Plus why 'quantum proteins' could be next big thing in biology ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
March 9, 2025—Today we're covering "quantum proteins," a surprising koala genetics finding and the challenges facing the Pentagon in evicting Claude. —Robin Lloyd
Contributing Editor | | - Why fluorescent "quantum proteins" could be the next big thing in biology, offering unprecedented views inside cells. | 10 min read
- How exactly can the Pentagon evict Claude, one of the world's most advanced AI models, from its classified networks? Once people rely on a tool, it can be hard to let it go? | 3 min read
- A proposed $1.3-billion U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to enlarge the Cape Fear River in North Carolina threatens to unearth decades of "forever chemicals." | 11 min read
- RFK, Jr.'s overhauled autism advisory board has canceled its first public meeting. An independent, rival group of autism scientists now is set to meet the same day. | 2 min read
- Mental math shortcuts suggest future STEM performance—and gender is a significant predictor. | 2 min read
- Hoppers, the latest animated comedy from Disney and Pixar, is a delight. But is the mind-melding science in the movie possible? | 3 min read
- The age of animal experiments may be waning as advances in organ and computer models are raising the prospect that some such experiments could be eliminated. | 10 min read
| | More than 2,000 scientists and advocates showed up Saturday in Washington, D.C., for the second annual Stand Up for Science rally. Similar gatherings took place in more than 50 U.S. cities, reports Scientific American's Dan Vergano, a dramatic increase from the number of such protests last year. Congress recently has shown more resistance to dramatic science-funding cuts proposed by the Trump administration, but Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said that's only a "ray of sunshine, not that the sun has come out." Legislation exists requiring that science funding be spent as intended. However, the administration could ignore those laws, Van Hollen says.
What the experts say: Since the new Trump administration came into power in 2025, the National Science Foundation has lost 30 percent of its jobs, according to the American Institute of Physics. "The Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology shrank by 17% and 15% respectively, while NASA lost 12% of its staff. In comparison, the total federal civilian workforce has fallen about 10% since January 2025," AIP states.
What the experts say: "I expect we'll continue to see science as a focus and mobilizer of action," says sociologist Dana Fisher of American University, who studies and surveys protests.
| | A koala genetics study has turned up an unexpected result that suggests better days ahead for the endangered marsupials as well as for other species with dwindling numbers. Sudden declines in the size of any organism's population typically raise concerns among biologists. Such rapid drops reduce a species' genetic diversity, and that so-called genetic bottleneck can lead to inbreeding, deformities and extinction. But in certain koala populations, a bottleneck in the late 1800s actually was followed by an increase in an indicator of future genetic diversity and long-term evolutionary potential.
How it works: In some parts of Australia, koala populations have boomed, affording "many opportunities for mutations to occur and even for the limited genes retained during the bottleneck to group in different ways," writes Scientific American's Meghan Bartels.
Why this matters: "Recombination reshuffles the genetic variation. That's really important and something that's been really difficult to measure," says study co-author Collin Ahrens, an evolutionary biologist.
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- Mr. Smith drove at a steady clip along the highway, his wife beside him. "Have you noticed," he said, "that those annoying signs for Flatz beer seem to be regularly spaced along the road? I wonder how far apart they are." Mrs. Smith glanced at her wristwatch, then counted the number of Flatz beer signs they passed in one minute. "What an odd coincidence!" exclaimed Mr. Smith. "When you multiply that number by 10, it exactly equals the speed of our car in miles per hour." Assuming that the car's speed is constant, that the signs are equally spaced and that Mrs. Smith's minute began and ended with the car midway between two signs, how far is it between one sign and the next?
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Quicksand has long served as fine grist for comedy and cartoons. But the U.S. National Park Service recently warned visitors to be alert to the risk of quicksand in the 1.25 million-acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Center. Some recognition and buoyancy tips are included in this coverage. This hopeful story about efforts to restore the Grand Canyon ecosystem, downstream from Glen Canyon dam, includes a map of the region. Happy trails and tread carefully. | | —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor
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