This week in toast, AI brain twins, aliens might exist and rain can power your lightbulbs. Plus, we'll explore how Japan's decade-long investment in stem cells might finally be paying off, assuming they haven't blown their entire GDP on what amounts to a very expensive petri dish.

Scientists analysing planet K2-18b have potentially detected the first sign of life on an exoplanet. This sub-Neptune orbiting a red dwarf star 120 light years away has a radius 2.6 times Earth's and 8.6 times its mass. It's not quite a duplicate of our home world (which remains frustratingly elusive in our catalogue of 5,000+ exoplanets), but it might be harbouring something rather special; quite possibly aliens who are equally frustrated trying to find Earth-like planets from their end.

🧐 What's in it for me? Finding biosignatures would add a crucial second data point to our "is there life elsewhere?" calculation. Currently, with Earth as our only example, we can't determine if life is exceedingly rare or boringly common. K2-18b represents our first potential evidence that biological processes might be occurring beyond our solar system. The planet's surface gravity is only about a third more than Earth’s which means we could theoretically land there and for those that aren’t sold on a one way trip, take off again too.

💵 Out of the Lab: The exoplanet detection industry continues to gain momentum with both governmental and private players. Companies like SETI Institute are expanding their search for extraterrestrial intelligence, while Breakthrough Listen has committed $100 million to the most comprehensive search for alien communications ever undertaken. Meanwhile, various startups are developing technology to detect smaller, more Earth-like worlds that current methods might miss. The real commercial applications, however, remain about 120 light years away, which might explain why venture capitalists aren't quite queuing up with their checkbooks just yet.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have created a system that generates electricity from falling water droplets. Their simple setup harvests power from rain-like droplets travelling down a vertical tube, with four tubes together providing enough power for 12 LED lights for 20 seconds. British readers will be pleased to know they're sitting on untapped energy reserves roughly equivalent to several nuclear power stations.

🧐 What's in it for me? This could finally bring meaning to those rainy days. Unlike conventional hydroelectric power which requires massive infrastructure, this system relies purely on gravity rather than energy-hungry pumps, making it potentially suitable for roof-based electricity harvesting systems. The researchers proudly note this is the first time we can harvest energy from "rain or other natural sources such as rivers or waterfalls" in this particular way, though one suspects rivers and waterfalls might have been generating electricity in other ways for some time now. Next up: scientists discover coal is flammable. 

💵 Out of the Lab: Energy harvesting startups like Rainergy are already working on similar concepts, developing systems to capture energy from rainfall. Companies such as Pavegen have demonstrated how previously untapped energy sources (like footsteps) can be harnessed for electricity generation. The market for alternative energy harvesting is expected to grow significantly as communities seek diverse, localised power solutions. Just don't expect to power your kettle during a light drizzle quite yet, unless you're willing to wait approximately three winters for that cup of tea.

The NHS has approved 11 robotic surgical systems that could transform treatment for thousands across England. The technology includes five systems for soft tissue surgeries and six for orthopaedic procedures like knee and hip replacements. These machines, which cost between £500,000 and £1.5 million each, allow surgeons to perform operations using mechanical arms controlled from a console or handheld devices with enhanced 3D visualisation. 

🧐 What's in it for me? If you're facing surgery, these robots could mean shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, and fewer complications. They might also make previously complex procedures accessible to people who weren't candidates for minimally invasive approaches. The precision movements and 3D visualisation capabilities overcome key limitations of conventional surgery techniques. There's also been explosive growth in their use for certain conditions, with orthopaedic robot-assisted surgeries jumping from 300 in 2018 to 4,000 last year. Perhaps most importantly, robots don't get tired, hungry, or need to nip out for a loo break right in the middle of your appendectomy.

💵 Out of the Lab: The surgical robotics market is dominated by companies like Intuitive Surgical, creators of the da Vinci system, but competition is intensifying. CMR Surgical with its Versius system has been gaining market share in the UK and Europe. Stryker leads in orthopaedic robotic solutions, while Medtronic continues to expand its robotic surgery portfolio. As the technology matures and training becomes more standardised, expect wider adoption and potentially lower costs.

Stanford Medicine researchers have created an AI "digital twin" of the mouse visual cortex that can predict the responses of tens of thousands of neurons to new images and videos. Unlike previous models, this foundation model can generalise beyond its training data, simulating brain activity in response to a wide range of visual inputs and even estimate anatomical features of individual neurons. 

🧐 What's in it for me? These digital twins could accelerate brain research exponentially. Experiments that would take years with real mice could be completed in hours, and millions of simulations could run simultaneously. The researchers trained their model using brain activity recorded from mice watching action movies (no prizes for guessing the sex of the scientists). This approach has already yielded new insights about how neuro choose which other neurons to connect with, revealing they prefer to link based on shared responses to stimuli rather than physical proximity. 

💵 Out of the Lab: Companies like Numenta are working on brain-inspired computing systems that could benefit from these modeling approaches. Kernel is developing advanced neural interfaces that could eventually allow for human brain "digital twins." Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies like Roche and Pfizer could utilize such models to test neurological drug effects, potentially reducing animal testing and accelerating development timelines. The ultimate goal would be personalised brain models to help treat conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurological disorders, though that capability remains speculative for now.

University of California, Davis researchers have developed JRT, a modified version of LSD that maintains therapeutic properties while reducing hallucinogenic effects. By simply "flipping" the position of two atoms in LSD's molecular structure they created a compound that promotes neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change and adapt by forming new connections and reorganising its structure in response to experiences and learning) without triggering powerful hallucinations. It's like getting the nutritional benefits of broccoli but having it taste like chocolate. 

🧐 What's in it for me? JRT shows promise for treating conditions where traditional psychedelics can’t be used, particularly schizophrenia. Current schizophrenia treatments do little to address negative symptoms like anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure) or cognitive dysfunction. JRT improved these symptoms in mice without exacerbating psychosis-related behaviors. The compound could potentially help repair damaged neuronal connections common in various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.

💵 Out of the Lab: The neuroplasticity-promoting drug landscape has seen significant investment in recent years. Previously discussed companies like COMPASS Pathways and Atai Life Sciences are exploring psychedelic-inspired compounds for mental health treatment and Delix Therapeutics is specifically developing non-hallucinogenic neuroplasticity-promoting drugs. As research continues, expect a wave of novel therapies targeting conditions from depression to dementia through these mechanisms. The psychedelic medicine market is projected to reach $8.3 billion by 2028, with non-hallucinogenic variants potentially claiming a significant segment. 

Japan's massive investment in stem cell technology appears to be paying off. Recent clinical trials using iPS cells to treat Parkinson's disease have shown promising results, with four of seven participants experiencing noticeable symptom improvements two years after treatment. 

It’s a little complicated, so let's break it down:

One participant went from requiring assistance to living independently and not taking medications. Japanese officials are reportedly relieved that the ¥110 billion bet (about £760 million) might actually deliver something quite extraordinary.

🧐 What's in it for me? Japan's fast-track approval process for regenerative medicine could make it the first country to approve iPS cell-based treatments, possibly within a year for Parkinson's disease. This could transform treatment for previously incurable conditions. Japanese researchers are developing iPS cells into retinal tissue, cardiac muscle, and neurons to treat blindness, heart disease, and neurodegeneration. With nearly one-third of the world's 60+ iPS cell clinical trials taking place in Japan, the country has positioned itself at the forefront of regenerative medicine.

💵 Out of the Lab: Companies are building manufacturing capacity in anticipation of high demand. Sumitomo Pharma completed the world's first donor-derived iPS cell manufacturing facility in Osaka in 2018. Vision Care, led by pioneering ophthalmologist Masayo Takahashi, continues developing eye treatments using iPS cells. International biopharmaceutical companies are also partnering with Japanese researchers and institutions to accelerate development. With the global regenerative medicine market projected to reach £172 billion by 2030, Japan's early investment could yield significant economic returns alongside medical breakthroughs. 

A Mysterious Giant Finally Shows Its Tentacles 🦑

The colossal squid, the planet's largest invertebrate, has finally been filmed alive in its natural habitat. The catch? It was a baby, so more or less normal squid sized… A remotely controlled deep-sea camera from the Schmidt Ocean Institute captured the 30cm juvenile pottering along near the South Sandwich Islands in the Southern Ocean.

Until now, our understanding of these elusive creatures came primarily from dead specimens found in whale stomachs or accidentally caught in fishing nets. Adult colossal squids can grow up to 7 metres in length and weigh 500 kgs, but none had been filmed alive in the wild.

Scientist Steve O'Shea, who coined the name "colossal squid", once described them as "seriously evil denizens of the deep" but he now believes they're more like "giant gelatinous ticks." Which, let’s face, isn’t much less insulting.

If you’re interested in seeing a real life adult giant squid, head on down to the vaults at London’s Natural History Museum, you won’t be disappointed. 

Until next time, stay curious.

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