https://radio.cultivarium.org en-us The Dish — Cultivarium's 24/7 AI-hosted science radio. An ode to the petri dish (and to dishing the latest): technology for biology, non-model organisms, molecular tools, and the occasional tardigrade. Paper-driven, hosted by a small cast of AI personalities. Cultivarium The Dish — Cultivarium's 24/7 AI-hosted science radio. An ode to the petri dish (and to dishing the latest): technology for biology, non-model organisms, molecular tools, and the occasional tardigrade. Paper-driven, hosted by a small cast of AI personalities. episodic false Cultivarium radio@cultivarium.org https://radio.cultivarium.org/art-3000.pnghttps://radio.cultivarium.org A one-minute welcome to The Dish — Cultivarium's 24/7 AI science radio. Follow to catch what the lab can't stop talking about. Trailer https://radio.cultivarium.org dish-trailer Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:13:07 +0000 0:57 trailer false Mitochondria are often called the powerhouses of the cell. But their ancient origins may also make them drivers of inflammation. Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered that proteins released from mitochondria can activate the immune system in a similar way to invading bacteria. The findings suggest that remnants of mitochondria's evolutionary past may contribute to inflammation in infections and autoimmune disorders. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786728704_0214_beyond_bench ep_1786728704_0214_beyond_bench Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:31:44 +0000 4:17 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786714199_0212_today_bio ep_1786714199_0212_today_bio Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:29:59 +0000 4:34 full false LLMs recombine high-density literature regions when prompted for ideas, inheriting the cognitive blind spots of the research community; the "alien space" framework fixes this by separately modeling scientific coherence and community availability, then sampling directions that are plausible but no researcher community is positioned to produce — achieving 3.5–7× broader ideation with no coherence penalty. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. AI for Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786699674_0211_ai_for_bio ep_1786699674_0211_ai_for_bio Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:27:54 +0000 4:02 full false Tracing the roots of Plasmids That Go Anywhere across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786685159_0210_the_arc ep_1786685159_0210_the_arc Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:25:59 +0000 9:33 full false In 1968, the American biochemist and geneticist Marshall Nirenberg and his colleagues won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their work deciphering how an organism's proteins are directly linked to its genetic code. That discovery is considered a "fundamental pillar of molecular biology," explained Nikolai Slavov, a distinguished professor of bioengineering. "It's in every textbook from high school to college." Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786670489_0209_fresh_preprints ep_1786670489_0209_fresh_preprints Fri, 14 Aug 2026 01:21:29 +0000 3:25 full false A complete, multi-generation laboratory rearing protocol for the lettuce sea slug *Elysia crispata* establishes two stable groups harboring chloroplasts from distinct algal prey — whose kleptoplasts differ threefold in size and completely replace one another within 10 days of diet shift — providing controlled model-system infrastructure for dissecting how animals retain stolen organelles across weeks to months. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Weird Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786655785_0208_weird_bio ep_1786655785_0208_weird_bio Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:16:25 +0000 4:11 full false Low dN/dS in mitochondrial tRNA and protein-coding genes across primates, birds, and Drosophila provides no molecular evidence for Muller's ratchet Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Mito Hour https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786641281_0207_mito_hour ep_1786641281_0207_mito_hour Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:14:41 +0000 4:43 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786626721_0206_today_ai ep_1786626721_0206_today_ai Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:12:01 +0000 5:23 full false Tracing the roots of Teaching Machines to Read DNA across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786612130_0205_the_arc ep_1786612130_0205_the_arc Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:08:50 +0000 9:00 full false Baker's yeast is one of biotechnology's most important microorganisms. It has long been used to leaven bread and ferment beer. More recently, advances in synthetic biology have enabled engineered yeast to convert sugar into a wide range of products, including medicines, fuels and industrial chemicals. Yet even well-engineered yeast cells can be difficult to control in a precise and timely way. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786597443_0204_beyond_bench ep_1786597443_0204_beyond_bench Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:04:03 +0000 4:18 full false Sequential conjugation-mediated knockout of Vpn standalone DNase and DdmDE anti-plasmid system converts untransformable V. parahaemolyticus X1 into a same-day cloning platform exploiting the bacterium's 10.5-min generation time Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Delivery & Engineering Toolbox https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786583006_0203_toolbox ep_1786583006_0203_toolbox Thu, 13 Aug 2026 01:03:26 +0000 5:00 full false Tracing the roots of Turning Viruses Into Tools across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786568500_0201_the_arc ep_1786568500_0201_the_arc Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:01:40 +0000 9:19 full false Combining drone data and machine learning can help cover more ground in monitoring forest soil health, University of Alberta research shows. The findings are published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. Using both tools to map and monitor soil fungal diversity—a key indicator of a healthy forest ecosystem—proved highly effective and could help reduce the need for boots-on-the-ground soil sampling over huge areas of forest, says Dr. Cameron Carlyle, a professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and a co-author of the study. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. In the Press https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786553836_0200_in_the_press ep_1786553836_0200_in_the_press Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:57:16 +0000 4:31 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786539300_0199_today_bio ep_1786539300_0199_today_bio Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:55:00 +0000 6:36 full false Deep-sea comb jellies adapt to extreme pressure not by increasing membrane fluidity but by accumulating plasmenylethanolamine — the most negatively curved phospholipid class — to preserve access to non-lamellar membrane topologies under compression, creating an irreversible pressure-dependence that destroys their membranes at the surface. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Menagerie https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786524708_0198_menagerie ep_1786524708_0198_menagerie Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:51:48 +0000 4:42 full false A deep-sea supergiant isopod domesticated a bacterially derived ND1 energy-metabolism gene — amplifying it via post-transfer duplication and locking it on via promoter histone acetylation — to slash basal metabolic rate and survive over five years without food. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Weird Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786510147_0197_weird_bio ep_1786510147_0197_weird_bio Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:49:07 +0000 4:02 full false Tracing the roots of AI at the Lab Bench across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786495629_0196_the_arc ep_1786495629_0196_the_arc Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:47:09 +0000 9:00 full false When a wound does not heal properly, it leaves a scar. Similarly, mutations—which are permanent changes to genetic code—are often the result of damaged DNA that has not been properly repaired. Mutations can impede the function of genes and lead to disease and aging, but they are also the source of genetic variation, which allows new traits to emerge and facilitates the evolutionary process. Scientists still do not fully understand why some damaged DNA segments are successfully repaired while others are not. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Angle https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786480979_0195_the_angle ep_1786480979_0195_the_angle Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:42:59 +0000 3:29 full false Fever is one of the best-known mechanisms by which animals combat infectious diseases. Sick animals can increase their body temperature in two ways: through physiological regulation, by altering internal metabolic processes, or through behavioral changes, such as seeking warmer environments. Ectothermic animals, including amphibians, fish and reptiles, generally rely only on the latter strategy. However, fever is not always the most effective response against every pathogen. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786466474_0194_fresh_preprints ep_1786466474_0194_fresh_preprints Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:41:14 +0000 3:25 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786451934_0193_today_ai ep_1786451934_0193_today_ai Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:38:54 +0000 4:28 full false Tracing the roots of Life's Power Plants across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786437338_0192_the_arc ep_1786437338_0192_the_arc Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:35:38 +0000 9:59 full false Many large language models (LLMs) use reasoning to generate responses but do not reveal their full reasoning traces (a.k.a. chains of thought), instead outputting only final answers and brief reasoning summaries. To demonstrate that hiding reasoning traces does not prevent users from "stealing" a model's reasoning capabilities, we introduce trace inversion models that, given only the inputs, answers, and (optionally) reasoning summaries exposed by a target model, generate detailed, synthetic reasoning traces. We show that (1) traces synthesized by trace inversion have high overlap with the ground-truth reasoning traces (when available), and (2) fine-tuning student models on inverted traces substantially improves their reasoning and enables distillation from proprietary, black-box LLMs. From the introduction: Introduction 2 Background and Related Work 3 Threat Model 4 Inversion Methodology 4.1 Stage 1: Training the Inversion Model 4.2 Stage 2: Inverting Victim’s Outputs 4.3 Stage 3: Student Distillation 5 Evaluation 5.1 Experimental Setup Datasets. 5.2 Fidelity of Trace Inversion 5.3 Stealing Reasoning Capabilities of an Open-Weight Model (R1) 5.4 Stealing Reasoning Capabilities of a Black-Box, Commercial Model (GPT-5.4 mini) 6 Defenses 7 Discussion and Future Research References A Benchmark Accuracy of Victim and Surrogate Models B Prompts for Compression and Zero-shot Trace Inversion C Examples of Synthesized Reasoning Traces D Synthesized Traces Can Be Better Than Ground-Truth Traces License: arXiv.org perpetual non-exclusive license arXiv:2603.07267v2 [cs.CR] 12 May 2026 How to Steal Reasoning Without Reasoning Traces Tingwei Zhang John X. Morris Vitaly Shmatikov Department of Computer Science Cornell Tech Abstract Many large language models (LLMs) use reasoning to generate responses but do not reveal their full reasoning traces (a.k.a. chains of thought), instead outputting only final answers and brief reasoning summaries. To demonstrate that hiding reasoning traces does not prevent users from “stealing” a model’s reasoning capabilities, we introduce Trace Inversion models that, given only the inputs, answers, and (optionally) reasoning summaries exposed by a target model, generate detailed, synthetic reasoning traces. We show that (1) traces synthesized by Trace Inversion have high overlap with the ground-truth reasoning traces (when available), and (2) fine-tuning student models on inverted traces substantially improves their reasoning and enables distillation from proprietary, black-box LLMs. 1 Introduction Large language models (LLMs) with explicit reasoning capabilities perform well on math, coding, and scientific analysis tasks. Trained via supervised fine-tuning, instruction tuning, and reinforcement learning, these models generate multi-step internal reasoning traces, aka chains of thought, leading to final answers ( wei2022chain, ; ouyang2022training, ; chen2025skip, ) . At inference time, these traces decompose complex problems into intermediate steps. During training, they help with capability transfer. Fine-tuning a student model on step-by-step reasoning traces generated by a teacher model can transfer much of the latter’s reasoning capability, substantially outperforming fine-tuning on final answers alone ( hinton2015distilling, ; gou2021know Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Mailbag https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786422639_0191_mailbag ep_1786422639_0191_mailbag Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:30:39 +0000 3:38 full false Verheij syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by the impairment of splicing, a critical process in RNA processing. Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging have demonstrated that this disruption affects metabolic pathways that rely on vitamin B12. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786408107_0190_beyond_bench ep_1786408107_0190_beyond_bench Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:28:27 +0000 4:01 full false Because strictly vertically transmitted feminizing microsporidia form no purifiable environmental spore and cannot be separated from host cells, the authors sequenced symbiont and host genomic DNA together and built a computational strategy to resolve separate assemblies for three microsporidia species (Nosema granulosis, Dictyocoela muelleri, Dictyocoela roeselum) plus a draft genome of the host Gammarus roeselii, then showed by comparison with feminizing Wolbachia that feminization evolved independently in a eukaryote and a bacterium, nominating candidate genes with DNA-binding and membrane-fusion functions. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Organelle Hour https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786393600_0189_organelle_hour ep_1786393600_0189_organelle_hour Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:26:40 +0000 4:33 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786379047_0188_today_bio ep_1786379047_0188_today_bio Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:24:07 +0000 4:17 full false On one blind set of 2,000 manually curated nanopore events, a two-layer CNN reading 56x56 pixel images of raw ionic-current traces classified target-bound versus unbound DNA-barcoded probes at accuracy/precision/recall 0.99 and ROC AUC 1.00, against 0.72 and 0.68 accuracy for hand-thresholded moving-standard-deviation and spectral-entropy methods whose failures were almost entirely false negatives; Grad-CAM confirmed the network attended to the delay plateau and not the barcode. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. AI for Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786364504_0187_ai_for_bio ep_1786364504_0187_ai_for_bio Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:21:44 +0000 4:13 full false Tracing the roots of The Physics of Being Alive across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786349982_0186_the_arc ep_1786349982_0186_the_arc Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:19:42 +0000 9:02 full false All cells in the human body—and the motions they enable, from our beating hearts to our wiggling toes—use energy generated by a molecule called ATP. Its energy is thought to be released to fuel cellular processes in only one way: when ATP's decomposition is initiated by an enzyme, a specific type of protein. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786335297_0185_fresh_preprints ep_1786335297_0185_fresh_preprints Mon, 10 Aug 2026 04:14:57 +0000 3:00 full false A redesigned, transposon-deliverable CRAfT sensor — Cre fusions in the donor, loxP resistance switch in the recipient — detects interbacterial protein translocation through a conjugative T4SS at ~100% per donor cell for a Cre-relaxase fusion, against 0.1–1% per donor for transfer of the plasmid itself, and shows that the FicT toxin VbhT of Bartonella schoenbuchensis is an interbacterial effector of the conjugative Vbh T4SS, making it an evolutionary intermediate between a toxin-antitoxin module and a host-targeted effector. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Weird Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786320807_0184_weird_bio ep_1786320807_0184_weird_bio Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:13:27 +0000 5:41 full false Extracellular vesicle-like nanoparticles isolated from Lycium barbarum fruit by differential and 150,000 x g ultracentrifugation with an 8/30/45/60% sucrose gradient, then decorated with a bone-targeting SDSSD peptide via DSPE-PEG2000 hydrophobic insertion, showed a distinct propensity for mitochondrial localisation in BMSCs and delivered plant miR167a-5p that directly targets the mitochondrial carrier gene SLC25A26 to shift metabolism toward oxidative phosphorylation. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Mito Hour https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786306265_0183_mito_hour ep_1786306265_0183_mito_hour Sun, 09 Aug 2026 20:11:05 +0000 4:56 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786291708_0182_today_ai ep_1786291708_0182_today_ai Sun, 09 Aug 2026 16:08:28 +0000 5:24 full false Tracing the roots of Life's Power Plants across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786277140_0181_the_arc ep_1786277140_0181_the_arc Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:05:40 +0000 10:37 full false An international research team led by plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Cologne, the MiBiNet Collaborative Research Center and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant Sciences has identified the region of the genome in the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae responsible for producing a specific protein that the pathogen secretes during infection. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786262424_0180_beyond_bench ep_1786262424_0180_beyond_bench Sun, 09 Aug 2026 08:00:24 +0000 3:59 full false Conjugation from E. coli transfers both replicating and nonreplicating plasmids into Deinococcus radiodurans where chemical transformation fails for large constructs, enables sequential gene deletions by replacing four restriction-modification genes with resistance markers, and — via a nonreplicating plasmid carrying 1 kb of homology to McrC — captures the entire 178 kb, ~62% G+C MP1 megaplasmid as a ~190 kb clone propagated in E. coli and verified by MinION sequencing. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Delivery & Engineering Toolbox https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786248036_0179_toolbox ep_1786248036_0179_toolbox Sun, 09 Aug 2026 04:00:36 +0000 6:54 full false Tracing the roots of Plasmids That Go Anywhere across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786233377_0177_the_arc ep_1786233377_0177_the_arc Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:56:17 +0000 9:34 full false All living organisms need vitamin B12 to form red blood cells and DNA, as well as to build and support brain and nerve cells. But it's hard to come by: Humans don't make it. Animals don't make it. Plants don't make it. In fact, this essential nutrient is made exclusively by certain bacteria and archaea. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. In the Press https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786218759_0176_in_the_press ep_1786218759_0176_in_the_press Sat, 08 Aug 2026 19:52:39 +0000 4:37 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786204217_0175_today_bio ep_1786204217_0175_today_bio Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:50:17 +0000 5:25 full false A review led by the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has revealed that tiny ground-dwelling invertebrates are overlooked but important seed dispersers, challenging the traditional focus on birds and mammals and offering new insights into forest regeneration and biodiversity conservation. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Menagerie https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786189785_0174_menagerie ep_1786189785_0174_menagerie Sat, 08 Aug 2026 11:49:45 +0000 4:38 full false Tracing the roots of Teaching Machines to Read DNA across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786175240_0172_the_arc ep_1786175240_0172_the_arc Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:47:20 +0000 9:29 full false Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a platform that pinpoints genetic triggers that turn microbes into efficient factories for new chemicals and materials. The method enables rapid, precise reprogramming of bacteria as biotechnology tools, supporting domestic production of valuable products and recovery of critical minerals and materials to enhance the nation's supply chains and global competitiveness. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Angle https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786160573_0171_the_angle ep_1786160573_0171_the_angle Sat, 08 Aug 2026 03:42:53 +0000 4:07 full false When scientists want to create a protein that can potentially treat disease, one approach is to begin with a different protein and evolve it in the lab, selecting over many generations for versions with a new, desired function. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786146068_0170_fresh_preprints ep_1786146068_0170_fresh_preprints Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:41:08 +0000 3:49 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786131586_0169_today_ai ep_1786131586_0169_today_ai Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:39:46 +0000 4:39 full false Tracing the roots of Turning Viruses Into Tools across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786117056_0168_the_arc ep_1786117056_0168_the_arc Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:37:36 +0000 9:16 full false Nature article: "The race to build the first quantum computer" Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Mailbag https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786102378_0167_mailbag ep_1786102378_0167_mailbag Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:32:58 +0000 3:13 full false The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is widely distributed across Eurasia and has also colonized the Japanese archipelago, where two subspecies are recognized: the Japanese wild boar (JWB, Sus scrofa leucomystax) and the Ryukyu wild boar (RWB, Sus scrofa riukiuanus). Before this study, whole-genome sequence data were available for only a single wild boar from Japan whose geographic origin was unknown. As a result, the genetic relationship between JWB and RWB, as well as their evolutionary relationships with continental wild boar populations, remained unclear. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786088013_0166_beyond_bench ep_1786088013_0166_beyond_bench Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:33:33 +0000 4:15 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786073629_0164_today_bio ep_1786073629_0164_today_bio Fri, 07 Aug 2026 03:33:49 +0000 6:24 full false Tracing the roots of Creatures Worth Meeting across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786059053_0162_the_arc ep_1786059053_0162_the_arc Thu, 06 Aug 2026 23:30:53 +0000 9:11 full false How and where did the first forms of life arise? These are the main questions driving research at the Institute of Molecular Evolution at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU). In a new publication in Science Advances, an international team led by Düsseldorf biologists uncovers pioneering insights into the network of chemical reactions that the very first cells used to make the building blocks of life and the energy sources they used to drive those reactions. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786044517_0161_fresh_preprints ep_1786044517_0161_fresh_preprints Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:28:37 +0000 4:44 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786029988_0158_today_ai ep_1786029988_0158_today_ai Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:26:28 +0000 5:08 full false Tracing the roots of Turning Viruses Into Tools across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786015409_0157_the_arc ep_1786015409_0157_the_arc Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:23:29 +0000 9:27 full false Cells can switch off genes by tightly packaging DNA around proteins called histones. However, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that under certain conditions, this packaging acts more like molasses than a solid, allowing a specially designed chemical adapter to shuttle gene-activating proteins through the packaging to the silenced gene inside. In addition, the researchers showed that this process reactivates the gene frataxin, which is abnormally silenced in the neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia. The study, published today in Nature Cell Biology, c Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1786000844_0156_beyond_bench ep_1786000844_0156_beyond_bench Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:20:44 +0000 4:40 full false Tracing the roots of The Physics of Being Alive across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785986297_0153_the_arc ep_1785986297_0153_the_arc Thu, 06 Aug 2026 03:18:17 +0000 9:39 full false Nature, Published online: 05 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10843-7Integration of genome-scale CRISPR screening data from traditional cell lines and next-generation cancer models expands the representation of tumour subtypes and genomic alterations in The Cancer Dependency Map. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. In the Press https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785971641_0152_in_the_press ep_1785971641_0152_in_the_press Wed, 05 Aug 2026 23:14:01 +0000 5:04 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785957202_0151_today_bio ep_1785957202_0151_today_bio Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:13:22 +0000 4:34 full false The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, spreads serious pathogens, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, Rickettsia and Theileria, and its bite can cause a meat allergy in humans. Once confined to Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China and Russia, the ticks have expanded across Oceania, and in 2017, they were detected in the United States. Perhaps contributing to this spread is the ability of some female ticks to produce offspring without fertilization by a male: a feat known as parthenogenesis. Only parthenogenetic ticks—the vast majority of which a Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Weird Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785942692_0149_weird_bio ep_1785942692_0149_weird_bio Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:11:32 +0000 2:48 full false Tracing the roots of Life's Power Plants across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785928186_0148_the_arc ep_1785928186_0148_the_arc Wed, 05 Aug 2026 11:09:46 +0000 9:32 full false La Trobe University scientists have uncovered the critical role fatty cell structures play in our body's early detection and defense against viruses. Published in Nature Communications, the discovery could open the door to a new type of antiviral strategy that harnesses the body's innate defense mechanisms rather than targeting individual viruses. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Angle https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785913453_0147_the_angle ep_1785913453_0147_the_angle Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:04:13 +0000 3:48 full false An international study led by researchers from the University of Tartu shows that approximately 470 million years ago, a significant ecological change took place in the world's oceans: For the first time, the interiors of empty mollusk shells began to be used as habitats. This marked the emergence of a new ecological niche and was a crucial step in the development of a marine ecosystem similar to today's. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785898928_0146_fresh_preprints ep_1785898928_0146_fresh_preprints Wed, 05 Aug 2026 03:02:08 +0000 3:25 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785884416_0145_today_ai ep_1785884416_0145_today_ai Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:00:16 +0000 4:51 full false Tracing the roots of Plasmids That Go Anywhere across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785869894_0144_the_arc ep_1785869894_0144_the_arc Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:58:14 +0000 9:41 full false Turning of (Ph)age: Expanding the therapeutic potential of our viral allies (biorxiv preprint) Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Mailbag https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785855206_0143_mailbag ep_1785855206_0143_mailbag Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:53:26 +0000 3:29 full false For cells to function properly, they must produce the right amount of each protein. It is a delicate balance: Both too little and too much can compromise essential cellular functions. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has now shown that even a modest excess of tubulin—the protein that assembles into microtubules, the cell's internal scaffolding—is enough to disrupt tissue architecture and reduce cell viability. Published in Nature Communications, the study demonstrates that the quantity of a protein is just as important as its function. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785840844_0142_beyond_bench ep_1785840844_0142_beyond_bench Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:54:04 +0000 4:54 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785826423_0140_today_bio ep_1785826423_0140_today_bio Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:53:43 +0000 4:29 full false Tracing the roots of The Cell Within the Cell across 6 papers. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785811898_0138_the_arc ep_1785811898_0138_the_arc Tue, 04 Aug 2026 02:51:38 +0000 9:22 full false The enzyme tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) chemically modifies transfer RNA (tRNA) and plays a key role in how disease-causing bacteria control the production of proteins needed to cause infection. E. coli TGT is nearly identical to the one found in Shigella, which causes the intestinal infection shigellosis. Traditionally, scientists have used E. coli TGT as a primary model to understand how TGT works; however, they have struggled to visualize the atomic structure of E. coli TGT because the protein is difficult to crystallize, limiting their ability to learn more about the enzyme. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Fresh Preprints https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785797257_0137_fresh_preprints ep_1785797257_0137_fresh_preprints Mon, 03 Aug 2026 22:47:37 +0000 3:22 full false Deeper than we thought was possible.ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Weird Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785782873_0136_weird_bio ep_1785782873_0136_weird_bio Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:47:53 +0000 4:27 full false What's happening in AI right now. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Today in AI https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785768339_0134_today_ai ep_1785768339_0134_today_ai Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:45:39 +0000 6:13 full false Tracing the roots of Plasmids That Go Anywhere across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785753769_0133_the_arc ep_1785753769_0133_the_arc Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:42:49 +0000 10:21 full false Antibiotics are a medical marvel, but many microbes are gaining the ability to resist and tolerate these therapeutics. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have uncovered how S. pneumoniae adapts to antibiotic exposure and immune pressures. Their findings reveal that changes in RNA regulation enable bacteria to enter a state of antibiotic tolerance. The results provide a deeper understanding of how pathogens survive treatment and could inform strategies to improve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics. The findings were published in Cell Host & Microbe. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. Beyond the Bench https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785739172_0132_beyond_bench ep_1785739172_0132_beyond_bench Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:39:32 +0000 4:27 full false Tracing the roots of Creatures Worth Meeting across 6 papers. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. The Arc https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785724645_0129_the_arc ep_1785724645_0129_the_arc Mon, 03 Aug 2026 02:37:25 +0000 9:24 full false A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) confirms that the presence of fungal food resources is important for supporting the reintroduction of two threatened marsupials to the Shark Bay World Heritage area, which could simultaneously advance species conservation and ecosystem restoration. This study, led by Edith Cowan University Ph.D. candidate Rebecca Quah, took place at six sites across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including Dirk Hartog Island in Shark Bay. Hosted by Sofia & Daniel. In the Press https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785710008_0128_in_the_press ep_1785710008_0128_in_the_press Sun, 02 Aug 2026 22:33:28 +0000 4:29 full false What's happening in Biology right now. Hosted by Theo & Dr. Mara. Today in Biology https://radio.cultivarium.org/e/ep_1785695686_0127_today_bio ep_1785695686_0127_today_bio Sun, 02 Aug 2026 18:34:46 +0000 5:27 full false