Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Exposure to the organochlorine pesticide cis-chlordane induces ALS-like mitochondrial perturbations in stem cell-derived motor neurons

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 15h

A new study in @plosone.org shows exposure to the banned pesticide cis-chlordane causes ALS-like mitochondrial dysfunction in human stem cell–derived motor neurons, with increased ROS, decreased oxygen consumption and ATP, and loss of membrane potential.

doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating and incurable neurodegenerative disease with unsolved etiology. Due to the large proportion of patients lacking direct disease inheritance, unders...

A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

ManyBirds Project @themanybirds.bsky.social · 1d

🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social

Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...

Microplastic contaminants potentially distort our understanding of the ocean’s carbon cycle

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Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Ruth Francis @roobina.bsky.social · 2d

A new space to consider the various directions that scholarly comms, research practices and academic publishing are traveling, by me, @sarahgreaves18.bsky.social @jontreadway.bsky.social & @grnr25.bsky.social
Welcome post below, first proper post tomorrow... Enjoy 😊

Scholarly Futures @scholarlyfutures.bsky.social · 2d

Our first post is live! In our daily lives it can be hard to find time to stop and discuss the vast changes occurring in scholarly communication, research practices and academic publishing. We wanted to make time and engage our community to gain insights. Join us! 👇
open.substack.com/pub/scholarl...

A hand holding a crystal ball reflecting inverted trees with blossoms

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 1d

A new study in @plosone.org demonstrates microplastic contamination, either naturally-occurring in field samples or introduced while sampling and processing, can potentially bias elemental and radiocarbon analyses of environmental organic matter.

Direct observations confirm that admixtures of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) and microplastics (MPs) are fully oxidized during Elemental analysis (EA), with measured carbon yields, % carbon [%C],…

Conformation of HLA-E/peptide complex guides interaction with two novel HLA-E receptors: Stabilin 1 and 2

Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 1d

A new study in @plosone.org shows that the conformation of HLA-E/peptide complexes discriminates binding by two novel receptors, Stabilin-1 and Stabilin-2. These interactions appear to promote clearance of HLA-E-coated material by phagocytosis.

Human leukocyte antigen E (HLA-E) communicates cellular health to natural killer (NK) cells through presentation of peptides derived from the leader sequence of classical major histocompatibility…

Global scaling of urban air quality

Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 1d

A new study in @plosone.org finds NO₂ levels scale approximately linearly with city population globally, but some regions show strong super- and sublinear scaling, suggesting the effect of national policies for cleaner air in cities.

journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Air pollution is a severe threat to urban residents worldwide. Growing cities and an increasing number of urban dwellers make urban air quality an important issue for the majority of the world’s popul...

Editorial Spotlight: Luísa Borges - EveryONE

Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 1d

The latest @plosone.org Editorial Spotlight focuses on our Academic Editor Luísa Borges, who discusses her research in marine biology, the importance of Open Science in her field, and her approach to facilitating fair and thorough peer review processes.

everyone.plos.org/2025/10/13/e...

This interview and blog post was prepared by Editorial Research Associate Marcus Pawson. Dr. Luísa Borges is a Marine Biologist and the…

everyone.plos.org

Interactive effects of developmental and adult nutrition on lifespan and fecundity in a genetically diverse Drosophila population

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 2d

#WestSyndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. This study provides a longitudinal picture of glial activation, synaptic remodeling & #LipidMetabolism in a mouse model of West syndrome, uncovering cellular & molecular mechanisms linked to #seizure evolution @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/48tgUkv

3D reconstructions of local synaptic connectivity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons obtained by volume electron microscopy. Dendritic segments (gray) are shown either alone or with their innervating axons in a wild-type mouse (left) and in a Cyfip2+/R87C knock-in mouse model of West syndrome (right). Yellow puncta indicate postsynaptic densities. Compared with wild-type neurons, knock-in neurons exhibit markedly reduced dendritic spines, with excitatory synapses forming directly on dendritic shafts and showing dense clustering of presynaptic axon terminals. Scale bar, 1 µm. Image credit: Kea Joo Lee and Gyu Hyun Kim.

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 2d

A new study in @plosone.org reports that larval and adult nutritional regimes interact to shape lifespan and fecundity in a genetically diverse Drosophila population, highlighting stage-specific nutritional trade-offs.

Developmental conditions, including temperature, diet, and parasite exposure, can shape adult fitness phenotypes across species. While studies often examine the independent effects of early-life and…

Exploring the potential of nest archives for establishing long-term trends in local populations of an Arctic-nesting colonial sea duck

Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 2d

A new study in @plosone.org shows historical nest material archives can reconstruct multi-decadal trends in Arctic-nesting sea duck populations and local environmental change, offering insights that could potentially guide conservation decisions.

Tracking changes in seabird populations from remote Arctic regions using traditional monitoring techniques is financially and logistically challenging, leading to limited information on historical…

Sustainable memristors from shiitake mycelium for high-frequency bioelectronics

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 2d

A new study in @plosone.org develops bio-based memristors using shiitake mycelium, demonstrating functional high-frequency electronic properties and a sustainable route for bioelectronic components. doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the structure of the brain, offers advantages in parallel processing, memory storage, and energy efficiency. However, current semiconductor-based neuromorphic chips...

Journals and publishers crack down on research from open health data sets

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Science Magazine @science.org · 5d

Two major publishers have begun to automatically reject the vast majority of papers based on public health data sets, following revelations that unscrupulous actors use these data sets to churn out nonsense scientific papers. https://scim.ag/4mX3DnR

PLOS, Frontiers, and others announce policies trying to stem the tide of suspect research

scim.ag

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Reposted by Patrick Goymer

PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 5d

Supplementary info of scientific articles enhances #transparency, #reproducibility & scientific impact. This study presents #FAIR-SMART, a tool that enables #FAIR computational access to these materials at scale, improving findability, interoperability & reuse @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3KBYLHs

Left: Correlation between the sizes of supplementary materials (SM) and main texts. Right: Distribution of SM data size per article across different journal fields, highlighting the variation in SM data usage among research areas.

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 5d

A new study in @plosone.org reconstructs Centropomus phylogeny and biogeography, revealing four species groups, multiple cryptic lineages, a Miocene origin with most diversification in the Pliocene–Pleistocene, and a major role for the Isthmus of Panama and habitat shifts.

Evolutionary history of the snooks: Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification of the genus Centropomus

The snooks (Centropomus spp.) are a group of 13 morphologically similar fish species that are widely distributed off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the Americas. This study used a multilocus…

400,000-Year-Old Fossil Shows Butchering Elephants Helped Early Humans To Supersize Their Tools

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

IFLScience @iflscience.com · 6d

400,000-Year-Old Fossil Shows Butchering Elephants Helped Early Humans To Supersize Their Tools

www.iflscience.com/400000-year-...

It’s astonishing how tiny most of the stones used to cut up this elephant were.

www.iflscience.com

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 5d

A new study in @plosone.org documents anatomical changes and between-individual variability across reproductive phases in the tract and pouch of female common opossums (Didelphis marsupialis), providing baseline morphological data for marsupial reproductive biology.

Reproductive tract and pouch anatomical variability across the reproductive phases in female common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis Linnaeus, 1758)

Colombia’s diverse ecosystems are home to various marsupial species known for its distinctive reproductive traits. Limited research has explored the reproductive anatomy of Didelphis marsupialis,…

Changing tides ushered in the world’s first civilization

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Nature @nature.com.web.brid.gy · Sep 5

Nature, Published online: 04 September 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02837-8 Construction of tidal irrigation systems helped to drive the formation of city states some 5,000 years ago.

www.nature.com

Even dinosaurs weren’t safe from this giant croc-like predator

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Nature @nature.com.web.brid.gy · Aug 28

Nature, Published online: 28 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02727-z The creature might have been more than 3.5 meters long, with powerful jaws and serrated, flesh-cutting teeth.

www.nature.com

Interspecific variation in gut microbiome diversity across the Etosha National Park herbivore community

Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 5d

A new study in @plosone.org compares gut microbiome diversity across herbivores in Etosha National Park and identifies species-specific microbiome patterns linked to diet and ecology, potentially allowing wildlife managers to track microbial shifts in host species over time.

doi.org/10.1371/jour...

The community of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, known as the gut microbiome (GMB), plays a critical role in host ecology and evolution. GMB variation is modulated by both host phys...

Homepage - 2026 Population, Evolutionary, and Quantitative Genetics Conference

Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · 6d

PEQG website live! genetics-gsa.org/peqg-2026/

Visit our website to learn more.

genetics-gsa.org

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Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Society for the Study of Evolution @sse-evolution.bsky.social · 8d

Nominations are now open for the Dobzhansky Prize, which recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding early-career evolutionary biologist. The award includes $5000 and an award talk at the in-person Evolution meeting. Deadline: December 1
shorturl.at/p70wY

Text: Society for the Study of Evolution Dobzhansky Prize to recognize the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding early-career evolutionary biologist. Nominations due December 1, 2025.

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Reposted by Patrick Goymer

Science Magazine @science.org · 6d

In an analysis of 1.2 million news stories about scholarly research, men-led papers were found to receive more attention overall and were heavily overrepresented in the top 5% of most covered studies. https://scim.ag/4o7l5a5

When women researchers publish, media attention doesn’t always follow

Men-led papers receive more media coverage than women’s, new study finds

scim.ag

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Patrick Goymer @patrickgoymer.bsky.social · 6d

A new study in @plosone.org investigates how Ib-M antimicrobial peptides disrupt E. coli membranes using fluorescence assays and microscopy. The work clarifies peptide-lipid interactions that underlie bacterial killing and informs new antimicrobial peptide design.

journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Structural and functional analysis of Escherichia coli membrane disruption by Ib-M peptides

Antimicrobial resistance represents a critical global public health challenge, leading to increased mortality and morbidity due to the ineffectiveness of current antibiotics against bacterial infectio...