Here’s this week’s science news in review.
Artemis II Crew returns to Earth after splashdown
Astronauts aboard Artemis II completed their final maneuver and returned safely to Earth after a successful journey around the moon. Throughout the mission, astronauts performed tests on spacecraft systems and how the human body responds to deep space conditions such as radiation exposure and microgravity. For example, they have collected detailed medical and performance data that help scientists understand how long duration missions affect an astronaut’s bones, cognition and muscles. This information will help design future safety protocols and training for crews who may one day travel to Mars and can help us even better understand the human body.
The Artemis II mission was monumental. Not only did it mark the first time humans have traveled this far from Earth in over 50 years, but it has also laid the foundation for future lunar landing and long-term human exploration of space. The lessons from Artemis II will directly inform the planned Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface and potentially test innovations needed for sustained presence on and around the moon.
Nutrient that could improve cancer treatment
Recently published in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers have identified a common eye health nutrient, zeaxanthin, and its ability to help the body fight cancer more effectively. Scientists discovered that it strengthens T cells and enhances the impact of immunotherapy treatments. Zeaxanthin is commonly found in foods such as corn, egg yolks and vegetables. It is already used in numerous supplements that support eye health. Because of its familiarity and relative safeness, researchers are optimistic about its potential to be incorporated into future combination therapies.
This could lead research into a new direction as this nutrient shows strong potential as a cancer therapy booster and its potential to regulate tumor growth in cellular pathways. Thus, more targeted, personalized approaches to oncology that are ultimately more effective without compromising patient care can be used. However, more clinical trials are needed to fully grasp zeaxanthin’s efficacy. Researchers explain that future studies will look into how specific nutrients interact with the immune system at a molecular level.
Dragonflies advance the field of optogenetics
Recently, scientists from the Osaka Metropolitan University have revealed that dragonflies can detect extremely deep red light, even extending into near-infrared wavelengths, using opsin, a visual protein. This is a protein that is similar to the one found in the human eyes. However, this helps dragonflies further by telling potential mates apart during flight by detecting subtle differences in light. Studying such finely tuned visual systems can reveal new strategies for designing sensitive light-detection tools.
This study led to important revelations about applications in technology and medicine. Through the alteration of the opsin protein, researchers were able to shift its light sensitivity toward longer wavelengths and engineer a version that can be activated by near-infrared light. This could be invaluable in optogenetics, where light sensitive proteins are used to control cells and study biological processes deep inside the body. Furthermore, being able to activate proteins with near-infrared light is invaluable because this light penetrates tissue more deeply and causes less damage. In the future, similar engineered proteins could enable researchers to turn neurons on or off in brain regions or even regulate heart and muscle cells without invasive surgery.
