Arsenic leaking from abandoned gold mines can harm forest ecosystems by entering soils and affecting soil organisms. In a recent study, researchers tested forest soils with different chemical properties to see how they influence arsenic mobility and toxicity in springtails. Results showed juveniles were more sensitive to mobile arsenic, while adults responded to total arsenic. These findings highlight the importance of soil chemistry and life stage in arsenic risk assessment.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges, leaving the specific impact of class closures on student performance unclear. To address this, researchers examined the effect of pre-pandemic class closures due to influenza outbreaks on students’ test scores in Japan. They found that class closures adversely affected the math scores of elementary school boys from low-income households, likely due to lost instructional time and unhealthy behaviors. Fortunately, high-quality teachers could help students recover from the learning loss.

Harnessing quantum states that avoid thermalization enables energy harvesters to surpass traditional thermodynamic limits such as Carnot efficiency, report researchers from Japan. The team developed a new approach using a non-thermal Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid to convert waste heat into electricity with higher efficiency than conventional approaches. These findings pave the way for more sustainable low-power electronics and quantum computing.  

Expanding the depth and breadth of scientific expertise that defines Stem Cell Reports, the official journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, 13 distinguished researchers have joined the Editorial Board. Their appointment broadens representation across the diverse and international landscape of stem cell science and reinforces the Board’s commitment to championing the journal, raising its global visibility, and ensuring rigorous, high-quality peer review.

“I am delighted to welcome our new editorial board members to Stem Cell Reports, said Janet Rossant, editor-in-chief. “Their breadth of expertise – spanning basic biology, translational research, clinical application, and ethical considerations – reflects the rich diversity of the global stem cell community. Together, we will continue to ensure that the journal serves as a leading platform for high-quality science that informs, inspires, and advances our field.”