Endosymbiosis is a process in which a once free-living organism is incorporated into a cell. This can result in the organism becoming an organelle, a compartment within cells surrounded by membranes that performs specialized functions. Researchers may have found a new case of the extremely rare event. An organelle devoted to fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere is being observed in the process of specialization. Called a nitroplast, the organelle is limited to a single lineage of algae, likely due to its relatively recent origin, with the relationship between the nitroplast and its host cell only dating back about 100 million years.

Scientists have witnessed a rare phenomenon called primary endosymbiosis, where one microbial organism engulfs another and starts using it like an internal organ. The process results in the host cell providing nutrients, energy, protection, and other benefits to the symbiote, which eventually becomes an organelle. It is being observed in a species of algae which have engulfed a cyanobacterium, allowing the algae to obtain nitrogen straight from the air. The relationship between the two organisms started to evolve around 100 million years ago. Studying the process may provide a new path to incorporate nitrogen-fixing into plants to grow better crops.

Encasing fusion plasma inside tungsten allowed a tokamak in France to set a new record by sustaining plasma at about 50 million degrees Celsius for six minutes. Tungsten has an extraordinarily high melting point. Using a tungsten-wall environment is for more challenging than using carbon, but the material allows physicists to sustain hot plasmas for longer and at higher energies and densities. While research into nuclear fusion has been slow, the field has made significant strides over the last few years.

MIT researchers have developed an amber-like polymer that can be used for long-term storage of DNA. It can store DNA at room temperature while protecting the molecules from damage caused by heat or water. The DNA can be easily removed from the polymer without damage. The process of embedding DNA into the polymer takes a few hours, but the researchers believe that the process can be sped up with further optimization.

University of Michigan researchers have created mice with supercharged hearing abilities by dialing up the expression of a nerve growth gene called neurotrophin-3 (Ntf3). Previous research has shown that increasing Ntf3 expression can improve hearing in middle-aged mice and help recover some hearing in mice with damaged inner ears. The treatment works by increasing the number of connections between hair cells in the ear's cochlea and the brain. The researchers believe the treatment could potentially work in humans.

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly producing fraudulent research papers, infiltrating databases like Google Scholar alongside legitimate studies. These papers, often on controversial topics like health and the environment, pose significant risks to scientific integrity and public trust. Enhanced vigilance and more robust filtering in academic search engines are essential to curb this growing issue.