April 1, 2024: Strange metals with confusing electronic behavior, a gene that turns white blood cells into cancer cell killers, and the Great Smoky Mountains are under threat. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | Scientists have discovered a new class of materials called "strange metals," which are characterized by confusing electronic behavior. The class includes a dozen or more materials, such as some copper oxide or iron-based superconductors and twisted bilayer graphene under certain conditions.
How it works: Regular metals are held together by chemical bonds between their atoms. The atoms share negatively charged electrons, and in some cases, the outermost electrons move from one atom to the next, carrying their negative charge with them. But in strange metals, electrons seem to lose their individual identities, acting more like a soup in which all the particles are connected through quantum entanglement.
What the experts say: "Understanding these metals may help us develop superconductors that might operate at or close to room temperature, potentially transforming power grids, quantum computing and medical devices," writes Douglas Natelson, professor of physics at Rice University, in the April issue of Scientific American. | | | Scientists have discovered a gene that might turn white blood cells into cancer cell eating machines. When researchers activated a gene called RAC in human macrophages (white blood cells that naturally engulf harmful substances) in the laboratory, the macrophages turned ravenous for human cancer cells.
Why this matters: A new cancer treatment in early-stage human trials reprograms macrophages to go after cancer calls, but the lead researchers were noticing the macrophages only "nibbling" away at the cancer cells. Activating the RAC gene in the macrophages might supercharge the cells' "cannibalism" on cancer cells. Researchers hope this kind of therapy, called CAR-M, will be able to target solid tumors, such as breast or lung cancers.
What the experts say: "This is certainly a really exciting translation between an observation of basic biology and applying it to how you could engineer a mammalian immune cell," says Nathan Singh, an oncologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. | | | Macrophage (green) consuming cancer cells. Credit: From "Hyperactive Rac Stimulates Cannibalism of Living Target Cells and Enhances CAR-M-Mediated Cancer Cell Killing," by Abhinava K. Mishra et al., in Cell Biology; December, 2023. | | | • America's most-visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is under threat from warming temperatures. | 4 min read | | | • When a long-term memory forms, DNA inside brain cells snaps. Repair mechanisms kick in and cement the memory, a new study in mice found. | 3 min read | | | • Animal behaviorists are finally gathering robust data on how animals respond to a total solar eclipse. | 4 min read | | | • To help determine whether your toddler is on track with their speech development, keep four benchmarks in mind: hearing, listening, telling and understanding, writes Yolanda F. Holt, an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders at East Carolina University. If a child is more than three months behind in one or more of these areas, they may benefit from speech therapy. Parents are in the best position to help their kids achieve successful reading and talking, she says. "Creating a language-rich environment by talking with, reading with and listening to your child is one of the best ways to do that." | 5 min read | | | We are ONE week away from Eclipse Day, April 8. Do you have viewing plans? I'll be gathering some of our best eclipse content for Friday's newsletter to get everyone ready for this once-in-a-generation event. | Thank you for being part of our circle of science-curious readers! Email me anytime: newsletters@sciam.com. See you tomorrow. | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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