Science News for October 29, 2026

Grand Theft Astro

First individual-based model of basking sharks replicates complicated social and environmental drivers of behavior

A first for basking shark science, the model simulates shark movement and aggregations around the Inishowen Peninsula in Ireland from 1982 to 2018. It shows that social and environmental drivers, not food availability, drive the formation of surface aggregations.

How enzymes learn to distinguish between molecules

Researchers investigated plant enzymes' selectivity, finding that changes in the active site and other protein sites contribute to precision. The study reveals the evolutionary origin of molecular precision, shedding light on how enzymes adapt for biotechnological applications.

Angstrom-scale water channels help membranes recover lithium and purify salt

Scientists at Kobe University develop membrane that enables rapid lithium recovery and purification of salt from brines and seawater. The new membrane uses water-filled channels to selectively separate singly and multiply charged ions, overcoming the trade-off between transport efficiency and selectivity.

New cancer treatments could come from understanding diabetes

Researchers found that high blood sugar can reprogram immune cells to better control tumor growth, increasing cancer-fighting abilities. This understanding could lead to new cancer immunotherapies that mimic these changes.

End of COVID-era snap emergency food assistance linked to increased child maltreatment rates

A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that ending COVID-era SNAP Emergency Allotments was associated with increased child maltreatment rates, including neglect and physical abuse. The study suggests that policymakers should consider the role and level of nutrition assistance available to vulnerable families.

Ancestral enzyme redesigned with fewer amino acid types reveals new catalytic possibilities

A team of scientists from Waseda University has engineered ancestral nucleoside diphosphate kinase variants with restricted amino acid repertoires to explore alternative catalytic functions. One variant, Arc1-12KR, unexpectedly converted two ADP molecules into ATP and AMP, revealing a new catalytic pathway.