August 31, 2023: A new version of oxygen, unfurling fingerlike brain electrodes and a pig kidney was successfully transplanted into a human body. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | For the first time, physicists have detected oxygen-28—an isotope of oxygen that has 12 extra neutrons packed into its nucleus. To create the isotope, the scientists fired a beam of calcium-48 isotopes at a beryllium target, which created a fluorine-29 isotope. The nucleus of this isotope has one more proton than does 28O but the same number of neutrons. The scientists next smashed 29F into a thick barrier of liquid hydrogen, knocking a proton out of the nucleus and generating 28O (got all that?).
Why this matters: Scientists long thought that oxygen-28 would be unusually stable because it fills shells in the nucleus, making it "doubly magic." But initial observations of the 28O nucleus suggest that this isn't the case: it disintegrates rapidly after creation. This was a surprise, and suggests that physicists have to reevaluate their assumptions about the forces that hold together protons and neutrons in atoms–called the strong nuclear force.
What the experts say: Physicists will unlikely stop at 28O–some are already wondering if a 22-neutron atom of oxygen is possible. "We don't know at the moment how many protons and neutrons you can put together in a nucleus" and have them stay bound together, says Robert Janssens, a physicist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "In other words, what's the limit?" | | | Brain scientists have developed a new kind of electrode that can be inserted in the one-millimeter space between the brain and the skull. The implant is made of a stretchable "elastomer" material that mimics the dura, the membrane surrounding the brain. The array has six "arms" which are tucked inside a cylindrical loader like the fingers of an inverted glove. Once the loader is inserted through a small hole in the skull, fluid pressure drives the arms to unfurl horizontally in the narrow gap between the skull and the brain. This device enables even coverage of a four-centimeter-diameter area of the brain.
Why this matters: Electrodes have wide applications from brain-machine interfaces, such as for controlling prosthetic devices, or for monitoring seizure activity. But normally, wide brain monitoring requires an equally large chunk of the skull to be removed. This new electrode only requires a two-centimeter hole in the skull for its insertion.
What the experts say: "It really solves a major, long-standing practical problem … with a solution simple enough it seems realistic to translate to the clinic," says Maria Asplund, a bioengineer at Chalmers University of Technology. | | | • A pig kidney was just transplanted into a human body, and it's still working. Health editor Tanya Lewis was there for the surgery. | 12 min listen | | | • The Biden administration has picked the first 10 high-priced prescription drugs subject to federal price negotiations. They include drugs to treat diabetes, blood clots, blood cancers, arthritis, and heart disease—and accounted for about $50 billion in spending between May 2022 and June 2023. | 6 min read | | | • Olive oil prices continue to surge as persistent drought ravages Mediterranean groves. Prices are higher than they've been in decades. | 6 min read | | | An olive tree withers in the extremely dry Andalusia region of southern Spain. Credit: Nachteule/Getty Images | | | • Paleontology is far more than the latest exciting fossil discovery, write Roy E. Plotnick, professor emeritus of Earth and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, and his colleagues. Fossils "play an essential role in interpreting ancient environments, in reconstructing ancient oceans, continents and climates," they say. | 5 min read | | | Paleontology is much more than fossils, yes. But, as Plotnick and his colleagues argue above, dinosaurs in pop culture have done a lot to bring attention to this crucial area of science. Speaking of which, have you read our latest article on the biggest dinosaurs ever to roam Earth? They're remarkable. | Thanks for reading Today in Science! I love hearing from you, so reach out anytime: newsletters@sciam.com. Same time tomorrow! | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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