Issue 267  April 3rd 2026

Blood-catalyzed n-doped polymers for reversible optical neural control

In addition to the challenges of developing effective materials for in vivo use, manufacturing such materials must avoid toxic components. For some applications, there may even be benefits to doing the synthesis inside of the target organism. Samal et al. describe the formation of a conductive polymer through oxidation with various natural catalysts, including heme, red blood cells, and whole blood samples (see the Perspective by Antognazza and Lanzani). The authors demonstrated reversible cellular and subcellular neuromodulation through near-infrared light in live animals using this material with no observable toxicity or behavioral deficits.

Prioritizing Environmental Sustainability in Laboratories for Earth Month

April marks the arrival of Earth Month, a global period of reflection and action dedicated to environmental protection. For the scientific community, it serves as a critical checkpoint to evaluate the hidden environmental costs of discovery. The very infrastructure that ensures research integrity—high-volume air exchanges, 24-hour climate control, and energy-hungry instrumentation—places laboratories among the most resource-intensive environments on the planet.

Achieving environmental sustainability in laboratories is no longer a peripheral goal; it is a fundamental necessity for lab managers. By integrating sustainable laboratory practices, leaders can reduce operational costs, ensure regulatory compliance, and align their research missions with global conservation efforts.

Stroke may trigger younger brain patterns in unaffected regions

In a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health, scientists at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) have discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of "younger" brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury.

Biological neural networks may serve as viable alternatives to machine learning models

A research team at Tohoku University and Future University Hakodate has demonstrated that living biological neurons can be trained to perform a supervised temporal pattern learning task previously carried out by artificial systems.

Lung evolution shaped body size limits in early land vertebrates

The water-to-land transition stands as one of the most significant events in vertebrate evolution, giving rise to the two major groups of living land vertebrates-amniotes and lissamphibians-which occupy markedly different ecological niches.

Providing the Artemis Mission with Solar Radiation Forecasts

The University of Michigan will participate in a demonstration of new technologies that could warn NASA of solar particle radiation hazards up to 24 hours in advance.

Broadband Nanoprobe Sharpens Optical Imaging

Pushing optical imaging below the diffraction limit usually requires complicated illumination schemes and still suffers from weak, unstable signals. This study reports a plasmonic fiber probe that concentrates light into a highly confined nanoscale spot using ordinary linearly polarized light.

Implantable ‘Living Pharmacy’ Produces Multiple Drugs Inside the Body

A multi-institutional team of scientists, co-led by Northwestern University, has taken a crucial step toward implantable “living pharmacies”—tiny devices containing engineered cells that continuously produce medicines inside the body.

Study: Breath Test Could Transform Microbiome Diagnostics for Clinical Labs

The research team found that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath samples closely correlate with gut microbiome activity, suggesting a streamlined alternative that could reduce turnaround times and expand access to microbiome-informed diagnostics. In both human and mouse studies, breath “volatilome” profiles mirrored microbial metabolites in the gut.

Building a Laboratory Superteam Through Continuous Learning

In an era of accelerated change, the laboratories that outperform their peers are not necessarily those with the largest budgets or most talent, but those that learn the fastest. According to research by psychologist Ron Friedman, PhD, featured in Harvard Business Review, superteams are defined by their ability to evolve through specific, repeatable behaviors. By surveying over 6,000 professionals across industries such as healthcare and technology, Friedman identified that high-performing teams share three core strengths: efficient management of time and energy, an active commitment to making one another better, and a focus on building new skills over time.