ScienceDaily: All - March 26, 2025
Today's top research news
Chewing gum can shed microplastics into saliva, pilot study finds
Plastic is everywhere in our daily lives. And much of what we use, such as cutting boards, clothes and cleaning sponges, can expose us to tiny, micrometer-wide plastic particles called microplastics. Now, chewing gum could be added to the list. In a pilot study, researchers found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested.
'Low-sugar' vaccine can provide broad immunity against coronavirus variants
Early animal studies show that a single vaccine could protect the recipient from different variants of the coronaviruses that cause COVID-19, the flu and the common cold. In addition to creating antibodies that target a specific region of the spike protein that doesn't mutate, the vaccine removes the sugar coat from the virus that allows it to hide in the body.
Fluorescent caves could explain how life persists in extraterrestrial environments
Deep below the Earth's surface, rock and mineral formations lay hidden with a secret brilliance. Under a black light, the chemicals fossilized within shine in brilliant hues of pink, blue and green. Scientists are using these fluorescent features to understand how the caves formed and the conditions for supporting life in extreme, and even extraterrestrial, environments.
Hydrophilic coating makes for unflappable golf balls
The condition of the grass on a golf course can drastically skew the chances of a winning putt regardless of a player's skill. Now, a coating that soaks up water molecules could slow the roll of a golf ball on a lightning-fast, dry course and speed it up on a sluggish, wet course without interfering with the ball when it's airborne.
New Evidence Links Microplastics with Chronic Disease
Tiny fragments of plastic have become ubiquitous in our environment and our bodies. Higher exposure to these microplastics, which can be inadvertently consumed or inhaled, is associated with a heightened prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, according to new research.
Growing body of evidence links HPV with heart disease
In addition to causing several types of cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) appears to bring a significantly increased risk of heart disease and coronary artery disease, according to a new study.
Slowing down to eat less: Towards simple strategies for obesity prevention
Obesity prevention strategies often focus on diet, but eating behaviors also play a key role. In a recent study, researchers from Japan investigated factors influencing meal duration, including sex differences, chewing patterns, and rhythmic cues. Their findings suggest that eating more slowly -- by increasing chews per bite or using slow rhythmic cues -- may help reduce food intake. These insights could inform practical, low-cost obesity prevention strategies by promoting slower eating habits in daily life.
These electronics-free robots can walk right off the 3D-printer
This a robot can walk, without electronics, and only with the addition of a cartridge of compressed gas, right off the 3D-printer. It can also be printed in one go, from one material.
Gas injection setup in new fusion system is guided by public-private research
Researchers have determined that six gas valves provide the best protection against plasma disruptions in SPARC, a next-generation, experimental fusion system. By refining the setup for the fusion vessel's massive gas injection system, researchers are ensuring that disruptions -- sudden jets of plasma that can damage the fusion vessel's inner walls -- are controlled efficiently, paving the way for safer, more robust fusion power plants.
What does 'that' mean in 'Did you see that?'
What goes through your mind when someone asks 'Did you see that?' A study shows that children and adults process ambiguous information like 'that' differently. While children focus more on the literal meaning, adults use multiple cues to grasp the speaker's intent. Researchers hope their findings could aid dialogue robot development and improve support systems for individuals with communication difficulties.
Scientists unlock frogs' antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs
Engineers have derived potent new antibiotics from a frog's secretions. The new molecules demonstrated capabilities on par with existing last-resort antibiotics, without harming human cells or beneficial gut bacteria.
Novel pathway has potential to slow progression of pulmonary fibrosis
Researchers have found a potential new way to slow the progression of lung fibrosis and other fibrotic diseases by inhibiting the expression or function of Piezo2, a receptor that senses mechanical forces in tissues including stress, strain, and stiffness. The new study sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary fibrotic diseases and identifies potential new targets and options for therapy to improve patients' outcomes.
Insecticides may contribute to bigger problems with certain weeds
Insecticides may help growers hoping to protect their crops from harmful insects, but they also may contribute to a larger amount of some weeds, according to a new study.
Making foie gras without force-feeding
Researchers wondered if there was a more ethical way to enjoy foie gras, so they created a process to replicate the dish without force-feeding ducks and geese beyond their normal diets. They treated the fat with the bird's own lipases, mimicking the activities that occur naturally in the duck's body, and the resultant foie gras looked correct with noninvasive laser microscopy. The team confirmed the physical properties with stress-deformation tests and found that the treated foie gras had a similar mouthfeel to the original.
The best 'butter' for a vegan shortbread
Researchers examine the properties of several dairy-free butter alternatives inside one of the region's most well-known snacks: Scottish shortbread. The group tested the alternatives in their lab, selecting three types of vegan butter substitutes with different levels of fat and comparing their consistencies and responses to heat. The vegan alternative with the highest fat content behaved like butter when baked and yielded the most positive feedback in taste testing. Butter typically has a fat content around 80%, and the group recommends choosing a vegan butter with a similar consistency.
C. diff uses toxic compound to fuel growth advantage
The pathogen C. diff -- the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea -- can use a compound that kills the human gut's resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut. A team has discovered how C. diff (Clostridioides difficile) converts the poisonous compound 4-thiouracil, which could come from foods like broccoli, into a usable nutrient. Their findings increase understanding of the molecular drivers of C. diff infection and point to novel therapeutic strategies.
Teaching kids about bugs benefits the environment
Pro-environmental behavior increases among school students who participate in insect-related citizen science projects, according to new research.
Study confirms accuracy of blood test for early Alzheimer's detection in Asian populations
A study has demonstrated the high accuracy of plasma p-tau217 as a blood-based biomarker for detecting abnormal brain beta-amyloid pathology, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.