2025 1+2

Vanilla is vital to the livelihoods of farmers in Madagascar, where the globally popular dessert ingredient is the country's No. 1 export. A fun, thought-provoking game designed by a team of scientists ...

From Frankenstein to Breaking Bad and beyond

Mice have neurons that can be controlled to stop them eating - and people probably have them too

The yeast cannot metabolize sugars derived from peas, thus promoting the growth of essential bacteria.

We also have similar specialized neurons, but thankfully, ours prefer the texture of fresh food.

Nature - The anti-ageing effect was even greater when combined with vitamin D and exercise.

What if you could detect allergens even better, so that before you even put something in your mouth, you knew whether it was dangerous? And what if frogs could help you do it?

New research shows that different brain regions handle timing and location in distinct ways, offering fresh insights into how we track when and where things occur.

Nootkatone and limonene are valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but their biosynthetic production is hindered by volatility. This study employed machine learning to guide cyclodextrin (CD) selection for encapsulating these VOCs, with a focus on nootkatone capture during fermentation to prevent losses and potentially replace dodecane as an organic solvent extractant. A LightGBM model accurately predicted complexation free energies (ΔG) between CDs and guest molecules (R2 = 0.80 on a 10% test set, with a mean absolute error of 1.31 kJ/mol and a root-mean-squared error of 1.90 kJ/mol). Experimental ranking of 7 CD types validated the model’s ΔG predictions and encapsulation performance rankings. Nootkatone showed high encapsulation efficiencies ranging from 21.29% (α-CD) to 88.41% (Me-β-CD), capturing 22.61–116.71 mg/g CD. Notably, Hp-γ-CD, which is the least studied or used CD in research, performed well with nootkatone (63.64%, 84.01 mg/g CD) despite model discrepancies. For limonene, encapsulation efficiencies spanned from 0.62% (Hp-γ-CD) to 55.45% (β-CD), with 0.61–84.28 mg/g CD encapsulated. Constructed engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains produced nootkatone (up to 97.30 mg/L captured by 10 mM Me-β-CD) from de novo fermentation using glucose as a carbon source. This approach demonstrated the potential of CDs to replace dodecane as an organic solvent for terpene extraction during fermentation. The study highlights machine learning’s potential for guiding CD selection to enhance volatile terpene biosynthesis, capture, and utilization during fermentation, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional organic solvent-based extraction methods.

Nine in ten traditional orchards in England have been lost since the second world war. Farmers and cider makers are now fighting for their survival

Two new species of truffle have been discovered in North America. But how do they taste and what opportunities do they create for the food industry?

Discover the potential of lycopene in alleviating depression. Learn how the compound found in tomatoes improves brain cell communication in mice.

Yerba mate, along with tea and coffee, is one of the world's most popular caffeinated beverages. Widely consumed in South America, this remarkable plant is rich in diverse, bioactive compounds that contribute ...

Lavender oil could help solve a problem in the energy transition. A team from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces has created a material from linalool, the main component of lavend ...

With a fresh fizz and hoppy scent, a cold beer touches all of our senses. But as our climate changes, the flavour profile of one of the world's most popular drinks might too.

The first artificial genome of its kind.

There are some surprising impacts of cutting out meat, even for a short period, which can carry on well beyond the end of abstinence.

Abstract. Humans possess a remarkable ability to discriminate a wide range of odors with high precision. This process begins with olfactory receptors (ORs)

Recent results show that large language models struggle with compositional tasks, suggesting a hard limit to their abilities.

Steviol glycosides (SGs) are highly valued for their sweetness, safety, and zero calories, but their bitter taste and low solubility limit their application. Modifying glycosyl units is a promising strategy to improve sensory qualities. In this study, we identified the enzyme UGT94E13 through phylogenetic analysis and enzyme screening, which catalyzes the glycosylation of rebaudioside M2 (Reb M2) at the C-13 position, producing the novel β-1,6-O-glycosylated product rebaudioside M9 (Reb M9). Subsequently, the catalytic activity of UGT94E13 toward Reb M2 was enhanced 12.0-fold through a structure-guided enzyme engineering strategy, and the mechanism behind this enhancement was analyzed. Finally, an enzymatic cascade system comprising the optimal mutant UGT94E13-F169A/I185A and sucrose synthase AtSuSy was constructed and optimized, achieving efficient synthesis of Reb M9 with a yield of 98.3% and a titer of 42.8 g·L–1. Overall, this study provides an effective method for enhancing glycosylation of SGs and a reference for the glycosylation modification of natural products.

A microalga rich in nutrients could be cultivated sustainably with minimal environmental footprint to help build food security and combat climate change.

Kaboom! The first time most of us hear the sound of an explosion is in the movies. Encountering the sound in the real world—even at a distance—has a profoundly different effect. Why? It’s all about context. How we react to sounds and other sensory stimuli depends on how they’re presented. We often don’t know how...

It's eye-opening to see how things were done differently in the past. Tiny reusable metal shopping lists certainly show how our grocery habits have evolved.

En 2011, l'équipe du chercheur japonais Matsunaga Masahiro a montré que respirer une odeur qui évoque un souvenir agréable améliore l'humeur et calme l'anxiété.

Uncover the ancient mystery of the squirting cucumber's explosive seed dispersal. Discover the plant's sophisticated fluid redistribution system.

Why does coffee taste more bitter to some people than it does to others? Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich have now come closer to answering ...

Is screen use really sapping our ability to focus and lowering our IQs? The scientists who have actually analysed the data give their verdict

Florida orange growers are bracing for yet another record-low harvest as climate challenges and diseased trees continue to cripple the once bustling industry.

Farts are funny and sometimes smelly. But are they a legitimate topic of research? More than 40% of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from some kind of functional gut disorder — from acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to inflammatory bowel disease. So, yes, freelance science writer Claire Ainsworth thinks so. Claire speaks with Emily about two teams of scientists studying intestinal gases, who she profiled in a recent New Scientist article — and why understanding people's gut microbiome through a fart-shaped window may help treat these conditions at the source. Read more of Claire's reporting for New Scientist.Have another bodily function you want us to explore or just want to report to us about a funny time you passed gas? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

A new study identifies human ancestor Australopithecus as a plant eater, narrowing when regular meat consumption increased and brains grew.