Welcome to this week’s issue of toast, where we're serving up some good news!

According to new research, regularly reading science content (like this newsletter…) can help maintain your cognitive abilities well into old age. Studies show that frequently exercising literacy and numeracy skills prevents the typical decline that begins in your forties. A welcome break from previous depressing studies suggesting cognitive decline begins at 30.

Despite having many more cells than humans (and thus many more opportunities for cellular rebellion), elephants rarely develop tumours. Scientists have discovered they posses extra copies of a tumour suppressor gene called p53, along with approximately 500 other genes that help elephant cells perform the cellular equivalent of seppuku when things go wrong—choosing a "clean" cell death over letting damaged cells linger.

🧐 What's in it for me? If we can mimic these natural cancer-fighting strategies, the door opens for therapies that catch and eliminate problematic cells before they throw tumour parties in your body. Increasingly, it appears as though that “if” is becoming a “when”. 

💵 Out of the Lab: Peel Therapeutics is now developing cancer treatments based on elephant p53 genes, whilst other companies like EVOTEC are exploring similar cell-death triggering approaches. Meanwhile, researchers are maintaining a veritable Noah's Ark of 2,000+ cell lines from 150 animal species, hunting for even more evolutionary cancer-fighting tricks.

Researchers at UCSF have enabled a paralysed man to control a robotic arm through brain signals alone. The breakthrough isn't just the control itself—which allows grasping and moving objects through thought—but that the system worked for seven months without adjustment. The researchers discovered that brain patterns for movements maintain their shape but shift location slightly day-to-day, making long term solutions difficult. Previous brain-computer interfaces typically worked for only a day or two before needing recalibration, making them about as reliable as airline Wi-Fi.

🧐 What's in it for me? For people with paralysis, the ability to feed themselves or grab a drink independently would be revolutionary. For those who already have two working arms, why not add some more? Once this technology is fine tuned the only limit may literally be one’s own imagination. On the downside, the age old excuse of “I only have 2 hands” may soon be a thing of the past. 

💵 Out of the Lab: Neuralink recently implanted its first device in a human subject, while Synchron has been testing devices that don't require brain surgery (a selling point most customers seem to appreciate). Industry analysts project the BCI market could reach $3.7 billion by 2027—arguably conservative for technology that literally reads minds.

Regular blood donors develop different genetic mutations in their stem cells compared to non-donors. When you donate blood, bone marrow stem cells scramble to replace what's lost, and this stress appears to select for genetic changes that support healthy blood production while discouraging cancer-predisposing mutations. It's your body's version of "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

🧐 What's in it for me? Your altruistic blood donation might actually be a selfish health hack. While more research is needed, findings suggest regular donations might improve your own long-term health while helping others. Isn’t that nice.

💵 Out of the Lab: Blood centres may soon advertise "donate blood, upgrade your stem cells" alongside free cookies. Meanwhile, biotechnology companies like CRISPR Therapeutics are exploring how controlled stress on stem cells might improve gene therapy outcomes, potentially turning this accidental discovery into intentional treatment.

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed LILAC, an AI system that detects subtle changes in time-series medical images without the extensive customisation typically required. In tests with embryo development, wound healing, and aging brains, the system demonstrated remarkable accuracy in spotting changes invisible to the human eye.

🧐 What's in it for me? This tool could revolutionise how doctors track disease progression, potentially catching problems before symptoms appear. It's like having a time-lapse camera for your health that notices things your doctor might miss—without the awkwardness of being filmed 24/7. Whilst there are plenty of non-sensical AI applications out there, the sheer extent of “unmet needs” in healthcare make the field a veritable goldmine of opportunity. 

💵 Out of the Lab: Companies like Butterfly Network are developing portable imaging devices that could incorporate LILAC-type technology. The researchers plan to demonstrate the system in predicting treatment responses for prostate cancer patients, potentially creating a new standard for monitoring treatment effectiveness. No doubt, venture investors will be keeping an extremely close eye on those WCM researchers.

Northwestern University chemists have created a remarkably simple process for breaking down PET plastic—the stuff in your water bottles. The method uses an inexpensive molybdenum catalyst and activated carbon to break plastic bonds, then exposes the broken pieces to regular air. The trace moisture converts the fragments into valuable building blocks for new materials, with acetaldehyde (a common fruity-smelling chemical found in ripening fruit and produced when your body processes alcohol) as the only byproduct.

🧐 What's in it for me? With countries like the U.S. recycling only 5% of their plastics, this breakthrough offers hope for our trash-choked planet. The process works on mixed and coloured plastics, producing pure materials without harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures—making recycling both more effective and less environmentally damaging than current methods.

💵 Out of the Lab: Companies like PureCycle Technologies and Loop Industries are already working on similar advanced recycling solutions. The researchers are now scaling up for industrial use, potentially creating a circular economy where today's water bottle becomes tomorrow's designer fleece—which, in the great circle of plastic life, will eventually become another water bottle…

Proxima Fusion has unveiled Stellaris, the world's first fully integrated concept for a commercial fusion power plant. Using high-temperature superconducting magnets, this stellarator design creates stronger magnetic fields in a more compact system—essentially packing a star into a box that fits in your neighbourhood, rather than your solar system.

🧐 What's in it for me? Fusion promises virtually limitless clean energy without radioactive waste concerns. The Stellaris design could bring this technology to the grid in the 2030s—much sooner than the traditional fusion timeline of "always 30 years away."

💵 Out of the Lab: Proxima Fusion plans to demonstrate key components by 2027 and build a demonstration stellarator by 2031. Meanwhile, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, TAE Technologies, and Tokamak Energy are pursuing different approaches, creating a fusion race that may actually deliver multiple solutions this time. The first company to succeed gets to power civilisation; second place gets a participation trophy.

University of Gothenburg researchers have shown that information can be transmitted using magnetic wave motion in complex networks, creating a path toward Ising machines—specialised computers that solve optimisation problems with much less energy than conventional systems. 

This is complicated stuff, so let's break it down: 

🧐 What's in it for me? These devices could provide energy-efficient alternatives for AI calculations that currently consume vast amounts of electricity. The technology could eventually fit into smartphones and other small devices, bringing powerful computing capabilities without draining your battery or requiring liquid helium cooling.

💵 Out of the Lab: Researchers are building networks of hundreds of thousands of oscillators for next-generation Ising machines. The technology could revolutionise edge computing where energy efficiency is paramount—potentially powering everything from smarter smart homes to autonomous vehicles that don't need supercomputer connections. We strongly suspect that the likes of Akash Kumar, lead author on the research, will be a veritable funding magnet in the not-too-distant future. 

Update: An interesting release from New Scientist hints at the possible over exuberance of some Ising machine makers…

We don’t know how dogs feel 😢

New research from Arizona State University reveals we humans are spectacularly bad at interpreting our dogs' emotions. When scientists showed people videos of dogs in different situations, the humans ignored the dogs' actual behaviour and based their judgment entirely on context. See a dog near a treat? "He's happy!" See the same exact dog behaviour near a vacuum cleaner? "Poor thing is terrified!" Same dog, same behaviour, completely different human interpretation.

That "guilty look" your dog gives you after turning your throw pillows into throw confetti? Turns out it's not guilt at all—it's more like "Oh no, the tall food provider looks angry, better make myself small." Researchers suggest learning your specific dog's communication style instead of projecting human emotions onto them.

That's all for this week. Until next time, stay curious, and maybe donate some blood—your stem cells could use the challenge.

Like what you're reading? Share toast with a friend.