A recent study analyzed the paintings of five orangutans in a Japanese zoo and found that these paintings—especially the painting of an orangutan Molly—are related to environmental factors such as seasons, daily life events, and even changes in the status of the keeper. A total of 790 drawings of orangutans were studied, of which 656 were randomly selected from the drawings drawn by Molly. Researchers found differences in color preference associated with the current season; orangutans tend to use purple in spring and green in summer and winter. In addition, when another orangutan gave birth in a different place, Molly used more red in her paintings. The content and pattern of the painting also changed with the more ordinary daily events in Molly's life. These included new art supplies one day, when a primary school class visited another class, and changing her breeder once during the experiment.

Orangutans and humans share 97% of the common genetic heritage. Compared with other primates, they have a certain degree of high motor control ability, making them ideal candidates for studying similar human behaviors. Researchers believe that their findings can also be applied to humans to determine how human artistic abilities are affected by their mental state, and how external events affect internal thoughts or feelings. Molly’s paintings show that, like humans, other primates are capable of engaging in pleasurable activities or pleasurable games without rewarding motivation.

Although this sounds like something from a science fiction movie, researchers have recently designed a tumor-targeted bacteria that can act as a cell explosive-exploding and destroying cancer cells according to instructions.

If these engineered bacteria are TNT, then their gunpowder will be air bags wrapped in protein, called bubbles. These cells are naturally produced and released, and when exposed to sound waves of a specific frequency, they can induce bubble bursting. In addition, the researchers added proteins to the surface of the air sacs, allowing them to use the body's natural immune response to recognize and bind cancer cells. As a result, when the tumor-filled area of ​​the body containing these bacteria is affected by strong ultrasound, these vesicles will rupture and cause an implosion sufficient to destroy the tumor.

In their trials, the researchers compared engineered bacterial treatments with new anti-cancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors, which allow the patient's immune system to naturally target and destroy cancer. These two treatments are performed on mice with tumors, which are often used as model organisms in cancer research. The researchers observed that mice receiving engineered bacteria lived twice as long as mice receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors, further demonstrating the effectiveness of this new technology as a treatment for cancer. Although they may not become common practice anytime soon, synthetic biology techniques may provide an interesting opportunity because modern medicine hopes to cure diseases as old as humans themselves.

Researchers recently used cellulose extracted from wood pulp to create a non-toxic, biodegradable glitter, which has potential applications in the cosmetics industry. This new flash comes from the same substances that make up plant cell walls and could one day replace existing commercial products. Many current glitter powders contain microplastics or mica, a mineral that is often mined under unethical working conditions. According to a study published in "Nature Materials" on November 11, cellulose glitter is comparable to traditional glitter in terms of its iridescent luster and longevity.

In order to produce flashes, scientists spread cellulose nanocrystals into a thin, several-meter-long film. After preparation, the sheet is ground into tiny particles. Because of how they bend and reflect light, cellulose nanocrystals look shiny without adding any dyes. This phenomenon is called structural color. Compared with traditional manufacturing methods, manufacturing cellulose glitter materials is less energy intensive because the iridescent colors of traditional glitter materials come from mineral coatings, which usually must be heated at temperatures as high as 800 degrees Celsius.

Previous experiments produced iridescent cellulose films in small petri dishes, but this is the first time the process has been successful on an industrial scale. The researchers intend to improve the manufacturing process and purchase their environmentally friendly flashes in the future.