SPACE/COSMOS

Cosmic Himalayas quasar cluster defies explanation

National Institutes of Natural Sciences

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The densest cluster of supermassive black holes identified in the Universe. The background image was taken by Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. The red and blue shadows represent the density of the supermassive black holes (quasars) and the surrounding hundreds of young, star-forming galaxies, respectively. The white squares frame the quasars, and the larger squares show close up images. 

 

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Credit: Credit: Subaru Telescope / SDSS, Liang et al.

A newly discovered cluster of eleven quasars has shattered the previous record of five. Rather than being associated with a dense group of galaxies, these quasars sit on the boundary between two groups of galaxies. This structure, dubbed the “Cosmic Himalayas,” cannot be explained by conventional theories, forcing astronomers to rethink the formation scenarios for quasars.

Quasars are some of the brightest objects in the Universe. A quasar is powered by large amounts of matter falling into the supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. Collisions and mergers between galaxies can cause quasar activity by feeding addition matter into the center of a galaxy. Quasar activity peaked in the early Universe, but even then they were relatively rare. So an international research team led by Yongming Liang at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan was surprised when they found a group of elven quasars in an area of space where you would normally expect to see maybe one, while analyzing data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The previous record holder for quasar over-density had been five.

Follow-up observations with the Subaru Telescope revealed another mystery. The quasars do not coincide with a dense group of galaxies. Instead, they sit on the boundary between two groups. If galaxy collisions and mergers are responsible for quasar activity, then the densest groups of quasars should be found in the densest group of galaxies. A new formation scenario is needed to explain this group of quasars, which could change the way we think about the evolution of other structures in the Universe. The team hopes that new data from next-generation instruments like the Prime Focus Spectrograph on the Subaru Telescope will help to solve the mysteries of the Cosmic Himalayas.

The research team named this formation the Cosmic Himalayas in reference to how the towering Himalayas on Earth form a boundary between plains and plateaus. The Cosmic Himalayas sit 10.8 light years away from Earth in the direction of the constellation Cetus.

The "Cosmic Himalayas": a towering cluster of energetic quasars shaping the cosmic landscape. Yellow X marks indicate the positions of quasars. The color scale represents the density of neutral hydrogen gas, with red indicating high density and blue indicating low density, or in other words, the blue region is rich in ionized gas. Therefore, the neutral gas concentrates in the left cluster of galaxies, while the ionized gas preferentially appears around the right galaxy clump. Black contour lines show the galaxy density. Gray regions are masked areas due to poor image mosaic or saturation near bright stars.

Credit

Credit: Subaru Telescope / SDSS, Liang et al.

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Journal

The Astrophysical Journal

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Cosmic Himalayas: The Highest Quasar Density Peak Identified in a 10,000 deg2 Sky with Spatial Discrepancies between Galaxies, Quasars, and IGM HI

Article Publication Date

6-Jun-2025

COI Statement

Preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.15963

 

How PM2.5 wrecks your airways and how the damage might be reversed

Researchers from The University of Osaka reveal the mechanism by which a common air pollutant impairs our airway defense mechanisms

Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC) - Osaka University

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Exposure to PM2.5 induces the generation of reactive aldehydes, resulting in ciliary dysfunction.

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Credit: Yasutaka Okabe (Created with BioRender.com)

Osaka, Japan – Air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death globally, with most of the world population subject to harmful air pollutant levels. However, the mechanisms behind air pollution affecting human health and mortality remain poorly understood, leaving treatment strategies unknown.

In a recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, a multi-institutional research team led by The University of Osaka have discovered the mechanism by which exposure to ≤2.5 µm air pollutants (PM2.5) causes airway dysfunction.

A large portion of natural and human-made air pollutants fall under the PM2.5 category: dust, vehicle exhaust and wildfire smoke, for example. When inhaled, it causes severe airway damage and respiratory diseases. To understand how exactly air pollution particles affect the respiratory system, the researchers ran a series of experiments on mice. They exposed the mice to environmental pollutants and then examined their respiratory tracts for changes in structure and function.

“Our results were quite informative. We found that PM2.5 air pollutants negatively affect mucociliary clearance, a major protective mechanism in the respiratory tract,” says lead author, Noriko Shinjyo. “Mucociliary clearance basically involves trapping pollutants in a sticky mucus and then sweeping the pollutants out the airway with hair-like projections called cilia.”

The researchers found that the pollutants caused oxidative injury in the airways, which facilitates the formation of lipid peroxide-derived aldehydes. This substance is a reactive aldehyde that damages the protective cells in the airway, including airway cilia. As damaged airway cells and cilia can no longer move debris and pollutants out of the airways, the risk of infection is increased.

The team continued their investigation to find out how to restore normal cellular function and reverse damage. For this, the researchers investigated how one gene from the ALDH family, known to protect the body against harmful aldehydes, may counter the effect of airway pollutants.

“Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1A1) is an enzyme that plays an important role in protection against aldehydes. We used experimental mice that lacked ALDH1A1 to investigate the impact of air pollutants without the gene,” explains Yasutaka Okabe, senior author. “As expected, the mice had impaired cilia formation and function and high levels of aldehydes.”

The research team also found that the absence of ALDH1A1 left the cells at a higher risk of serious respiratory infection when exposed to air pollutants. The importance of ALDH1A1 was further emphasized when it was also found that drug-enhanced ALDH1A1 levels improved the mice’s mucociliary function in response to pollutants.

Owing to the researchers’ work, we now know how PM2.5 pollutants disrupt the lungs' self-cleaning system. What’s more, their work offers a potential therapeutic target: the enzyme ALDH1A1. As air pollution continues to be a major health concern worldwide, these findings could be key for new treatments that strengthen our respiratory defenses.

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The article, “Aldehyde metabolism governs resilience of mucociliary

clearance to air pollution exposure,” was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI191276.

About The University of Osaka

The University of Osaka was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and is now one of Japan's leading comprehensive universities with a broad disciplinary spectrum. This strength is coupled with a singular drive for innovation that extends throughout the scientific process, from fundamental research to the creation of applied technology with positive economic impacts. Its commitment to innovation has been recognized in Japan and around the world, being named Japan's most innovative university in 2015 (Reuters 2015 Top 100) and one of the most innovative institutions in the world in 2017 (Innovative Universities and the Nature Index Innovation 2017). Now, Osaka University is leveraging its role as a Designated National University Corporation selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to contribute to innovation for human welfare, sustainable development of society, and social transformation.

Website: https://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en

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Journal

Journal of Clinical Investigation

DOI

10.1172/JCI191276 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Aldehyde metabolism governs resilience of mucociliary clearance to air pollution exposure

 

Endocrinologists asked to step up efforts to reduce carbon footprint of healthcare

National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

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Modern medical practices make widespread use of plastics, flame retardants, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of long-lasting chemicals used to make materials water and stain-resistant. These substances contribute towards climate change and potentially expose patients to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs include phthalates (used to soften plastics), bisphenol A (BPA) (found in some medical containers and devices), as well as PFAS. Our endocrine system helps produce and release hormones that regulates essential functions in our bodies. If something goes wrong with the endocrine system, it could lead to disorders such as diabetes, thyroid diseases, infertility, and growth problems.

 

A new international review led by researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), has highlighted the often-overlooked environmental impact of healthcare, especially in endocrinology. These conditions are both common and often require long-term treatment, which means the way endocrine care is delivered can have a significant environmental footprint. The study calls on clinicians to be part of the conversation and quest for more sustainable measures.

 

Published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, the article brings together perspectives from endocrinologists, ecotoxicologists, and sustainability experts across Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

 

“Healthcare aims to protect human health, yet it also generates substantial pollution, from greenhouse gases and microplastics to chemical contaminants,” said Assistant Professor Chantelle Rizan, from the Centre for Sustainable Medicine (CoSM) at NUS Medicine, and lead author of the review. “Endocrinologists have a unique role to play in both recognising and reducing these harms whilst providing high quality appropriate patient care.”

 

The review outlines concrete strategies to improve sustainability in endocrine care — from switching to reusable medical devices and reducing unnecessary tests, to advocating for stricter regulations on the use of toxic chemicals in healthcare materials. For example, insulin used in diabetes treatment could add over 1,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions to a patient’s carbon footprint over 30 years, which is roughly the same as driving a petrol-powered car for 4,000 kilometres.

 

By helping patients manage their diabetes more effectively from the start, the carbon footprint of their care can be cut by nearly 18% over 50 years. If their diabetes worsens and they move on to more complex treatments or multiple medications, their care becomes more resource-heavy and creates more carbon emissions. Other sustainable measures, such as reusable medical devices instead of single-use plastics, consolidating clinic visits and improving medication adherence, could further cut emissions by up to 56%[1] for some healthcare items. These changes not only help the environment but can also improve patient care and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs.

 

Dr Eng Pei Chia, co-author of the study and Consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital (NUH), said, “This is a complex challenge for endocrinologists and healthcare professionals. While unintended consequences must be considered, we need open discussions to advance sustainable healthcare. We have been advocating sustainability through recycling of insulin pens over the past few years. More can still be done, through encouraging the use of reusable insulin pens to reduce waste. With younger generations increasingly eco-conscious, promoting reusables could enhance patient engagement in diabetes care. Ongoing awareness and education are key to driving positive change.”

 

With healthcare accounting for up to 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the review serves as a call to action to examine and embrace more environmental responsible models of care. This aligns with broader efforts by CoSM to support data-driven and actionable steps in decarbonising healthcare globally. As the first research centre in Asia and the largest in the world to lead and support healthcare decarbonisation and climate resilience, the Centre is at the vanguard of an emerging multidisciplinary field of practice dedicated to improving the health of patients in the face of climate change and driving the transition to net zero healthcare.

 

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[1] Keil, M., Viere, T., Helms, K. & Rogowski, W. The impact of switching from single-use to reusable healthcare products: a transparency checklist and systematic review of life-cycle assessments. Eur. J. Public. Health 33, 56–63 (2023).

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Journal

Nature Reviews Endocrinology

DOI

10.1038/s41574-025-01098-9 

Article Title

Mitigating the environmental effects of healthcare: the role of the endocrinologist

KRAKEN STUDIES

Squid study sparks interdisciplinary insight into the physics of growth

Squid skin highlights the importance of growth on physical properties, helping researchers build a widely applicable model

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University

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Left, a picture of a 6-week old squid, with (right) a zoom in on the chromatophore pattern, with chromatophores highlighted by green dotted circles. The chromatophores display a pattern in which larger, older chromatophores are surrounded by smaller, younger chromatophores. 

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Credit: Ross et al., 2025

Often, physics can be used to make sense of the natural world, whether it’s understanding gravitational effects on ocean tides or using powerful physics tools, like microscopes, to examine the inner workings of the cell.  But increasingly, scientists are looking at biological systems to spark new insights in physics. By studying squid skin, researchers have identified the first biological instance of a physical phenomenon called ‘hyperdisorder’, bringing new understanding into how growth can affect physics.

Published in PRX, an interdisciplinary team from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) studied the effect of growth on pattern development within squid skin cells. By combining experimental imaging methods with theoretical modeling, they found new insights into the unusual arrangement of these cells, and created a general model of hyperdisorder applicable to a wide variety of growing systems. 

Studying arrangements: uniformity and disorder 

Hyperdisorder occurs in systems where the variance in number of points within a particular measured space grows faster than the volume of that measured space. Essentially, when you’re looking at a tiny area, the system may appear quite ordered, but fluctuations are exacerbated when viewing at a larger scale.

“In other growing systems, such as the cells in chicken eyes, studies have previously seen hyperuniformity, whereby there is long range order and patterning, despite randomness at a close scale,” said Dr Robert Ross, OIST Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholar, first author on this study. “This is what we expected to see in the squid. But what we actually observed was completely different, and we have not yet seen any other instances of this packing behavior in biology. However, we think such disorder is very likely to be present in similar growing systems, highlighting the importance of growth on physical properties”. 

Making sense of disorder 

In this study, the researchers observed squid over 12 weeks, using an experimental rig to capture 3D images of the squid, to study the appearance of specialized cells, called chromatophores, on its skin surface. “The chromatophores appear at fixed positions in relation to one another, in a specific pattern,” explained Professor Sam Reiter, head of the Computational Neuroethology Unit and co-author on this study. “They are essential in camouflage and communication. Therefore, we were interested in studying the spatial arrangement and the pattern development of these cells.”  

To understand the physics governing the observed hyperdisorder, the team developed a mathematical model, using hard disks on a growing surface to represent the behavior of the squid skin. Despite the apparent complexity of this problem, they were able to devise a very simple, generally-applicable model.

Co-author Professor Simone Pigolotti, head of the Biological Complexity Unit, said, “This study exemplifies the importance of growth on the physical behavior of different systems, and the unique knowledge that can be gained by studying from interdisciplinary perspectives. We look forward to applying our model to other growing systems, both biological and beyond. The general nature of this model means there are endless possible scientific directions to take.”

A visualization of hyperdisordered growth [VIDEO] | 

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Journal

Physical Review X

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevX.15.021064 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Hyperdisordered Cell Packing on a Growing Surface

 

Tea, berries, dark chocolate and apples could lead to a longer life span, study shows

Edith Cowan University

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New research has found that those who consume a diverse range of foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples, could lower their risk of developing serious health conditions and have the potential to live longer.  

The study was led by a team of researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, Edith Cowan University Perth (ECU), and the Medical University of Vienna and Universitat Wien. 

The findings reveal that increasing the diversity of flavonoids within your diet could help prevent the development of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and neurological disease. 

Flavonoids are found in plant foods like tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, apples, grapes, and even red wine and dark chocolate. 

Published in Nature Food, the study tracked over 120,000 participants aging from 40 to 70 years old for over a decade. It is the first study of its kind to suggest that there is a benefit to consuming a wide range of flavonoids beyond that of simply consuming a high quantity.  

ECU Research Fellow, first author and co-lead of the study Dr Benjamin Parmenter, made the initial discovery that a flavonoid-diverse diet is good for health.  

“Flavonoid intakes of around 500 mg a day was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a ~10% lower risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease. That's roughly the amount of flavonoids that you would consume in two cups of tea.” 

Dr Parmenter added, however, that those who consumed the widest diversity of flavonoids, had an even lower risk of these diseases, even when consuming the same total amount. For example, instead of just drinking tea, it’s better to eat a range of flavonoid-rich foods to make up your intake, because different flavonoids come from different foods. 

“We have known for some time that higher intakes of dietary flavonoids, powerful bioactives naturally present in many foods and drinks, can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and neurological conditions like Parkinson’s,” study co-lead Professor Aedín Cassidy from the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s said. 

“We also know from lab data and clinical studies that different flavonoids work in different ways, some improve blood pressure, others help with cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation. This study is significant as the results indicate that consuming a higher quantity and wider diversity has the potential to lead to a greater reduction in ill health than just a single source.”  

Professor Tilman Kuhn from the Medical University of Vienna, Universitat Wien and Queen’s University Belfast was also a co-lead author, noted that the importance of diversity of flavonoid intake has never been investigated until now, making this study very significant as the findings align with popular claims that eating colourful foods are invaluable to maintain good health.  

“Eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of colours, including those rich in flavonoids, means you're more likely to get the vitamins and nutrients you need to sustain a healthier lifestyle,” he said. 

The first-ever dietary guidelines for flavonoids were released recently recommending increasing the consumption of flavonoids to maintain health.  

“Our study provides inaugural evidence that we may also need to advise increasing diversity of intake of these compounds for optimal benefits,” Dr Parmenter said. 

“The results provide a clear public health message, suggesting that simple and achievable dietary swaps, such as drinking more tea and eating more berries and apples for example, can help increase the variety and intake of flavonoid-rich foods, and potentially improve health in the long-term,” Professor Cassidy added. 

 

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Journal

Nature Food

DOI

10.1038/s43016-025-01176-1 

Method of Research

Meta-analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

High diversity of dietary flavonoid intake is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and major chronic diseases

Article Publication Date

2-Jun-2025