Aboard the International Space Station, viruses and bacteria show atypical interplay
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 13-Jan-2026 16:11 ET (13-Jan-2026 21:11 GMT/UTC)
In a new study, terrestrial bacteria-infecting viruses were still able to infect their E. coli hosts in near-weightless “microgravity” conditions aboard the International Space Station, but the dynamics of virus-bacteria interactions differed from those observed on Earth. Phil Huss of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A., and colleagues present these findings January 13th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.
By studying genes that affect cuticle pigmentation in the laboratory fruit fly, researchers were able to identify new genes, mask and clu, that are involved in regulating dopamine levels in the brain. The findings offer new possibilities to restore in people disruptions in dopamine that have been associated with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including addiction, depression, sleep disorders and schizophrenia.
Abdominal fat is not a uniform tissue. A new study from Karolinska Institutet, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, and Helmholtz Munich reveals that fat located close to the large intestine contains an unusually high number of inflammatory fat cells and immune cells. The findings suggest that this tissue is specially adapted to communicate with the immune system in the gut region. The study is published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Great Bear Rainforest, BC. The Great Bear Lodge on the Central Coast of British Columbia is collaborating with internationally acclaimed science journalist Lesley Evans Ogden to host a nature writing retreat from May 31 - June 4, 2026. Small group size will ensure each participant benefits from individual focus and support, allowing instruction and skill development to be tailored to a range of abilities, from aspiring to experienced writers.