Science
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza
In this episode of Scientific American Science Quickly, we explore groundbreaking discoveries about Saturn's moon Enceladus, ancient fungi's role in Earth's history, and innovative meth...
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza
Science •
0:00 / 0:00
Interactive Transcript
spk_0
Happy Monday listeners!
spk_0
For Scientific American Science Quickly, I'm Rachel Seltman.
spk_0
Let's kick off the week with a quick roundup of some science news you may have missed.
spk_0
First, some exciting space news.
spk_0
According to a study published last Wednesday in Neeter Astronomy,
spk_0
the ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus contains complex organic molecules that indicate the
spk_0
environment could potentially support life. Enceladus is a moon about as wide across as the
spk_0
state of Arizona. Back in 2005, the Cassini spacecraft caught plumes of water vapor and frozen
spk_0
particles shooting up from tiger-stripe-like fissures in the planet's icy crust.
spk_0
Subsequent analysis of gravity measurements captured by Cassini confirmed the presence of a
spk_0
subsurface ocean near the moon's south pole about a decade later. Cassini's mission ended in 2017,
spk_0
but new analysis of data from a 2008 flyby just yielded additional insights into the frosty
spk_0
moon's watery reservoir. In flying through one of Enceladus' water plumes, the spacecraft exposed
spk_0
its cosmic dust analyzer instrument to tiny, freshly ejected grains of ice.
spk_0
After years of studying data from different flyby events to understand how Cassini's instruments
spk_0
behaved under different conditions, scientists were able to apply their findings to that old data
spk_0
and find new patterns. The new study determined that several sophisticated carbon-based structures,
spk_0
including esters and ethers, can be found in the subsurface waters of Enceladus.
spk_0
That's important because these structures are identical to substances considered to be vital
spk_0
chemical building blocks for living organisms on Earth. And that adds to evidence the moon could
spk_0
be a compelling candidate for hosting some kind of life, or at least allowing us to gain a better
spk_0
understanding of how life evolved on our own planet. Speaking of life as we know it, and how the heck
spk_0
it got here, a study published last Wednesday in Nature, Ecology, and Evolution suggests that for
spk_0
hundreds of millions of years before plant life made it onto land, fungi may have dominated the planet.
spk_0
The delicate filaments of mycelium that typically make up the bodies of fungi don't tend to
spk_0
fossilize well, and the fossils they do leave behind are often microscopic and hard to identify.
spk_0
This new study aimed to overcome that issue with the help of a molecular clock. Essentially,
spk_0
scientists can plot out the timeline of one species divergence from another by tallying up the
spk_0
difference in their respective numbers of genetic mutations, which have been at fairly regular
spk_0
intervals as organisms evolve. Counting the ticks of a molecular clock is only possible if you have
spk_0
regular anchor points from the fossil record to calibrate them, which is tricky for fungi.
spk_0
The researchers behind the new study got around that by integrating instances of horizontal gene
spk_0
transfer between species, along with mutations passed down from one generation to the next.
spk_0
Tracking when a gene moved from one lineage to another helped the scientists pinpoint which
spk_0
organisms emerged when, which they say has allowed them to tighten up the timeline of fungal evolution.
spk_0
The study suggests that fungi evolved from a common ancestor dating back to roughly 1.4 to
spk_0
0.9 billion years ago, which is about half a billion years or more before land plants evolved.
spk_0
In fact, the researchers argue that fungi may have paved the way for plants
spk_0
by breaking down rocks and cycling nutrients to create the first soils.
spk_0
Now for some health news. According to a study published last week in the Landsat Infectious
spk_0
Diseases, the risk of children and young adults developing long COVID could be twice as high
spk_0
with a second infection than with the first. Looking at 2022 and 2023 data from about 465,000
spk_0
children and adolescents, the researchers found an increased risk of chronic symptoms potentially
spk_0
related to the condition, such as severe fatigue, headaches, kidney damage, abdominal pain,
spk_0
cognitive issues, and abnormal heartbeats, after a second COVID infection.
spk_0
Blood plots were more than twice as likely with a repeat COVID case, and the risk of myocarditis,
spk_0
a potentially lethal swelling of the heart, actually more than tripled.
spk_0
The study authors noted that long COVID cases weren't necessarily linked to severe illness during
spk_0
the acute COVID infection, and argued that this all highlights the need for ongoing immunization of
spk_0
young people. In some lighter respiratory infection news, a study published last Wednesday in ACS
spk_0
Central Science hints that we might one day have access to an easy, surprisingly tasty method
spk_0
of diagnosing the flu at home. The researchers behind the new study have reportedly created a
spk_0
molecular sensor that reacts to the presence of flu virus by producing a distinct flavor.
spk_0
The sensor responds to neurominidase, which is a glycoprotein that the influenza virus uses to
spk_0
infect cells. The synthesized substance used in the sensor is attached to a molecule of thymol,
spk_0
which is found in the herb time and produces a strong taste. In lab tests using vials of human
spk_0
saliva, the presence of influenza causes the thymol to break off on its own. In a human mouth,
spk_0
that reaction should lead to a distinct herbal flavor. The researchers say they hope to conduct human
spk_0
clinical trials of a flu test using this molecular sensor in the next couple of years.
spk_0
And speaking of surprisingly delicious things, a study published last Friday in I-Science shows how
spk_0
a traditional recipe for yogurt used a rather unusual secret ingredient to kick start fermentation.
spk_0
And yogurt forms when microorganisms ferment milk and create lactic acid, which thickens the dairy
spk_0
and gives it that tangy taste. In the early 20th century, scientists isolated some of the bacterial
spk_0
strains capable of accomplishing this. And now yogurt production largely relies on just a couple
spk_0
species of bacteria. A lot of traditional yogurt making methods fell by the wayside as production
spk_0
became standardized, including a traditional practice from the Balkans and Turkey involving red
spk_0
wood ants. The authors behind the new study decided to take a closer look at that recipe.
spk_0
Under the guidance of the Bulgarian family of one of the studies co-authors, along with other
spk_0
locals, the researchers placed four ants into a vessel of warm milk and covered the jar with a
spk_0
piece of cheesecloth. They then buried it in an ant mound overnight, where the heat produced by
spk_0
the colony's activity actually served as an incubator for fermentation. By the next day, the sample
spk_0
showed early science affirmitation, with the milk coagulating, becoming more acidic, and
spk_0
taking on a slightly sour taste, which was apparently pretty delicious. Back in the lab, the team
spk_0
confirmed that the red wood ants carry lactic and acetic acid bacteria, including a type similar to
spk_0
one found in commercial sourdough. The scientists also found that the formic acid amps produce as a
spk_0
defense mechanism serves to acidify the milk and probably helps create a better environment for
spk_0
the microbes. The researchers even partnered with chefs from a two-star Michelin restaurant to create
spk_0
dishes like ant-powered ice cream and soft cheese. But don't go digging around in your backyard to
spk_0
find fermentation buddies just yet. The scientists do warn that live ants can carry parasites, while
spk_0
frozen or dehydrated ants come with their own potential risks. That can add an element of danger
spk_0
to the process if you don't have the right equipment and knowledge to confirm the yogurt is safe to
spk_0
consume. That's all for this week's Science News Roundup. Tune in on Wednesday to hear how one of
spk_0
the internet's favorite astronauts is using his experience in spaceflight to write alternate
spk_0
history thrillers. Science quickly is produced by me, Rachel Feldman, along with Fondomagi and Jeff
spk_0
Delvisio. This episode was edited by Alex Seguiera, Shane Opposes and Aaron Shaddick fact check
spk_0
our show. Our scene music was composed by Dominic Smith. Subscribe to Scientific American for more
spk_0
up-to-date and in-depth science news. For Scientific American, this is Rachel Feldman. Have a great week!