September STEM News

Welcome to the September edition of STEM Spectrum Monthly News, presented to you by The STEM Spectrum's News Editors! Each month, the latest advancements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are broken down and analyzed. This months edition zooms in on various topics, from new AI innovations to insights into the New York Times game Wordle.

Article 1: Regenerated Photoreceptors Restore Vision

There are over 43 million individuals across the world who suffer from blindness diseases that lead to a permanent loss of vision. The major cause of blindness is the damage to photoreceptor cells, whether it be from a disease or an accident, these cells are not able to be regenerated by humans, thus if any damage occurs it is permanent. 

For decades, researchers have been attempting to find a way to regenerate and replace these photoreceptor cells to allow them to restore vision. Researchers at the Dresden University of Technology have been able to make a groundbreaking step forward by proving that the regenerated cells of a zebrafish enabled full regenerative vision. 

Currently, researchers aim to replace the damaged human photoreceptors by stimulating stem cells in the retina. Stem cells have the potential to develop into different types of cells and repair damaged ones. The challenge comes with having these receptors actually restore vision but this challenge for humans is a very common and easy task for animals, especially the zebrafish. 

Zebrafish have special stem cells known as the Muller glia which regrow the damaged photoreceptors. Humans have a very similar system in the retina but it is believed that we lost the ability to regenerate through evolution. This team has been dedicated to studying Zebrafish as they believe it is possible to re-enable that regeneration through therapeutic methods. 

Although the Zebrafish could regenerate it was unknown until now whether the newly grown cells could restore vision to the same level as before. The research team conducted an experiment to see the level of vision in these fish by tracking the activity of the photoreceptors as light interacted with them. This experiment showed that the regenerated cells restored the same level of vision as before.

This experiment provided the promise that if we developed an effective way to regrow photoreceptor cells then we would have a perfect vision of how we were before. Humans and Fish share a common ancestor in evolution and share a plethora of genes which provide hope that it is possible to simulate these fish's abilities in humans. There is still a lot of clinical and research work that is required to be able to develop an effective way to regenerate photoreceptors but this discovery brings us one step closer to treating once incurable diseases and restoring vision for the many millions of people out there. 

Article 2: Rocks collected on Mars hold key to water and perhaps life on the plane

Since the 1950s, we have begun exploring the vast world of outer space to enhance our understanding of the universe we live in. Since then, we have come to understand a tremendous amount of our universe and the ways in which our world works. However, a question that remains a mystery to this day is whether mankind will ever inhabit a planet other than Earth. 

When asked this question, the planet that comes immediately to mind is our very own sister planet Mars. In the last few years missions for the exploration of Mars have been pushed forth to further our understanding of the planet. NASA’s Perseverance rover collected rock samples from the planet back in 2022 that have the potential to redefine our understanding of the planet and provide information about its history with water and life. 

The challenge, however, is that the samples that were collected need to be brought back to Earth so they can be analyzed more thoroughly and rigorously but it is a difficult mission. Currently, the hope is to bring them back by 2033 and these samples are extremely important as they have samples from river deposits and dried-up lake sites. These samples can provide information on the history of water on the planet. 

Other rocks that were collected seem to have fine-grained sediments that contain evidence of microbial life on Mars in the past which would have significant groundbreaking discoveries if it was proven to be true as it would be the first planet confirmed to have had life at some point. 

Just based on the samples from the rover it is believed that about 3.5 billion years ago the river which now contains the sediments that were sampled was filled with water flowing through it. This was the same time that Earth had microorganisms inhabiting the planet, but all the water is now gone with it either being deep underground or lost to space. 

By bringing these samples to Earth it can answer key questions about the water that provide further understanding. For instance, it would enable us to understand when the water was present, the pH (acidity) of the water, when the secondary phases precipitated and what may have led to the disappearance from the surface. 

The answers to these questions and many more can only be revealed by deep research here on Earth which is why NASA and Scientists across the world have been working on methods for a mission that can be used to bring back these samples to Earth. We can only hope that the research leads to innovations that enable us to uncover these samples as the answers they hold may be the key to uncovering the history of Mars and if life will ever be possible. 

Article 3: AI spots cancer and viral infections at nanoscale precision

Artificial Intelligence has become an inherent part of our lives and with it, it has allowed for major discoveries and innovations that have solved many problems and have brought about a plethora of advancements. Recently Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation at the University of the Basque Country have developed an artificial intelligence that has the ability to differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells and detect early stages of a viral infection within our shells. This enables the proactive discovery and treatment of various diseases that can save countless lives. 

The tool is known as AINU (AI of the Nucleus), and it works by scanning high-resolution images of cells. It then uses the image to create a picture that captures details finer than what a microscope is able to. These detailed pictures are able to reveal cells and structures at the nanoscale level. 

The resolution enables the AI to recognize specific patterns and differences between different cells which can be leveraged to identify issues and problems in the cells which are signs of diseases such as Cancer. By leveraging this ability it enables Doctors to have more time to monitor, treat and cure patient diseases allowing the saviour of many lives. 

The AI is developed using a complex neural network that was designed to analyze visual data. These same AI systems are the ones used in Facial recognition systems like on the iPhone as they scan the environment around them and utilize that to come to conclusions. In this case, the AI analyzes images and scans which enables it to see details that are simply missed by our human eyes allowing for rapid diagnosis and treatment. 

The model analyzes the various microstructures within cells at the molecular level and compares them to traditional cells to see specific patents that can enable it to see irregularities. For instance,  cancer cells have distinct differences in structure compared to normal cells such as the way the DNA is arranged thus by analyzing that the AI can come to the conclusion that Cancer is possible within the patient. 

It can also use this same process to detect if specific viruses are present, in one test a simple herpes virus was given to a cell and the AI could detect it by the differences in how the DNA was packed. This ability can enable researchers to see how viruses affect cells immediately, not a day or two after which can enable the development of more effective treatments and vaccines. 

This discovery has the potential to redefine the medical space but there is still significant work to be done. It is extremely expensive to procure the equipment that is needed to create these high-resolution images and the specialized equipment to deploy the model to detect these differences. At the moment it is only possible in biomedical labs and with the model only being able to see a few cells at a time, there are a lot more rapid advances in the field to enable this to become a practical reality in clinics and hospitals. However, this discovery does shed hope that in their icing years, we will be able to cure and treat diseases before they can get worse allowing us to save many more lives. 

Article 4: Can Wordle Provide a New World of Thinking? 

The New York Times game surged laptops, live streams and clubs - becoming a new and enticing hit for millions of people worldwide. Wordle is an online game in which players must guess a new five-letter word in six tries. Recently Nadine Gaab, an associate professor of education at Harvard Graduate School, connected her learning of development psychology to the possible advantages this engaging game could impose on cognitive neuroscience. 

She stated that the game was not necessarily influenced greatly by specific cognitive abilities. “If you’re good at it, it may be because of your reading/spelling abilities,” she reported. That said, she has cautioned about the benefits it could pose for young children as engaging them with letter combinations and language tests could enhance their development in language. Specifically, the earlier, the better. 

Essentially, the brain is activated from playing any type of game - with a goal to ‘win.’ When Wordle is played, it’s speculated that the four key areas in the brain involved in reading are activated. These areas are found in the brain’s left hemisphere, one being the ‘visual word form area.’ Other areas would be the oral language area and higher order areas of the brain (specifically the inferior frontal lobe,) aiding to integrate connections of this puzzle when trying to make sense of combinations you see or hear. 

Nevertheless, Gaab does caution against these somewhat ‘hopeful’ connections of playing Wordle as relatively superficial. Whilst playing Wordle can help, it isn’t independent of that specific New York Times game. In fact, any word game can aid in activating the mentioned parts of the brain. She supports this with a study conducted in her lab highlighting how the foundational brain areas for reading and language development begin developing even in utero. Therefore, what may be a bigger influencing factor is the quality of early education - not necessarily the type of game being played. Thus, whilst parents can encourage playing Wordle to stimulate language development; they should not expect it to convert them into prodigy readers or New York Times writers. These games should be found enjoyable and the add-on is their educational benefit. Studies have directly shown benefits on cognitive capabilities in allowing children to enjoy the games they do instead of making it a routine/chore. Thus, Wordle can truly be regarded as more than a fun competition against friends - or yourself as it challenges abilities to enhance literacy and reading levels. But whether it fosters development or is the primary cause may vary just as much as the word New York Times chooses every day. 

Article 5: The Missing Piece to Solving the Quantum Puzzle 

Could adding additional dimensions help solve the quantum gravity puzzle? A new theory has recently evolved, where spacetime is no longer being treated as a continuous entity but gridded by discrete points. Thus, adding extra dimensions to the grid results in the occurrence of other fields and particles. 

This new realm of discovery has stemmed from the challenges in developing a quantum theory of gravity since it doesn’t prove compatible with the general theory of relativity proposed by Einstein. He described gravity as the curvature of spacetime which contradicts quantum mechanics as it governs particles from the smallest scales. Any frameworks strategised have been perceived as abnormal and nonsensical. This is because spacetime geometry is analysed at such a small scale that wilder quantum fluctuations are observed when it is probed with mathematical machinery, causing meaningless predictions. 

In this specific study, scientists explored an intriguing hypothesis referenced as ‘fuzzy gravity.’ they observed that spacetime may be discrete instead of continuous - containing numerous isolated, noncommutative points. In this noncommutative space, the order in which spatial coordinates are multiplied plays great significance as opposed to our usual insignificance if we multiply length and width or vice versa. Thus it predicts the possibility for elements of nature in quantum mechanics to no longer be commutative quantities. 

This is to say, some flaws are exhibited with fuzzy gravity. Primarily, it only regards quantum descriptions of gravity and no other fundamental physical interaction: electrons, quarks, electromagnetism etc. Any fundamental theory should ideally include all that fuzzy gravity hasn’t been able to regard. Therefore, the team attempted to unify interactions by considering higher-dimensional spacetime, finding that if time and three spatial dimensions are extended by extra, discrete and noncommutative directions; their interactions in 4D would result in similar elementary relationships as to what we currently observe. 

Despite obstacles and limitations, the team has no plans to halt their investigations - aiming to continue explorations in particle phenomenology (noncommutative gravity in a continuous space). They hope to uncover the unification schemes which hindered their conclusions which could in the future aid to fixing the mystery puzzle piece in understanding the dimensions of our ‘artificial,’ quantum world. 

Article 6: New Drills and Hammer for Curing Cancer 

As reported by the NCI (National Cancer Institute), the disease is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. By 2040, it is expected that cases will rise to 29.9 million with deaths surfacing 15.3 million. Cancer is a disease where body cells begin multiplying uncontrollably, spreading to other parts of the body and forming lumps of tissue, commonly known as tumors. These tumors invade other nearby tissues inflicting further consequences. Thus, it is considered a genetic disease, caused by alterations to the genes which control our cellular functioning, growth and division. 

Ailong Ke is a field-leading biophysicist and biochemist at Yale University who specialises in RNA and CRISPR-Cas technologies. Recently, he used his cutting-edge software to build a toolbox for beating cancer. 

He notes that he didn’t enter the field simply to cure disease or wokr on developing technologies. By following his intellectual curiosity he was able to challenge the pursuits of science and discover something monumental. 

After being driven to Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences due to his fascination with understanding RNA and combining that with his mechanistic studies, he was able to apply biology structurally and reform their molecular interaction. That said, his revolutionary CRISPY-Cas system involves a natural cellular immune response found in bacteria. 

Essentially Ke uses short fragments of invading DNA, approximately 24-48 nucleotides, and integrates them into the genome as spacers in between similarly sizes CRISPRs: clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. This can be repurposed by researchers to target and modify DNA sequences specifically - also referred to as genome editing. As the cellular processes rely on RNA as a guide, Ke aims to study and investigate how RNA leads and regulates enzymatic activities. He hopes to find a key to editing and reconstructing cancer treatments by treating the grave disease directly from within.  

Trade-offs, however, are being considered by the research as he points out that there is potential risk with the softwares. 100% accuracy is not achieved and off-targeting by a CRISPY editing tool is potentially detrimental to the entire investigation and molecules being used. 

The new trend to essentially do in situ structural biology will allow scientists to better understand where exactly molecules are positioned inside the cell, what and how they interact within their environment. Ke is optimistic about exposing exciting discoveries. The professor himself hopes the new methodology can unlock a realm of discovery and more personalised treatments to alleviate the health burden on cancer patients. By altering their genetic makeup through CRISPr technology, he opens doors for a world of genetic modification and cancer treatments that could potentially edit our modern perception of disease, medicine as most importantly: what it means to challenge the extent of science through research.