Recent research has made significant progress in understanding the universe and the human brain. In astrophysics, scientists have identified a new category of supernovas that could help us better understand the behavior of massive stars.
Researchers at Cortical Labs, an Australian startup, used a biological computer called DishBrain to compare the learning efficiency of machine learning algorithms with those of living neural cultures. The results showed that brain cells learn and reorganize more quickly and effectively than machines.
The study’s lead author, Moein Khajehnejad, stated, “We were able to uncover the internal plasticity and network reconfiguration patterns that accompany learning in biological neural cultures.” This finding has implications for the development of new computing technologies inspired by the human brain.
In other news, astronomers have observed a strange explosion 730 million light-years from Earth, which could be the first-ever recorded supernova of its kind. The massive star is believed to have died trying to consume a companion black hole. Researchers propose that this catastrophic encounter triggered the supernova.
Additionally, researchers have found that gut bacteria can feed on common food thickeners based on derivatives of cellulose, challenging previous assumptions about their digestive fate. A new study also quantifies the risk of depression among patients with vitiligo, an autoimmune skin disease characterized by loss of pigmentation.
The study, which analyzed data from 1,087 patients with vitiligo and 5,435 without the condition, found that having vitiligo was associated with an increased risk of depression. The risk was particularly high among Black and Hispanic patients. Researchers suggest integrating dermatology and psychiatric care models to better address these challenges.
These breakthroughs demonstrate the exciting progress being made in our understanding of the universe and human biology.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-08-saturday-citations-category-supernovas-neurons.html