Surprising discovery reveals mitochondrial “energy factories” come in two different types

Download Podcast about nature November 6, 2024

In this issue:

00:46 Mitochondria share their jobs to help cells thrive

Researchers have discovered that mitochondria split into two distinct forms when cells are starved, a discovery that could help explain how some cancers thrive in hostile conditions. Mitochondria are the cellular powerhouses, creating energy and vital metabolic molecules, but how they are able to do this when resources are limited remains a mystery. It turns out that when there is a lack of nutrients, mitochondria break down into two separate types, one of which concentrates on energy production, and the other on the production of essential cellular building blocks. Together they allow cells to produce everything they need. The team showed that this also happens in some cancer cells, which may help them survive and grow in the body’s harsh environment.

Research article: Ryu et al.

News and views: Division of labor: mitochondria are broken down to meet energy needs

Video: New type of mitochondria

07:53 Research highlights

A neat genome could explain the long lifespan of naked mole rats and why midlife crises may not be as ubiquitous as previously thought.

Highlights of the study: Naked mole rats defeat genetic ghosts and achieve long life

Highlights of the study: Midlife crisis is not universal

10:41 An amazing way to capture the shape of an atomic nucleus

Physicists have developed a new method of imaging the shape of atomic nuclei – by colliding them. The nucleus of an atom doesn’t actually look like what’s shown in textbooks—it actually comes in a variety of shapes that determine how the element behaves. Current techniques essentially take a long-exposure photograph of the nucleus of an atom, which does not capture subtle changes in the way protons and neutrons are arranged. The new method overcomes this problem by smashing nuclei together and then using information from the resulting debris to reconstruct the shape of the nucleus. Researchers hope that this method will help physicists uncover many more mysteries of atomic nuclei.

Research article: STAR Cooperation

News and views: Rare images of an atomic nucleus in the shape of a kiwi

News: Scientists have developed the shape of atomic nuclei by blowing them up

19:51 Briefing chat

An analysis of the ancient clone forest’s genome has revealed that it could be up to 80,000 years old, and that placing limits on the famous infinite apes theorem means they probably won’t be producing Shakespeare until the end of the universe.

Nature: The oldest tree in the world? Genetic analysis traces the evolution of the iconic Pando forest

Guardian: The universe will die before a monkey with a keyboard writes Shakespeare, study shows

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