her lab. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Glenn Asakawa

Caring for moon jellyfish in labs

For many years, scientists believed invertebrates could not feel pain. New evidence now suggests that some may react to harmful experiences.

That means researchers must think carefully about how their experiments affect the animals they study. Xu takes this seriously.

She watches for signs of stress in her jellyfish. Stress usually causes them to produce extra mucus and stop reproducing.

Her jellyfish show none of those patterns. Instead, they seem to be thriving. Inside her tanks, baby polyps the size of pinheads are growing, with tiny tentacles starting to appear. That growth suggests the jellyfish are healthy and reproducing naturally.

“It’s our responsibility as researchers to think about these ethical considerations up front,” Xu said. “But as far as we can tell, the jellyfish are doing well. They’re thriving.”

Jellyfish as ocean allies

Jellyfish may look simple, but they represent a major shift in how humans can explore the ocean. By combining engineering with biology, Xu’s work shows that living creatures can serve as allies in research.

They move efficiently, survive in extreme environments, and carry little risk to humans. Outfitted with sensors, they could one day map parts of the ocean we know almost nothing about.

This is not science fiction. Xu has already proven the concept in the field. Her next steps include refining the technology and expanding its capabilities.

She sees jellyfish not only as data gatherers but also as inspiration. Their effortless swimming could shape how we design future underwater vehicles.

The idea challenges how people think about research tools. Instead of building larger machines, we might adapt what already exists in nature. It is efficient, elegant, and potentially transformative.

At the same time, Xu insists that ethical care for the animals must remain at the center of this work.

Her project stands as a reminder that progress and responsibility can go together. The moon jellyfish, a creature that has floated through Earth’s waters for half a billion years, may now help us understand how those waters are changing today.

The study is published in the journal Physical Review Fluids.

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August 25, 2025

Happy birthday, MINI! 66 years of driving pleasure, style and individuality.

Munich. On 26 August 1959, the British Motor
Corporation unveiled the first Mini: no one could have guessed at the
time what an impact the innovative concept of brilliant British
engineer Alec Issigonis would have on the automotive world. Sixty-six
years after the launch of the now legendary Classic Mini, the MINI
brand looks back on decades of racing success, visionary innovation,
groundbreaking design – and unmistakable driving pleasure.

The MINI family combines tradition and modernity.

With the relaunch of the MINI family over the past two years, the
brand has once again aligned its pioneering design and historical
heritage with the future: with a new, charismatic generation of the
MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman, the world premiere of the MINI
Aceman, the first crossover model for the premium segment, and the
launch of the new MINI Convertible, MINI combines tradition and
innovation in the present.

The New John Cooper Works models illustrate MINI’s racing expertise
and with a spectacular second place in its class at the 24-hour race
at the Nürburgring, MINI recently demonstrated how much motorsport is
in the brand’s DNA.

On its 66th birthday, MINI can look back on a growing range of
electrified variants within the MINI family. MINI has shown, that
go-kart feeling is also possible with fully electric vehicles.

66 years of vibrant automotive history – a look back at the
milestones of MINI:

26 August 1959	The British Motor Corporation unveils the first Mini in history. The design is the brainchild of British engineer Alec Issigonis.
1961	The first Mini Cooper is unveiled – at a price of £680.
1962	Shortly after the Mini went into production, the British Motor Corporation was manufacturing 200,000 vehicles per year.
1963-64	The first Mini Cooper S is unveiled.
1964	Racing driver Paddy Hopkirk wins the Monte Carlo Rally in spectacular fashion in a Mini Cooper S.
1965	Second consecutive victory at the Monte Carlo Rally for Mini with racing driver Timo Makinen at the wheel.
	Mini celebrates one million vehicles produced.
	The first automatic transmission in the Mini is available.
1967	Mini wins the Monte Carlo Rally for the third time.
1972	Mini celebrates three million vehicles produced.
1981	Drop in production figures to 70,000 vehicles per year.
1990	Under the leadership of the Rover brand, Mini presents a new generation of the Mini Cooper. Initially as a limited edition – later as a series model.
1992	For the first time, the Mini is also available as a convertible.
1994	The BMW Group acquires Rover – and with it, Mini. The acquisition lays the foundation for the MINI brand in its current form.
2001	World premiere of the BMW Group’s first MINI.
	Start of MINI production at the Oxford plant (UK).
	The new generation of the MINI Cooper S is presented at the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan.
2002	MINI reaches the milestone of 100,000 vehicles produced at its Oxford plant.
2004	The MINI Cooper S Convertible is unveiled.
2007	The MINI One and MINI Cooper D are unveiled.
	The first MINI Clubman celebrates its world premiere.
2010	The first MINI Countryman is unveiled.
2014	MINI presents the Cooper as a 5-door model for the first time.
2015	MINI presents a new brand logo.
2016	MINI reaches the milestone of 3,000,000 vehicles produced at its Oxford plant.
2020	Production of fully electric series vehicles begins at the Oxford plant with the MINI Cooper SE.
2021	New edition of the MINI 3-door, 5-door and MINI Convertible.
2023	The dawn of a new era with the new MINI: introducing a new generation of the MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman – both available as fully electric models.
2024	With the MINI Aceman, the brand is introducing a completely new model – the first crossover model in the premium segment of the small car class.
2024	MINI John Cooper Works and Bulldog Racing celebrate class victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
2024	Presentation of the new MINI Cooper 5-door and the new MINI Convertible.
2025	MINI John Cooper Works and Bulldog Racing celebrate second place in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

In case of queries, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Franziska Liebert, Press Spokesperson MINI

Phone: +49-151-601-28030
E-mail: franziska.liebert@mini.com

Micaela Sandstede, Head of Communications MINI

Phone: +49-176-601-61611
E-mail: micaela.sandstede@bmw.de

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August 25, 2025

Kolisi’s Return Boosts Springboks Ahead of Eden Park Showdown – allblacks.com
1. Kolisi’s Return Boosts Springboks Ahead of Eden Park Showdown allblacks.com
2. Springboks No 8 to return from headbutt ban to face All Blacks Stuff
3. It’s not just All Blacks out for payback at Eden Park supersport.com
4. From bench to brilliance: Kwagga Smith seizes Springbok starting role thestar.co.za
5. Kolisi fit to face New Zealand in Rugby Championship tests Reuters
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August 25, 2025

Author: admin

Background

About the study

Key findings

Conclusions

References

Moving beyond the iPhone ‘rectangle’

Creating “cyborg” moon jellyfish

Survival through 500 million years

Moon jellyfish are ideal explorers

Learning how moon jellyfish work

Caring for moon jellyfish in labs

Jellyfish as ocean allies