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September 9, 2025—The "gut virome," a sugar-consumption spike associated with warmer temperatures and a tragic tale of two baby pterosaurs, told in fossils.. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | An artist's impression of a tiny Pterodactylus hatchling struggling against a raging tropical storm, inspired by fossil discoveries. Rudolf Hima | | - About 150 million years ago storm winds snapped bones in the wings of two baby pterosaurs, sending them to tumbling to their deaths in a muddy lagoon, fossil evidence suggests. | 3 min read
- A childhood health report led by RFK, Jr., links poor diet, chemicals, inactivity and "overmedicalization" to worsening U.S. pediatric health. | 3 min read
- Ant queens of one species are sexual parasites that clone the ants of another species to create hybrid workers that do their bidding. | 3 min read
- The "gut virome," our microbiome's mysterious, protective viral population, is examined in a new study. | 2 min read
| | Warmer temperatures are associated with higher consumption of sugary beverages and frozen treats, raising concerns about long-term health effects, according to a new study covered by Scientific American editor Andrea Thompson. The trend shows up once temperatures exceed about 12 degrees Celsius (about 54 degrees Fahrenheit) and then slows above 30 degrees Celsius (about 86 degrees Fahrenheit). Overconsumption of sugary foods and beverages is linked to diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Sugary beverages such as sodas and fruit drinks seem to be the main source of the increase in consumption, with frozen treats accounting for a smaller portion.
Why this matters: The average recommended daily added sugar intake for a 2,000-calorie diet is less than 50 grams, according to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. For comparison, there are nearly 40 grams in a 12-ounce can of soda. Even lower added sugar intake levels are recommended by the American Heart Association—no more than 25 grams for women (or 100 calories) and no more than 36 grams for men (or 150 calories). What the experts say: The association was negligible or absent among people with the highest household incomes and with levels of education; it was substantial among very low-income, low-income, middle-income and high-income groups as well as among people with a college education, some college, a high school education, some high school or a grade school education. Factors involved could include access to safe drinking water, workplace conditions and awareness of the potential health effects of overconsuming added sugar. | | Spiders from the Uloboridae family (known as cribellate orb weavers) have a gruesome meal prep technique that has puzzled scientists. These spiders swath their prey in silk and then regurgitate fluids on the entire package. Now, a team of scientists has sequenced the genes of one species called Uloborus plumipes and found genes in the spider's digestive system that produce toxin-like proteins. When the team injected a tiny dose (230 nanograms—billionths of a gram) of these fluids into fruit flies in the lab, more than half of the flies died within an hour, suggesting that the spiders puke the toxic fluids to soak and disable prey prior to consumption. Why this is cool: Venom from fangs or glands plays a crucial role in the success of many spider species. These orb weaver spiders may have once had venom glands, the researchers think, but the uloborids evolved the venom-like vomit as an evolutionary safety strategy that could ensure prey immobilization when venom is inadequate. What the experts say: "If these compounds do have some special ability to subdue insects, then you might expect them to emerge in other groups of animals," says Alex Winsor, a neuroethologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. If that proves true, "then maybe these are a recurring answer in the animal kingdom." —Andrea Tamayo, newsletter writer | | | | |
- Most people are open to AI-generated art as long as the artist doesn't rely too heavily on it, according to a small online survey conducted by Scientific American editor Deni Ellis Béchard and Gabriel Kreiman of Harvard Medical School. The result suggests that people value art that allows them to feel a connection with other humans, the duo writes. | 6 min read
| | Can you unscramble this image? Reassemble the cover of our December 1919 issue, captioned "forming automobile parts with huge power-operated presses." To celebrate Scientific American's 180th anniversary, we're publishing a jigsaw every weekday to show off some of our most fascinating magazine covers over the years. Take a tour here through all the cover-art jigsaws. | | Well before the last frost of winter or spring, ice cream trucks start patrolling my neighborhood. So the link between warmer temperatures and consuming more frozen desserts, noted in the item above, is not that surprising to me. Possibly related: this "ice-cream signal" story, "Nutrition Science's Most Preposterous Result," from 2023. In the early 20th century, Scientific American warned of both lead and bacteria in ice cream. Our federal food safety system is stronger nowadays, although it recently has been cut back and weakened. | | We always like to hear from you, especially if it involves ice cream. Please send thoughts, queries and other feedback to us at: newsletters@sciam.com. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor
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