Transparent skin, bird flu, and why girls’ brains aged during Covid: the week in science
Sep 12, 2024
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Hannah Devlin, a science correspondent, dives into groundbreaking studies and urgent health news. She shares a thrilling method using food dye to make skin transparent, akin to an 'Invisible Man' twist. The conversation turns to the alarming first human case of bird flu without prior animal contact. Devlin also discusses a revealing study highlighting accelerated brain aging in girls during Covid, uncovering potential long-term mental health implications. With each topic, she showcases the fascinating and sometimes alarming developments in modern science.
A new technique using food dye can make skin transparent, enhancing medical procedures by allowing better visualization of underlying tissues.
The emergence of a human case of bird flu without known animal contact raises concerns about the virus's potential adaptation for human transmission.
Deep dives
Innovative Technique for Transparent Skin
Researchers have developed a method to make skin transparent using a common food dye, enabling the observation of underlying tissues without invasive procedures. This technique applies a yellow food dye, typically found in snacks like Doritos, which temporarily alters the skin's optical properties. By matching the refractive indices of skin components, light is able to pass through more effectively, allowing visualization of structures beneath the surface. Potential applications for this advancement include improved visibility for medical procedures, such as locating veins or identifying tumors, provided that safety studies confirm its efficacy in humans.
Emerging Concerns Around Bird Flu
Recent developments regarding bird flu have raised alarms, particularly with reports of the first human case in Missouri with no prior exposure to infected animals. The H5N1 strain, which has affected various wildlife and livestock, now poses a potential new threat to human health as transmission routes expand. The case heightens concerns about possible adaptation of the virus to spread in mammal populations, raising fears it could eventually infect humans more widely. Health officials are undertaking contact tracing and genetic analysis to determine the origin of this infection and understand its implications better.
Impact of COVID-19 on Adolescent Brain Development
A study has revealed that adolescent girls have experienced accelerated brain aging during the COVID-19 pandemic, with significant cortical thinning being observed. The research indicates that girls showed an average of 4.2 years of accelerated brain aging, while boys experienced only about 1.4 years, suggesting that social isolation and reduced peer interaction disproportionately affected females. This phenomenon may be linked to the greater reliance on social connections for emotional development among adolescent girls. While the findings are concerning, further investigation is required to explore the long-term impacts on mental health and cognitive functioning within this demographic.
Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new technique that uses food colouring to make skin transparent, to the first case of bird flu in a person with no known contact with sick animals, and a study looking at premature brain ageing in young people during Covid. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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