This stretchy neural implant grows with an axolotl's brain

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Jun 11, 2025

Jia Liu, a Harvard researcher, discusses an innovative soft brain implant capable of growing with amphibian embryos, allowing for better monitoring of neural activity during development. This technology aims to enhance our understanding of brain function and potential treatments for neurological conditions. Alex Kashkin, a mechanical engineer from MIT, shares his revolutionary technique that combines AI with mechanical engineering to repair damaged paintings efficiently, promising quicker restoration while preserving artistic integrity.

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INSIGHT

Brain Activity Affects Regeneration

Axolotl brain activity reverts to an early developmental stage during tail regeneration.
Stimulating synchronized brain activity accelerates the axolotl's regeneration process.

ADVICE

Consider Ethics in Neural Implants

Ethical considerations must precede neural implant studies in developing embryos.
Researchers should evaluate the impact of implants on development to avoid unintended harmful effects.

INSIGHT

Evaporating Exoplanet's Fate Revealed

Large exoplanet HAT-P-67b is evaporating and will disintegrate within 500 million years.
Its host star became active recently, explaining the planet's brief survival despite intense radiation.

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00:45 A flexible neural-implant that grows with the brain

Researchers have developed a soft electronic implant that can measure brain activity of amphibian embryos as they develop. Understanding the neural activity of developing brains is a key aim for neuroscientists, but conventional, rigid probes can damage growing brains. To overcome this, a team have developed a flexible mesh that stretches with the brain and tested it by monitoring single neuron activity during development of frog and axolotl embryos. More testing and ethical considerations will be required, but the researchers hope that eventually such implants could help with neurological conditions that affect humans.

Research article: Sheng et al.

13:11 Research Highlights

The exoplanet slowly evaporating into space, and cockatoos that have figured out an innovative way to stay hydrated.

Research Highlight: Solved: the mystery of the evaporating planet

Research Highlight: Clever cockatoos learn an easy way to quench their thirst

15:30 An AI-based way to repair damaged paintings

By combining AI tools with mechanical engineering techniques, a researcher has developed a new way to speed up the restoration of damaged paintings. The technique creates a removable mask that can be overlaid onto a painting to cover any damage apparent in the artwork. It was successfully tested on an oil painting, fixing a large number of damaged areas in only a few hours. This could offer a significant speed-boost to painting restoration, which can often take months, or even years.

Research article: Kachkine

Video: Meet the engineer who invented an AI-powered way to restore art

27:36 Briefing Chat

A new ranking system could make it easier to spot universities that are chasing publishing metrics at the expense of rigorous science, and evidence that cutting off rhinos’ horns deters poachers.

Nature: ‘Integrity index’ flags universities with high retraction rates

AP: Cutting off rhinos’ horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works

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