A free, daily newsletter for anyone who loves science, inspiration and awe ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
May 15, 2025—We're covering geologic activity at Venus, why some cats have orange fur and the benefits of nostalgia. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | - Newborn pilot whales are swimming among pods of orcas for reasons that have scientists puzzled. | 4 min read
- A new Google AI chatbot, called DeepMind, can discover solutions to major problems in mathematics and computer science. | 3 min read
- NASA's nearly complete yet canceled lunar rover VIPER isn't going to be launched and operated by a private aerospace company—but the mission is not quite dead yet. | 4 min
- Websites on climate-smart farming, forest conservation and rural clean-energy projects will be restored by the USDA, reversing their removal in late January. | 2 min read
| | Chris Winsor/Getty Images | | A mutation on the X chromosome, rather than a single gene, appears to be responsible for the mystifying fur color of orange cats, reports Scientific American news intern Gayoung Lee. The mutation increases the activity of the arhgap36 gene, nudging melanin-producing cells to produce that eye-catching pumpkin-colored fur, two new studies conclude. The newly discovered genetic pathway for orange fur among cats is unlike the pathway for orange fur in other mammals, other than one niche hamster species, Lee says. How they did it: One research team sequenced the whole genomes of cats with a variety of coat colors to hone in on possible X chromosome mutations. Another team compared the DNA sequences of orange and nonorange cats. Both teams found the mutation—a tiny deletion on the X-chromosome—located near but not on the arhgap36 gene.
What the experts say: "Everything you need to know about genetics, you can learn from your cat," says veterinary scientist Leslie Lyons. | | Strange trench formations on Venus indicate that our closest planetary neighbor is geologically active, a new study concludes. Anna Gülcher and her colleagues identified activity at 52 volcanic sites, called coronae, among a total of 75 examined in maps derived from Magellan space probe observations, collected 30 years ago. There's no evidence of global plates, as on Earth, but the trenches, found around many of the active coronae, point to old crust sinking and melting into the planet's hot rocky mantle, akin to subduction on our planet. Why this is cool: Many planetary scientists had thought that Venus was essentially inert, but earlier simulations by Gülcher nudged her to look for activity near the coronae. Then in 2023, evidence of a volcanic eruption in Magellan data inspired Gülcher and colleagues to compare their simulations with gravity data collected by Magellan. The analysis revealed hot, light material under coronae, suggesting "that rock is actively rising up from the mantle below," reports science writer Elise Cutts. What the experts say: The correspondence between the simulated and real data was so close for some coronae that "we could hardly believe our eyes," says study co-author Gael Cascioli. | | | | |
SPONSORED CONTENT BY CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES (CCHCS) | | Join CCHCS as a Psychologist and uncover new ways to create meaningful change and find deeper fulfillment in every moment of your work. | | | | |
Mtamu Kililo's company, MycoTile, produces building materials in Kenya that are made out of agricultural waste bonded with the fungal filaments that form the "roots" of oyster mushrooms. "MycoTile's insulation panels have been installed in a few projects," he says. "When we can produce a brick to build external walls and partitions, it will be a huge step towards affordable housing. In my view, the most important thing to communicate is that this is a practical solution to problems that people are facing day-to-day." (Nature | 3 min read) | | When I lead workshops on how to write news stories about science, early-career participants routinely suggest we analyze write-ups of cat studies. I welcome such requests. Thoughts of the comical behavior of cats, even if the study isn't focused on behavior, make the medicine go down. And today I read, as above, that you can learn all you need to know about genetics from your cat. If only Mr. Sands had known that.
| | We love to hear from you. Please send your comments, questions or any other feedback to: newsletters@sciam.com. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | | | |
Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters here. | | | | |
