October Highlights in Science

Scientists do some awesome things. What new things did we learn in October 2021? That don’t have to do with COVID? This week’s highlights all have to do with animals acting in ways we may have thought were uniquely human.

Microscopic TikTok: Scientists have improved microscope technology so they can now create videos of the inner workings of cells. They use extremely high-powered microscope technology to take many, many still 2D photos, which can be turned into 3D videos via computer. This technology can help scientists better understand how cells - and humans - work!

Human-Pig Kidney Transplant: A lot of people spend years on kidney dialysis waiting for a kidney transplant. Scientists at NYU genetically engineered a pig to grow a kidney that was less likely to cause an immune reaction in a human, and then that kidney was transplanted into a human! And it worked properly for the 54 hours they observed it! There’s still more work to be done before this technology can be used as a regular treatment, but it’s really cool!

How Can We Better Cover Climate Change? Nature presents suggestions for ways scientists can do a better job of talking about Climate Change. One suggestion that really stuck out is that it’s time to stop talking about the worst case scenario, because it looks like it won’t happen! Although there’s still a lot of work to do, it might help mobilize people if they feel like their actions are more likely to make a bigger impact. We seem to have already passed the global maximum usage of coal in 2013 and that will only improve, as long as people and policy keep driving renewable energy technology.

Worm Mosh Pit: California blackworms usually behave like…well…worms, but when they experience stress, they actually form a giant blob of worms that can better protect itself and escape predators! Scientists developed a computer program to learn more about blackworm blob behavior. One day, they might be able to use this information to design robots that can work independently but then team up to move more effectively.