Archaea are one of the three domains of life, alongside Bacteria and Eukaryotes 🔬🧪 They’re single-celled microbes with bacterial-like simplicity but molecular machinery closer to ours. And they do some truly strange things, like bending one of biology’s core rules: how DNA is read into proteins.

How do tattoos work? 💪🖌️ Pigment is injected into the dermis (beneath the epidermis). Then: • Phagocytes engulf pigment, helping its retention • Granulation tissue forms, which later matures into connective tissue This leaves the pigment stably trapped in the upper dermis. #SciComm 🧪

Are humans really monogamous? 👥❣️ Genetic data from >100 human societies and 34 other mammal species suggests so. They did that by looking at how many siblings shared both parents: 66% in our case, just below Eurasian beavers. BUT it varies wildly: om 26% to 100%. 🔗🧪 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

What are those white accumulations in hair? 💆 Those white or yellowish particles that sometimes appear in hair, often called dandruff, are caused by accelerated scalp skin renewal. Skin cells clump instead of shedding invisibly. It’s biological, not related to poor hygiene. #SciComm 🧪

When infection boosts performance 🐸🦠 In the alpine frog Litoria v. alpina, sublethal infection with the fungus Bd led to a 23% increase in jumping distance. This boost could help frogs find mates before death, while also helping the fungus spread further. 🔗🧪 doi.org/10.1111/acv....

Why do our eyes feel dry in the cold? ❄️👁️ Cold air holds little moisture, so the tear film evaporates faster. Corneal nerves sense the temperature drop and trigger reflex tears, but these lack the oily layer from Meibomian glands, leaving the surface exposed and dryness persists. #SciComm 🧪

Why do most mammals have thick fur 🐒, while humans are nearly hairless except in select spots🧔? Our sweating-based cooling demanded less fur, but we kept dense hair in areas that guard sensitive skin and boost chemical communication. #SciComm 🧪

www.neuronhub.org/Is-your-brai... Fascinating long interview with Silvia Bunge on higher brain functions by Juan Garcia-Ruiz @juangarciaruiz.bsky.social. "What you do repeatedly is going to influence your outcomes. You shouldn’t be afraid to try new things."

🧪 Why are omega-3 and omega-6 essential? They’re fats our body can’t make but needs for brain, heart, and cells. Omega-3 has its first double bond at the 3rd carbon, omega-6 at the 6th. Plants give short omega-3 (ALA), fish and algae give long, active ones (EPA, DHA).

Can acquired traits be inherited? I discussed this fascinating question with @odedrechavi.bsky.social, a brilliant researcher and the mind behind some legendary Academia memes. Enjoy the reading: 🧪🔗 www.neuronhub.org/Like-father-...

Meet CALF-20, a super-sponge with vast internal caverns that store gases like CO₂, trap toxins, and carry therapeutic compounds. One gram has an internal area of 7839 m²! Its discovery won Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson & Omar Yaghi the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. 🔗🧪 doi.org/10.1038/d415...

Is your brain in your hands? 🧠 I interviewed Silvia Bunge, a renowned researcher at UC Berkeley, about how cognition can be shaped by individual differences and socioeconomic status. 🔗🧪 www.neuronhub.org/Is-your-brai... I hope you enjoy the read!

When you boil water, bubbles first form at tiny imperfections on the pot’s surface. These spots trap air pockets that lower the energy needed for vapor to form. This triggers boiling, helping bubbles appear fast instead of waiting for rare, random events inside pure water. 1/3 🧪

The platypus’s bill has 40000 electroreceptors and 60000 mechanoreceptors. It senses tiny electric fields and water movements from prey. Sweeping its bill side to side, the platypus finds hidden food underwater, hunting well even in the dark or cloudy water. ⚡🌊 #SciComm 🧪

Why panda’s thumbs are not thumbs? 🐼👍 It’s actually a wrist bone, not a true digit: a nice example of evolutionary tinkering (nature repurposing parts for new jobs). It evolved for gripping bamboo, and both giant and red pandas did this independently (convergent evolution). #SciComm 🧪

biological age ≠ years lived 🧬⌚ It’s measured with biomarkers like organ function, blood pressure, inflammation & DNA/epigenetic marks. Stress, pollution or disease can make you older than your chronological age, while healthy lifestyles may slow ageing. #SciComm 🧪

Can heatwaves make you age faster? 🌡️🧪 A 15-year study of 24922 people in Taiwan found long-term extreme-heat exposure accelerated biological ageing, comparable to smoking or drinking. Vulnerable groups like rural workers are hit hardest. 🔗 doi-org.proxy.insermbiblio.inist.fr/10.1038/d415...

breaking news: ant-i normal reproduction! 🐜 The species Messor ibericus seems to produce both its own offspring and those of Messor structor (from another species). With no fathers detected, hybrid workers still appear. Where’s the species line? 🔗🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Some birds like swallows and marine mammals such as dolphins and seals can sleep with half their brain awake. 😴 This lets them fly or breathe while resting. They switch sides to rest both hemispheres equally, staying alert but well-rested. The awake brain half controls the open eye. 🧪

Do fish sleep? 🐟 Yes, but without eyelids to close. They enter restful states with reduced movement, slower metabolism, and altered brain activity (similar to slow-wave and REM phases). Sleep duration varies, often 3-6 hours, usually at night if diurnal. 🧪

Do all living things have a brain? 🧠 Not all. Some animals lack nervous systems (like sponges), while others (like jellyfish) have simple ones with no brain. Brains evolved over 500M years for coordination and complex behaviors. Vertebrates & cephalopods evolved brains independently. 🧪

some animals disappear in plain sight, but how? 🐾 This ability called cryptic coloration is a natural trick that helps animals blend into their environment by matching colors, patterns, or textures. They do that to avoid predators (or to catch prey without being seen). 1/4 🧪

Why does drinking alcohol make you dehydrated? 🍸💧 Alcohol suppresses vasopressin, a hormone that helps kidneys reabsorb water via aquaporins, so you lose more fluid as urine, causing that familiar dehydrated feeling 🧪

I’m sure you’ve had moments mixing up faces or not recognizing someone you know 😶‍🌫️ Well, for about 2% of people this isn’t just forgetfulness: it’s prosopagnosia (face blindness). It can be present from birth or after brain damage to areas like the fusiform gyrus, linked to face recognition. 1/2 🧪

yesterday I went fishing from a boat, took biodramina* to avoid seasickness & got curious about how it works 🤢🎣 Its key ingredient is dimenhydrinate, which blocks H1 receptors in vestibular areas, calming balance & motion brain signals to reduce nausea *also marketed as gravol or dramamine 1/3 🧪

The brain tells the body we are thirsty (& not the other way around) 🧠🌊 Thirst is triggered by brain sensors (OVLT, SFO) exposed to blood. They don’t detect water, but rising salt as a proxy for dehydration. When salt gets too high, these sensors activate circuits that cause thirst. 1/2 🧪

Why do humans get sick eating raw food, but pigeons & street animals don’t? 🐦🐭 Our stomach evolved with cooking, which breaks down fibers and kills microbes, making digestion efficient & fueling big brains. Pigeons’ strong stomach acid and gut microbes protect them from raw, dirty food. #SciComm 🧪

the art of smell: what’s a good nose? 👃🌹 Biochemically, it’s about having thousands of different olfactory receptor genes: more receptor types = broader scent detection. Anatomically, animals with large nasal surfaces and huge olfactory bulbs excel at both sensitivity and discrimination. 1/3 🧪

ever wondered why we wake up with bags under the eyes after too little sleep? 😴 Poor rest causes fluid retention and blood vessels to dilate under the thin skin of our eyes, making swelling and dark circles visible. Sleep resets drainage and shrinks vessels, so bags disappear fast. #SciComm 🧪

Some molecules come in two forms that are not superimposable mirror images (like left and right hands). This is known as chirality. Life uses left-handed amino acids, and right-handed sugars & nucleotides. Enzymes only fit one “hand” so the wrong one might not work, or even be harmful. #SciComm 🧪

why do zebras have stripes? 🦓 The stripes are an evolutionary shield against biting flies. The contrasting patterns disrupt the flies' visual systems, creating an optical illusion that prevents them from making a proper landing, thus protecting zebras from bites and disease transmission. #SciComm🧪

How do insecticides kill bugs (and not us)? 🦟 Insecticides like organophosphates block an enzyme breaking down acetylcholine, a key insect brain neurotransmitter, causing fatal overstimulation. Humans are less affected, relying more on glutamate in our CNS and having different enzymes. #SciComm 🧪

Why do zebus have a huge hump?🤔 It's mainly a fat reserve for storing energy during times of plenty. By concentrating fat here, the rest of the body stays less insulated, helping the animal dissipate heat more effectively in hot climates, unlike animals that store fat all over. #SciComm 🧪

lab size matters 🥼🔬 Early career researchers in large groups are more likely to leave academia than those in smaller groups. However, those who remain in large groups tend to achieve greater academic success and are more likely to be among the most-cited. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

no more excuses: concentrated exercise works 💥🏃‍♂️ Weekend workouts may be as healthy as spreading them out. 150 minutes of activity in 1–2 days shows similar reductions in mortality risk as exercising regularly through the week. 🔗 www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/... #SciComm 🧪

no more excuses: concentrated exercise works 💥🏃‍♂️ Weekend workouts may be as healthy as spreading them out. 150 minutes of activity in 1–2 days shows similar reductions in mortality risk as exercising regularly through the week. 🔗 www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/... #SciComm 🧪

what causes accelerated hair graying? 👨‍🦳 Stress-induced hyperactivation of noradrenergic inputs to melanocyte stem cells (hair pigment makers) triggers rapid proliferation, differentiation & migration, depleting stem cell niches & halting pigment production. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415... #SciComm 🧪

what causes accelerated hair graying? 👨‍🦳 Stress-induced hyperactivation of noradrenergic inputs to melanocyte stem cells (hair pigment makers) triggers rapid proliferation, differentiation & migration, depleting stem cell niches & halting pigment production. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415... #SciComm 🧪

do you want to better understand induced pluripotent stem cells? Check out my interview to Anna Falk: www.neuronhub.org/Back-to-the-... #SciComm 🧪

hope in motion 🏃‍♂️ Men with paralysis show promising recovery after induced pluripotent stem cell treatment: one is learning to walk, another has regained movement in arms and legs 💪🦵 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

hope in motion 🏃‍♂️ Men with paralysis show promising recovery after induced pluripotent stem cell treatment: one is learning to walk, another has regained movement in arms and legs 💪🦵 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

First aid rodents 🚑🐭 When mice find an unconscious peer, they try to revive them with sniffing, grooming, and tongue pulling. This behavior depends on medial amygdala neurons and oxytocin-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. 🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #SciComm 🧪

First aid rodents 🚑🐭 When mice find an unconscious peer, they try to revive them with sniffing, grooming, and tongue pulling. This behavior depends on medial amygdala neurons and oxytocin-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. 🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #SciComm 🧪

lab size matters 🥼🔬 Early career researchers in large groups are more likely to leave academia than those in smaller groups. However, those who remain in large groups tend to achieve greater academic success and are more likely to be among the most-cited. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

a compulsive shopping epidemic 🛒🧠 Studies show rising rates of shopping addiction, with the dopamine reward system playing a key role. Despite its growing prevalence, it remains an unofficially recognized disorder, which hinders research and treatment efforts. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

a compulsive shopping epidemic 🛒🧠 Studies show rising rates of shopping addiction, with the dopamine reward system playing a key role. Despite its growing prevalence, it remains an unofficially recognized disorder, which hinders research and treatment efforts. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415... #SciComm 🧪

dog communication unleashed 👀🐶 Dogs blink more when watching other dogs blink, suggesting they might mimic it to bond. While they’re probably unaware and it may just signal relaxation, this hints that their ways of interacting could be richer than we think 🐾 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/scie... #SciComm 🧪

dog communication unleashed 👀🐶 Dogs blink more when watching other dogs blink, suggesting they might mimic it to bond. While they’re probably unaware and it may just signal relaxation, this hints that their ways of interacting could be richer than we think 🐾 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/scie... #SciComm 🧪

Rare astronomical event tonight 🪐 After sunset today, there will be a parade of the 7 planets in our solar system. Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be visible to the naked eye (no telescope needed). Don’t miss this chance, or you’ll have to wait until 2040 to see it again. 🧪

Do you have any good science podcast recommendations? 🧪🎙️ A little teaser on the content would be highly appreciated.