As far as we've been able to tell, all matter in the universe comes in just of two distinct types: fermions (particles that make stuff)and bosons (particles that mediate a force).

However, physicists from Rice University have developed a mathematical framework for a third type, known as paraparticles, whose behavior could imply the existence of elementary particles nobody has ever considered. While they don't yet have a means for experimentally identifying such particles yet (or even predicting exactly what they'd do), this is the first time that such a model has been found that allows for a new particle family.

Who will shape the digital economy?: Stein Rokkan Prize winner discusses tech giants, power, and democracy

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https://council.science/blog/who-will-shape-the-digital-economy-tech-giants-power-and-the-future-of-democracy/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=who-will-shape-the-digital-economy-tech-giants-power-and-the-future-of-democracy

I missed this before, but apparently we're now nearly a year into Merck and Moderna's Phase-3 trials of a novel mRNA vaccine (mRNA-4157) in combination with Keytruda to slow or halt aggressive melanoma growth. (press release), and about 4 months into a similar Phase 3 trial of the same drug combo for small cell lung cancer (press release). Here's hoping that 2025 is the year we cure (some kinds of) cancer!

Celebrating scientific collaboration through the ages

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https://council.science/news/isc-member-and-partner-anniversaries-2024/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=isc-member-and-partner-anniversaries-2024

Celebrating scientific collaboration through the ages

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https://council.science/news/celebrating-scientific-collaboration-through-the-ages-2/?utm%5C_source=rss&utm%5C_medium=rss&utm%5C_campaign=celebrating-scientific-collaboration-through-the-ages-2

Professor Sangmin Lee from POSTECH’s Department of Chemical Engineering, in collaboration with 2024 Nobel Chemistry Laureate Professor David Baker from the University of Washington, has developed an innovative therapeutic platform by mimicking the intricate structures of viruses using artificial intelligence (AI). Their pioneering research was published in Nature on December 18 (local time).

Viruses are uniquely designed to encapsulate genetic material within spherical protein shells, enabling them to replicate and invade host cells, often causing disease. Inspired by these complex structures, researchers have been exploring artificial proteins modeled after viruses. These “nanocages” mimic viral behavior, effectively delivering therapeutic genes to target cells. However, existing nanocages face significant challenges: their small size restricts the amount of genetic material they can carry, and their simple designs fall short of replicating the multifunctionality of natural viral proteins.

The brain's processing speed is surprisingly slow. Despite receiving a massive amount of sensory input, the brain processes information at only about 10 bits per second. This is millions of times slower than the input rate. The slow speed explains why we can only focus on one thought at a time. Our brains evolved to handle a slower-paced world, and we're not equipped to process multiple complex thoughts simultaneously. It's a limitation that likely originated in early animals whose primary need was navigation, which required following one path at a time.