Category: 7. Science

Most genes are ancient and shared across species. But a small subset of genes are relative newcomers, spontaneously emerging from stretches of DNA that once encoded nothing at all.

Now, after nearly a decade of charting these genes in fruit flies, researchers have discovered how these de novo genes are regulated. In complementary studies, in Nature Ecology & Evolution and PNAS, the team showed how transcription factors and genomic neighbors switch these genes on and integrate them into cellular networks-the first studies to identify these master regulators. Together, the findings shed light on how new genes become functional, with broad implications for understanding evolutionary biology and gene regulation-and diseases born from their dysfunction.

The more we know about de novo regulation, the more information we have about gene expression and regulation itself. That’s important not only for evolutionary biology but also for the study of diseases like cancer, which are associated with rapid genetic dysregulation.”

Li Zhao, Head of the Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics at Rockefeller

New genes, old questions

When Zhao started her lab eight years ago, the existence of de novo genes had only been recently discovered. As Zhao began identifying hundreds of these mysterious genes, Torsten Weisel, 1981 Nobel laureate and president emeritus of Rockefeller, took a personal interest in her work. Over lunch, Weisel asked her how the de novo genes that she was discovering were regulated. “I was stunned,” Zhao recalls. “We knew nothing about this-it was a question, asked during a casual conversation, that I had not even thought about. I told him we could not answer that question yet, and that I did not know when we would be able to answer it.”

But the seed was planted. And as Zhao continued cataloguing de novo genes, she began exploring the possibility of figuring out how they are expressed. Technology improved, and new computational methods allowed her team to infer which transcription factors regulate specific genes. Zhao’s lab also eventually figured out how to apply single-cell sequencing techniques to the testis of Drosophila, where many de novo genes are expressed. “We finally had the genetic and the computational foundation to answer the question put to me years ago.”

In the Nature Ecology & Evolution paper, the team focused on how transcription factors regulate de novo genes, and discovered three factors that act as master regulators. After analyzing gene expression across hundreds of thousands of cells, they found that only about 10 percent of transcription factors were responsible for controlling the majority of de novo genes. Zhao and colleagues then engineered flies with different copy numbers of these factors, and performed RNA sequencing to observe the effects. Sure enough, the variations caused clear, often linear shifts in the expression of de novo genes, confirming their role as key regulators.

In their PNAS paper, the researchers turned their attention to the genomic neighborhoods of de novo genes. They investigated whether these young genes are co-regulated with nearby genes that are more evolutionarily well-established. By analyzing gene expression patterns and chromatin accessibility data, they found that de novo genes often share regulatory elements with adjacent genes, suggesting a mechanism of co-regulation.

“The papers are closely linked,” Zhao says. “One talks about how the cellular environment regulates new genes. The other asks how genes work together to regulate one another.”

De novo grows up

Beyond explaining how de novo genes are regulated, the findings may shed light on how de novo genes are formed in the first place. “We cannot say for sure that these transcription factors caused de novo genes to originate,” Zhao says. “But we’ve now seen that tinkering with transcription factors can cause significant changes.” As the lab continues studying the role that transcription factors play in de novo gene regulation, that link may become clearer.

As the lab continues studying de novo genes, Zhao also expects to uncover broader insights into how gene networks evolve-and what happens when they go awry. The study of cancer, among other diseases associated with relatively rapid dysregulation of genes, may benefit from work that explains how evolutionarily young genes arise and are regulated. And because of their shorter evolutionary history and more simple regulation, de novo genes may provide an accessible window into the trickier question of how the rest of the genome works.

“Expression and regulation is more complex than we think,” Zhao says. “De novo genes may provide a simplistic model that helps us better understand gene expression and evolution.”

While humans can regularly replace certain cells, like those in our blood and gut, we cannot naturally regrow most other parts of the body. For example, when the tiny sensory hair cells in our inner ears are damaged, the result is often permanent hearing loss, deafness, or balance problems. In contrast, animals like fish, frogs, and chicks regenerate sensory hair cells effortlessly.

Now, scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have identified how two distinct genes guide the regeneration of sensory cells in zebrafish. The discovery improves our understanding of how regeneration works in zebrafish and may guide future studies on hearing loss and regenerative medicine in mammals, including humans.

Mammals such as ourselves cannot regenerate hair cells in the inner ear. As we age or are subjected to prolonged noise exposure, we lose our hearing and balance.”

Tatjana Piotrowski, Ph.D., study’s co-author, Stowers Investigator 

New research from the Piotrowski Lab, published in Nature Communications on July 14, 2025, seeks to understand how cell division is regulated to both promote regeneration of hair cells and to also maintain a steady supply of stem cells. Led by former Stowers Researcher Mark Lush, Ph.D., the team discovered that two different genes regulating cell division each control the growth of two key types of sensory support cells in zebrafish. The finding may help scientists study whether similar processes could be triggered in human cells in the future.

“During normal tissue maintenance and regeneration, cells need to proliferate to replace the cells that are dying or being shed – however, this only works if there are existing cells that can divide to replace them,” said Piotrowski. “To understand how proliferation is regulated, we need to understand how stem cells and their offspring know when to divide and at what point to differentiate.”

Zebrafish are an excellent system for studying regeneration. Dotted in a straight line from their head to tailfin are sensory organs called neuromasts. Each neuromast resembles a garlic bulb with “hair cells” sprouting from its top. A variety of supporting cells encompass the neuromast to give rise to new hair cells. These sensory cells, which help zebrafish detect water motion, closely resemble those in the human inner ear.

Because zebrafish are transparent during development and have accessible sensory organ systems, scientists can visualize, as well as genetically sequence and modify, each neuromast cell. This allows them to investigate the mechanisms of stem cell renewal, the proliferation of progenitor cells – direct precursors to hair cells – and hair cell regeneration.

“We can manipulate genes and test which ones are important for regeneration,” said Piotrowski. “By understanding how these cells regenerate in zebrafish, we hope to identify why similar regeneration does not occur in mammals and whether it might be possible to encourage this process in the future.”

Two key populations of support cells contribute to regeneration within neuromasts: active stem cells at the neuromast’s edge and progenitor cells near the center. These cells divide symmetrically, which allows the neuromast to continuously make new hair cells while not depleting its stem cells. The team used a sequencing technique to determine which genes were active in each type and found two distinct cyclinD genes present in only one or the other population.

The researchers then genetically altered each gene in the stem and progenitor populations. They discovered that the different cyclinD genes were independently regulating cell division of the two types of cells.

“When we rendered one of these genes non-functional, only one population stopped dividing,” said Piotrowski. “This finding shows that different groups of cells within an organ can be controlled separately, which may help scientists understand cell growth in other tissues, such as the intestine or blood.”

Progenitor cells lacking their cell type-specific cyclinD gene did not proliferate; however, they did form a hair cell, uncoupling cell division with differentiation. Notably, when the stem cell-specific cyclinD gene was engineered to work in progenitor cells, progenitor cell division was restored.

David Raible, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Washington who studies the zebrafish lateral line sensory system, commented on the significance of the new study. “This work illuminates an elegant mechanism for maintaining neuromast stem cells while promoting hair cell regeneration. It may help us investigate whether similar processes exist or could be activated in mammals.” 

Because cyclinD genes also regulate proliferation in many human cells, like those in the gut and blood, the team’s findings may have implications beyond hair cell regeneration. 

“Insights from zebrafish hair cell regeneration could eventually inform research on other organs and tissues, both those that naturally regenerate and those that do not,” said Piotrowski.

The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration has detected the merger of the most massive black holes ever observed with gravitational waves using the US National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded LIGO observatories. The powerful merger produced a final black hole approximately 225 times the mass of our Sun. The signal, designated GW231123, was detected during the fourth observing run of the LVK network on November 23, 2023.

LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, made history in 2015 when it made the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves, ripples in space-time. In that case, the waves emanated from a black hole merger that resulted in a final black hole 62 times the mass of our Sun. The signal was detected jointly by the twin detectors of LIGO, one located in Livingston, Louisiana, and the other in Hanford, Washington.

Since then, the LIGO team has teamed up with partners at the Virgo detector in Italy and KAGRA (Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector) in Japan to form the LVK Collaboration. These detectors have collectively observed more than 200 black hole mergers in their fourth run, and about 300 in total since the start of the first run in 2015.

Before now, the most massive black hole merger—produced by an event that took place in 2021 called GW190521—had a total mass of 140 times that of the Sun.

In the more recent GW231123 event, the 225-solar-mass black hole was created by the coalescence of black holes each approximately 100 and 140 times the mass of the Sun.

In addition to their high masses, the black holes are also rapidly spinning.

“This is the most massive black hole binary we’ve observed through gravitational waves, and it presents a real challenge to our understanding of black hole formation,” says Mark Hannam of Cardiff University and a member of the LVK Collaboration. “Black holes this massive are forbidden through standard stellar evolution models. One possibility is that the two black holes in this binary formed through earlier mergers of smaller black holes.”

Dave Reitze, the executive director of LIGO at Caltech, says, “This observation once again demonstrates how gravitational waves are uniquely revealing the fundamental and exotic nature of black holes throughout the universe.”

A record-breaking system

The high mass and extremely rapid spinning of the black holes in GW231123 push the limits of both gravitational-wave detection technology and current theoretical models. Extracting accurate information from the signal required the use of models that account for the intricate dynamics of highly spinning black holes.

“The black holes appear to be spinning very rapidly—near the limit allowed by Einstein’s theory of general relativity,” explains Charlie Hoy of the University of Portsmouth and a member of the LVK. “That makes the signal difficult to model and interpret. It’s an excellent case study for pushing forward the development of our theoretical tools.”

Researchers are continuing to refine their analysis and improve the models used to interpret such extreme events. “It will take years for the community to fully unravel this intricate signal pattern and all its implications,” says Gregorio Carullo of the University of Birmingham and a member of the LVK. “Despite the most likely explanation remaining a black hole merger, more complex scenarios could be the key to deciphering its unexpected features. Exciting times ahead!”

Probing the limits of gravitational-wave astronomy

Gravitational-wave detectors such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA are designed to measure minute distortions in space-time caused by violent cosmic events. The fourth observing run began in May 2023, and additional observations from the first half of the run (up to January 2024) will be published later in the summer.

“This event pushes our instrumentation and data-analysis capabilities to the edge of what’s currently possible,” says Sophie Bini, a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech and member of the LVK. “It’s a powerful example of how much we can learn from gravitational-wave astronomy—and how much more there is to uncover.”

GW231123 will be presented at the 24th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GR24) and the 16th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves held jointly at the GR-Amaldi meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, July 14–18, 2025. The calibrated data used to detect and study GW231123 will be made available for other researchers to analyze through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center (GWOSC).

The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration

LIGO is funded by the NSF and operated by Caltech and MIT, which conceived and built the project. Financial support for the Advanced LIGO project was led by the NSF with Germany (Max Planck Society), the UK (Science and Technology Facilities Council), and Australia (Australian Research Council) making significant commitments and contributions to the project. More than 1,600 scientists from around the world participate in the effort through the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, which includes the GEO Collaboration. Additional partners are listed at my.ligo.org/census.php.

The Virgo Collaboration is currently composed of approximately 880 members from 152 institutions in 17 different (mainly European) countries. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) hosts the Virgo detector near Pisa in Italy and is funded by Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in France, the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy, and the National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef) in the Netherlands. A list of the Virgo Collaboration groups can be found at: www.virgo-gw.eu/about/scientific-collaboration/. More information is available on the Virgo website at www.virgo-gw.eu.

KAGRA is the laser interferometer with 3-kilometer arm length in Kamioka, Gifu, Japan. The host institute is the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), the University of Tokyo, and the project is co-hosted by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). KAGRA collaboration is composed of more than 400 members from 128 institutes in 17 countries/regions. KAGRA’s information for general audiences is at the website gwcenter.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/. Resources for researchers are accessible from gwwiki.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/JGWwiki/KAGRA.

What started as a student field trip along the cliffs of Dorset turned into the discovery of a new prehistoric species. A 16.5-millimeter lower jaw, embedded in rock near Swanage, is now reshaping how scientists view early mammal evolution.

The discovery was made by an undergraduate student from the University of Portsmouth. The fossil belongs to a type of extinct mammal called a multituberculate.

These small, rodent-like creatures once lived alongside dinosaurs and were known for their distinctively complex teeth.

A curious jaw, a surprising species

The fossil was uncovered at Durlston Bay, a site famous for its rich geological layers. It’s the first multituberculate jaw found there since the 1800s.

Though it looks a bit like a rabbit’s jaw at first glance, the structure of the teeth tells a different story. A sharp incisor juts out at the front, followed by a gap, and then four blade-like premolars.

“I instantly had my suspicions of what the jaw was when I found it at the beach, but couldn’t have imagined where the discovery would take me,” said Ben Weston, an undergraduate paleontology student.

“I’m extremely grateful to the team and to the university for helping me take my first steps into academic paleontology.”

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth confirmed that the fossil is from a species that had never been identified before.

Technology brings the fossil to life

The fossil wasn’t easy to examine. Rock still clung to key parts of the specimen. To get around this, the team turned to high-resolution CT scanning.

Dr. Charles Wood, a senior scientific officer at the university, scanned the fossil, allowing scientists to see inside the rock without damaging the sample.

Jake Keane, a former Portsmouth paleontology student now working in Abu Dhabi, helped process the scans. In just a few hours, he digitally removed the surrounding rock and isolated the teeth in fine detail.

The scans were then turned into 3D-printed models by John Fearnly, lead technician in the university’s Faculty of Technology. These models were ten times larger than the original, making it safer and easier to study the fossil in depth.

New mammal gets a name

The team named the new species Novaculadon mirabilis. “Novacula” means razor, a nod to its sharp back teeth. “Mirabilis” refers to the jaw’s almost perfect preservation.

Portsmouth student Hamzah Imran created an artistic rendering of the animal. It’s imagined as a small, furry creature with a mix of spots and stripes – though its actual appearance remains speculative.

Based on its teeth, Novaculadon mirabilis likely ate insects and other small invertebrates. Its slicing premolars and pointed incisors set it apart from modern rodents like rats or squirrels.

A hotspot for new mammal species

This isn’t the first time a student has made a big find in the same area. In 2017, another Portsmouth undergraduate, Grant Smith, discovered fossils of two new mammal species thought to be among humanity’s earliest relatives.

Dr. Steve Sweetman, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth, also worked on this new discovery.

“This is a remarkable find that reminds me of when Grant found those extraordinary eutherian mammal teeth,” said Dr. Sweetman.

“When I first saw Grant’s specimens, my jaw dropped – and I had exactly the same reaction to Ben’s multituberculate jaw. It’s incredible that Durlston Bay keeps delivering such significant mammal discoveries by our undergraduate students.”

Evolution insights from tiny jaw

Beyond the scientific importance, the discovery highlights the value of collaborative research.

“Looking back now that the discovery has been published, I am amazed at how many people it took to describe this little mammal,” said Professor David Martill.

“I especially appreciated that all team members were University staff or present and former students – a true team effort including academics, technicians, alumni, and students with diverse talents across three departments.”

The fossil helps researchers better understand how early mammals survived during the age of dinosaurs. While multituberculates lived through the mass extinction that wiped out dinosaurs, they eventually died out during the Oligocene, around 33 million years ago.

With over 200 known species, multituberculates were the most diverse group of mammals in the Mesozoic era. They filled many ecological roles – some burrowed, others climbed trees. This new discovery adds to what we know about their evolution and survival.

And it serves as a reminder that major scientific contributions can come from anyone – even a 22-year-old student on a windy beach in Dorset.

Image Credit: Hamzah Imran

The full study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Geologists Association.

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In this study, researcher developed a new imaging approach that combines two powerful techniques to solve this problem. First, a special type of microscope called a two-photon microscope is used, which can look deep into live tissues with minimal damage. To improve how steady the tissue remains during imaging, they designed a custom-made, 3D-printed holder that gently uses suction to hold the tissue in place. This suction-based stabilization helps keep the tissue still within the camera’s focus, which is essential when trying to capture high-resolution images of tiny moving structures.

Next, the images are improved further using advanced computer algorithms. These included techniques to reduce “noise” (unwanted blurry spots in images), correct for tiny shifts or drifts in the picture, and enhance image sharpness using a method called Super-Resolution Radial Fluctuations (SRRF). Together, these improvements doubled the resolution, allowing the researchers to clearly see details smaller than 250 nanometers, far beyond what a typical microscope can do.

To demonstrate the power of this approach, they used a genetically modified mouse called the Mito-Dendra2 model, where mitochondria glow green under the microscope. With this model, the team was able to watch, in real time, how mitochondria split, merge, move, and respond to different health conditions. For example, it is observed how mitochondria behave in a model of alcohol-induced liver disease, and how a natural compound called berberine can help restore mitochondrial health during recovery. These insights would be nearly impossible to gain without being able to see the mitochondria directly inside a living animal.

This work is important because it allows scientists to study the smallest building blocks of life in their most natural environment, inside living and functioning tissue. The combination of gentle physical stabilization, powerful microscopy, and advanced image processing offers a new standard for intravital imaging within live organisms. It opens the door for new discoveries in how cells respond to stress, how diseases develop, and how treatments work at the organelle level. In short, this breakthrough provides researchers with a valuable tool to explore the hidden world inside living tissues, making it easier to understand life at the cellular level and develop better ways to diagnose and treat disease.

The research group of Prof. Jun Ki Kim from Asan Medical Center, the largest hospital in Korea, and University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, introduces a groundbreaking technology that provides super-resolution imaging inside the cells of living animals. Located at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and optics, the work conducted in this optics laboratory within a biomedical engineering department and affiliated medical center plays a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare and scientific discovery. This interdisciplinary environment brings together physicists, engineers, biologists, and clinicians to address some of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine-diagnosing diseases earlier, treating them more precisely, and understanding human biology at a deeper level.

The importance of this work lies in its focus on translating light-based technologies: such as advanced imaging systems, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic devices, into real-world clinical solutions. In hospitals and clinics, doctors often rely on indirect indicators of disease, like blood tests or tissue biopsies, which can be invasive or limited in detail. Optical technologies offer a different approach: they provide real-time, non-invasive insight into the human body, revealing structures and molecular changes that are invisible to the naked eye.

In this lab, researchers develop tools that can image cells inside a living body, detect early signs of disease, or guide surgeons during operations with light-based visualization techniques. Working hand-in-hand with medical professionals, engineers transform scientific principles into devices that are practical, safe, and effective for patient care.

Moreover, the lab’s presence within a medical center fosters rapid collaboration and translation. Research does not remain confined to the lab bench; instead, it moves efficiently toward patient trials and clinical use. This dynamic setting ensures that innovations are not only technically advanced but also medically relevant. In the broader context, this work contributes to a global effort to make medicine more personalized, less invasive, and more data-driven and ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for patients around the world.

The research group specializes in the development and application of advanced bio-optical imaging systems, focusing on cutting-edge technologies that enable the visualization and analysis of biological tissues at cellular and subcellular levels. Their work in in vivo microscopy allows for high-resolution imaging of living tissues, providing critical insights into dynamic biological processes in real-time. This technique is particularly valuable in studying tissue structures and identifying disease markers, offering significant potential for improving diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.

Another major area of focus for the group is medical device development, where they design and create innovative tools that integrate optical and imaging technologies for clinical applications. Their efforts are aimed at enhancing the precision, reliability, and accessibility of diagnostic devices, ensuring that they meet the needs of both healthcare providers and patients. In parallel, the group is heavily involved in the development of optical probes that can be used for in-depth, non-invasive tissue analysis. These probes are designed to interact with biological tissues at the molecular level, enabling detailed, real-time assessments of cellular processes.

A key area of the group’s research is diagnosis and therapy, particularly leveraging the power of Raman spectroscopy. By utilizing the unique vibrational properties of molecules, Raman spectroscopy provides a powerful tool for identifying chemical signatures associated with various diseases, enabling early detection and precise monitoring of therapeutic responses. This approach holds great promise for improving disease diagnosis, particularly in oncology and other fields where early intervention is critical.

Through their multidisciplinary work, the research group is advancing the frontiers of medical diagnostics, offering new solutions for in vivo imaging, disease detection, and personalized therapy.

A recent unexpected frost graced high-altitude peaks in Chile, dusting the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope with a delicate layer of snow.

What is it?

The 13.4 foot (4.1 meter) telescope has been a major hub for researchers in the Southern Hemisphere using optical and near-infrared astronomy to study the stars. According to NOIRLab, the telescope was initiated in 1987 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It’s run by an international consortium which includes Brazil, Chile, Michigan State University and the University of North Carolina.

Editor’s note: one day we will begin a detailed exploration of ocean worlds other than our own. Hopefully they will be habitable – and inhabited. Given that we still find new life forms on Earth – things which also seem strange by comparison to what has already been discovered, we have along way to go – on this world. As such it make sense to practice the skills of exploration and discover on a world close to us and our tools. In so doing we need to develop some translatable skills that we can apply to the robotic and human exploration of these other worlds. Expeditions and discoveries as describe below still happen. And the more we look, the more we discover.

This story is about the newly-named Advhena magnifica. How are we going to name the new life forms that we discover offworld? Will we use the same Latin-based binomial naming system that is used on Earth, perhaps adapt it with a new prefix or suffix, or pick another language? Or go digital? Something to think about.

Oh yes: It is fun to note that these explorers see the link to astrobiology as well: “In the case of Advhena magnifica, the shape of this sponge is reminiscent of an alien, like in the movies, with what looks like a long thin neck, an elongated head, and huge eyes. Advhena is from the Latin advena, which means alien, but in the sense of visitor, foreigner, or immigrant. Of course we, humans, were the actual visitors to the sponge’s deep-sea home when we found this “magnificent alien.” While we haven’t “officially” given it a common name in our paper, “E.T. sponge” seems to fit.”

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In a paper published in 2020 , scientists identified and named a new genus and species of sponge: Advhena magnifica. It was sampled and seen during missions in the Pacific on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

On July 25, 2017, while exploring a seamount during an expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, a team of deep-ocean explorers came upon an extraordinary seascape. Dr. Chris Mah of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) dubbed the scene the “Forest of the Weird.” That was due to the diversity of prominent sponges rising up on stalks with their bodies oriented to face the predominant current carrying tiny food particles.

Among the different sponges within this alien-like community was one that could not be missed. Rising high on a stalk, this sponge had a body with two large holes. They’re oddly reminiscent of the large eyes of the alien from the beloved movie, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

Turns out that this wasn’t the first time that scientists exploring via Okeanos Explorer had encountered this unusual sponge. In 2016, while exploring a seamount many miles to the west near the Mariana Trench, a sample of the sponge had been collected. It was sent to the NMNH for long-term care and study by researchers, setting the stage for this exciting—and charismatic—discovery.

We caught up with Dr. Cristiana Castello Branco, a postdoctoral researcher who made the discovery of the “E.T. sponge.” She is studying under the guidance of Dr. Allen Collins, Director of the NOAA Fisheries National Systematics Laboratory located at NMNH.

Cristiana prepares to enter the human occupied vehicle, for a dive. At the time of the sponge discovery, Cristiana was a PhD student at NMNH being supervised by NOAA Fisheries’ Dr. Collins. Image courtesy of Cristiana Castello Branco.

How did you know you’d found a new type of sponge?

It is a long process between when we first see a specimen and when we can give it a name. While we know very little about deep-sea sponges, we do know they are very abundant, so chances are often good that we will find new species. But to know you found a new one, you need to analyze the skeletal elements of the sponge, called spicules, in the lab using powerful microscopes. The types of spicules and how they are organized in the body vary across different types of sponges, and the spicules are what we use to make identifications. But on top of that, we have to compare what we see to all the known species of a particular genus to find out if it is known or new to science.

For the “E.T. sponge,” I had started my studies with Allen by analyzing some specimens from the Atlantic region. I also decided to examine specimens from other parts of the world that were closely related to taxa I was describing in my thesis. Among these samples, I found a couple representatives of the glass sponge family Bolosomidae, including a big and beautiful sponge with an alien-shaped body. At first, I thought it would be a new species of Bolosoma (a genus I’d been working on during my thesis). Once I began to examine the sponge’s spicules, I realized that they were not the same as those from any known species.

Scientists used a powerful scanning electron microscope (SEM) to get the detailed image on the left of the sponge’s spicules; in the image, the spiky tips of the spicule are about 20 micrometers across. Because sponge spicules are delicate and sometimes not complete, SEM imagery is often supplemented with scientific illustration. The illustration on the right shows the same spicules, drawn by Nick Bezio. As part of the completion of his degree in Scientific Illustration at California State University, Monterey Bay, Nick did an internship with Allen at NMNH. SEM image courtesy of Cristiana Castello Branco; illustration by Nick Bezio.

How did you choose the scientific name, Advhena magnifica, for this new sponge?

The scientific name for a new animal is always Latin or Greek. We usually try to associate the name to something unique about that species, or we can honor someone, the expedition name, or a locality.

In the case of Advhena magnifica, the shape of this sponge is reminiscent of an alien, like in the movies, with what looks like a long thin neck, an elongated head, and huge eyes. Advhena is from the Latin advena, which means alien, but in the sense of visitor, foreigner, or immigrant. Of course we, humans, were the actual visitors to the sponge’s deep-sea home when we found this “magnificent alien.” While we haven’t “officially” given it a common name in our paper, “E.T. sponge” seems to fit.

Like all biologic samples collected during Okeanos Explorer expeditions, the “E.T. sponge” collected in 2016 was archived in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. In this image of the collected sample, the two holes of the sponge that give it an alien appearance are clearly visible. These holes, termed oscules, serve as openings out of which the sponge pumps water. The sponge is covered in even tinier pores where the water is drawn into the sponge. Bacteria and other small prey are captured in small chambers and the water is pumped out through a complex of canals and ultimately straight out of the oscules. Image courtesy of NMNH.

What is the significance of discovering a new genus and species?

Discovering new species of deep-sea sponges is fairly common, and while the group is very diverse, we still know very little about it. We don’t even know how many species we still have to discover in the deep ocean, but it is a big number. So, chances for new discoveries are good.

When we find a new genus or species, we are helping to describe our planet’s marine biodiversity. That term refers to the variety of living organisms in the ocean, from bacteria and fungi to invertebrates and fish, all the way to marine mammals and birds. All of these organisms are intricately connected. By documenting and describing marine biodiversity, we are building a better understanding of life and the impact of humans on Earth (in this case, in the ocean).

Also, a description of a new genus just emphasizes how little we know about the deep sea and deep-sea sponges.

What role does the newly discovered sponge play in the ecosystem?

Sponges are one of the most diverse and abundant groups of organisms on the bottom of the ocean, and they have huge impacts in the marine ecosystem. Many are large and provide structure in and around which other organisms live. Sponges are filter-feeding animals capable of maintaining the balance of micro flora and fauna and have important roles in transforming nitrogen and carbon in the ocean. As sessile (attached) animals, they defend themselves by producing chemical compounds that may be useful in treating human diseases. As such, the study of deep-sea sponge biodiversity provides a necessary basis for future environmental management decisions as well as bio-prospecting studies.

How did you get into this line of work? Do you have any advice for young people interested in being a zoologist who discovers new species?

When I was an undergrad, I started to work with sponges as an intern at Universidade Federal da Bahia in Brazil. It was an opportunity to work on the scientific collection of the university, and I fell in love with sponges then. After that, I followed with a master’s degree and then I studied deep-sea sponges during my Ph.D. work at Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.

As for advice for young people, apply for internships and try to figure out what most gets your attention and love. It is not that easy, but as long as you are doing what you really enjoy, it is worth it.

Astrobiology, Oceanography,

A beautiful turquoise‑and‑lilac sea creature that has been kept in hobbyist aquariums around the world for nearly two decades has finally been given a scientific species name.

The modest crustacean hiding in plain sight turns out to be Cherax pulverulentus, an entirely new crayfish species no biologist had cataloged until now.

Jiří Patoka of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and an international team realized the oversight while inspecting a shipment of Indonesian pets in 2023.

Their detective work now ends years of speculation about the animal’s identity in the scientific community worldwide.

Meet Cherax pulverulentus

Ever since the early 2000s, importers have marketed the animal under nicknames such as “Blue Moon” and “Hoa Creek,” labels that lumped several look‑alike species together.

Dealers moved thousands of specimens across Europe, the United States, Japan, and Indonesia, yet museum drawers remained empty of an official voucher specimen.

Collectors recognized the flashy colors, but the mix of hues muddied any attempt to match the pet to known taxa. Without an authoritative description, conservation agencies could not track exports or assess wild harvest pressure.

Field notes hinted that the mystery crayfish came from forested headwaters near Ayamaru Lake in the Bird’s Head Peninsula of western New Guinea.

Border checkpoints rarely scrutinized small ornamental shipments, allowing animals to flow from creeks to storefronts without paperwork.

Cherax pulverulentus has two forms

The research team reports that purple‑form individuals sport turquoise bodies dusted with violet specks. Their joints and tail fans fade to a chalky white, producing an almost pastel appearance that appeals to aquarists.

Blue‑form animals replace those lilac freckles with a deep navy background that drifts toward black around the claws.

Bright orange stripes frame the abdomen and legs, giving the crayfish a stark, two‑tone look unique within the genus.

Patoka and colleagues chose the species epithet pulverulentus, Latin for “covered with dust,” to capture these pinpoint spots.

The name, Cherax pulverulentus, cements the animal’s singular identity and separates it from Cherax pulcher, a close relative described in 2015.

Detective work in the lab

Traditional morphometrics ranked claw shape, eye size, and rostrum length against 38 allied species. DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial COI gene then revealed at least 2 percent divergence from every known member of the genus.

“This species has been exploited in the ornamental aquarium trade at least for 21 years,” wrote Patoka in the report. That long tenure outside science underscores how commercial networks can outpace taxonomy.

A second line of evidence came from nuclear 28S sequences that grouped Cherax pulverulentus as a sister lineage to C. pulcher, yet still distinct enough to rule out color morph status.

The dual approach gives regulators a clear diagnostic toolkit should confiscated shipments require forensic identification.

New Guinea streams to aquariums

In the wild, the dusty crayfish digs shallow burrows into sandy streambeds shaded by rainforest canopy. Water temperatures hover near 75°F, oxygen levels stay high, and leaf litter offers both shelter and food.

The Bird’s Head Peninsula ranks as a biodiversity hotspot, yet many of its tributaries remain unsampled by crustacean specialists.

Local fishers collect juveniles during the dry season when water levels drop, a practice that feeds the export pipeline but leaves population trends unknown.

Little is published on the crayfish’s diet, growth rate, or breeding season. Patoka’s team calls for ecological studies that could inform sustainable quotas before demand removes more animals than nature can replace.

Dumping Cherax pulverulentus

During the survey, one dusty crayfish turned up in a thermal spring near Budapest, Hungary, evidence that at least one aquarist released an unwanted pet.

Similar introductions have seeded invasive populations of marbled crayfish and signal crayfish across Europe.

Non‑native crustaceans often carry the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, the agent of crayfish plague, a disease lethal to indigenous European stocks. Even a handful of carriers can trigger a cascade that empties streams of native fauna.

Thermal refuges give tropical species a foothold in colder climates. Once established, escapees outcompete local detritivores, alter nutrient cycling, and nibble on amphibian eggs, multiplying their ecological footprint.

Why formal naming matters

Legal frameworks that govern wildlife trade, such as CITES, depend on precise species lists.

An unnamed organism cannot be added to an appendix, leaving customs officials powerless to intercept over‑harvested cargo.

Taxonomic clarity also guides aquaculture biosecurity. Without diagnostic characters, hatchery operators may unknowingly mix species, breeding hybrids that compromise genetic integrity in the source range.

What’s next for Cherax pulverulentus?

Patoka’s group urges Indonesian authorities to map the crayfish’s distribution and to monitor harvest volumes.

Citizen scientists photographing stream fauna with location tags could accelerate the search for hidden colonies.

Aquarists can help by buying captive‑bred stock, quarantining new arrivals, and never releasing pets into local waterways.

Responsible hobby practice will allow enthusiasts to enjoy the dusty crayfish’s colors without endangering ecosystems.

The study is published in Zootaxa.

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Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that allows “self-driving laboratories” to collect at least 10 times more data than previous techniques at record speed. The advance – which is published in Nature Chemical Engineering – dramatically expedites materials discovery research, while slashing costs and environmental impact.

Self-driving laboratories are robotic platforms that combine machine learning and automation with chemical and materials sciences to discover materials more quickly. The automated process allows machine-learning algorithms to make use of data from each experiment when predicting which experiment to conduct next to achieve whatever goal was programmed into the system.

“Imagine if scientists could discover breakthrough materials for clean energy, new electronics, or sustainable chemicals in days instead of years, using just a fraction of the materials and generating far less waste than the status quo,” says Milad Abolhasani, corresponding author of a paper on the work and ALCOA Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University. “This work brings that future one step closer.”

Until now, self-driving labs utilizing continuous flow reactors have relied on steady-state flow experiments. In these experiments, different precursors are mixed together and chemical reactions take place, while continuously flowing in a microchannel. The resulting product is then characterized by a suite of sensors once the reaction is complete.

“This established approach to self-driving labs has had a dramatic impact on materials discovery,” Abolhasani says. “It allows us to identify promising material candidates for specific applications in a few months or weeks, rather than years, while reducing both costs and the environmental impact of the work. However, there was still room for improvement.”

Steady-state flow experiments require the self-driving lab to wait for the chemical reaction to take place before characterizing the resulting material. That means the system sits idle while the reactions take place, which can take up to an hour per experiment.

“We’ve now created a self-driving lab that makes use of dynamic flow experiments, where chemical mixtures are continuously varied through the system and are monitored in real time,” Abolhasani says. “In other words, rather than running separate samples through the system and testing them one at a time after reaching steady-state, we’ve created a system that essentially never stops running. The sample is moving continuously through the system and, because the system never stops characterizing the sample, we can capture data on what is taking place in the sample every half second.

“For example, instead of having one data point about what the experiment produces after 10 seconds of reaction time, we have 20 data points – one after 0.5 seconds of reaction time, one after 1 second of reaction time, and so on. It’s like switching from a single snapshot to a full movie of the reaction as it happens. Instead of waiting around for each experiment to finish, our system is always running, always learning.”

Collecting this much additional data has a big impact on the performance of the self-driving lab.

“The most important part of any self-driving lab is the machine-learning algorithm the system uses to predict which experiment it should conduct next,” Abolhasani says. “This streaming-data approach allows the self-driving lab’s machine-learning brain to make smarter, faster decisions, honing in on optimal materials and processes in a fraction of the time. That’s because the more high-quality experimental data the algorithm receives, the more accurate its predictions become, and the faster it can solve a problem. This has the added benefit of reducing the amount of chemicals needed to arrive at a solution.”

In this work, the researchers found the self-driving lab that incorporated a dynamic flow system generated at least 10 times more data than self-driving labs that used steady-state flow experiments over the same period of time, and was able to identify the best material candidates on the very first try after training.

“This breakthrough isn’t just about speed,” Abolhasani says. “By reducing the number of experiments needed, the system dramatically cuts down on chemical use and waste, advancing more sustainable research practices.

“The future of materials discovery is not just about how fast we can go, it’s also about how responsibly we get there,” Abolhasani says. “Our approach means fewer chemicals, less waste, and faster solutions for society’s toughest challenges.”

Reference: Delgado-Licona F, Alsaiari A, Dickerson H, et al. Flow-driven data intensification to accelerate autonomous inorganic materials discovery. Nat Chem Eng. 2025. doi: 10.1038/s44286-025-00249-z

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