Pentagon Reportedly Testing Radio Wave Device Linked to ‘Havana Syndrome' This reported machine may be linked to “Havana syndrome,” a debated condition characterized by a strange panoply of symptoms that were experienced by U.S. officials stationed in Cuba Ten years ago U.S. officials stationed in Cuba started reporting a strange collection of symptoms, from ringing ears and dizziness to crushing headaches and memory loss. The symptoms, collectively dubbed “Havana syndrome” and more formally known as anomalous health incidents (AHIs), suggested a neurological issue. But what, exactly, the root cause was has remained a matter of intense debate among both medical and military experts. A device that could produce powerful pulsed radio waves is among the many speculated but unproven causes of Havana syndrome, which also include possible exposure to neurotoxins and mass psychogenic illness (collective anxiety). If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The results, published in 2024 in JAMA, showed no differences between the brains of these individuals and those of a control group. “It is possible that individuals with an [anomalous health incident] may be experiencing the results of an event that led to their symptoms, but the injury did not produce the long-term neuroimaging changes that are typically observed after severe trauma or stroke. We hope these results will alleviate concerns about AHI being associated with severe neurodegenerative changes in the brain,” said Carlo Pierpaoli, lead author of the NIH study, in a statement at the time. Claire Cameron is breaking news chief at Scientific American. Originally from Scotland, she moved to New York City in 2012. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, Slate, Inc. Magazine, Nautilus, Semafor, and elsewhere. If you enjoyed this article, I'd like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history. If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized. In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters.

Hormones such as progesterone and oxytocin play a major role in controlling this process. For years, however, researchers have also suspected that physical forces involved in pregnancy and birth, including stretching and pressure, contribute in important ways. New research from Scripps Research, published in Science, now shows how the uterus detects and responds to these physical forces at the molecular level. The findings shed light on why labor sometimes slows or begins too early and could guide future efforts to improve treatments for pregnancy and delivery complications. "As the fetus grows, the uterus expands dramatically, and those physical forces reach their peak during delivery," says senior author Ardem Patapoutian, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and the Presidential Endowed Chair in Neurobiology at Scripps Research. "Our study shows that the body relies on special pressure sensors to interpret these cues and translate them into coordinated muscle activity." In the new study, researchers found that PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 perform separate but complementary tasks during labor. It becomes activated as the baby stretches these tissues, triggering a neural reflex that boosts uterine contractions. If one pathway is disrupted, the other can partially compensate, helping labor continue. To test how essential these sensors are, the team used mouse models in which PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 were selectively removed from either uterine muscle or surrounding sensory nerves. Tiny pressure sensors measured contraction strength and timing during natural labor. These microscopic channels connect neighboring smooth muscle cells so they contract together rather than independently. When PIEZO signaling was reduced, connexin 43 levels dropped and contractions became less coordinated. "Connexin 43 is the wiring that allows all the muscle cells to act together," says first author Yunxiao Zhang, a postdoctoral research associate in Patapoutian's lab. This suggests that a comparable force-sensing system likely operates in people. The findings may help explain labor problems marked by weak or irregular contractions that prolong delivery. The results also align with clinical observations that fully blocking sensory nerves can lengthen labor. For those at risk of preterm labor, a PIEZO1 blocker, if developed, could work alongside current medications that relax uterine muscle by limiting calcium entry into cells. On the other hand, activating PIEZO channels might help restore contractions in stalled labor. Although these applications remain far off, the underlying biology is becoming clearer. The research team is now examining how mechanical sensing interacts with hormonal control during pregnancy. Earlier studies show that progesterone, the hormone that keeps the uterus relaxed, can suppress connexin 43 expression even when PIEZO channels are active. As progesterone levels fall near the end of pregnancy, PIEZO-driven calcium signals may help set labor in motion. "PIEZO channels and hormonal cues are two sides of the same system," points out Zhang. Some may respond to different signals and act as backup systems. It also plays a central role in one of biology's most critical processes. "Childbirth is a process where coordination and timing are everything," says Patapoutian. "We're now starting to understand how the uterus acts as both a muscle and a metronome to ensure that labor follows the body's own rhythm." In addition to Patapoutian and Zhang, authors of the study "PIEZO channels link mechanical forces to uterine contractions in parturition," include Sejal A. Kini, Sassan A. Mishkanian, Oleg Yarishkin, Renhao Luo, Saba Heydari Seradj, Verina H. Leung, Yu Wang, M. Rocío Servín-Vences, William T. Keenan, Utku Sonmez, Manuel Sanchez-Alavez, Yuejia Liu, Xin Jin, Li Ye and Michael Petrascheck of Scripps Research; Darren J. Lipomi of the University of California San Diego; and Antonina I. Frolova and Sarah K. England of WashU Medicine. Scientists Solve Mars Water Mystery With a Thin Layer of Ice Astronomers Weigh “Cotton Candy” Planets and Solve a Cosmic Mystery Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments.

For more than a century, scientists and food companies have been looking for ways to replicate the taste of sugar without its health drawbacks. The challenge has been finding something that delivers sugar's familiar flavor while avoiding excess calories, tooth decay, and increased risks of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes. Tagatose closely mimics the taste of table sugar and could offer a way to enjoy sweetness with fewer negative health effects. Tagatose exists naturally, but only in very small quantities compared with common sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. It appears in milk and other dairy products when lactose breaks down under heat or enzymatic activity, including during the production of yogurt, cheese, and kefir. Tiny amounts of tagatose are also present in fruits like apples, pineapples, and oranges. However, it typically makes up less than 0.2% of the sugars found in these natural sources. Because of this scarcity, tagatose is usually produced through manufacturing rather than extracted directly from foods. "There are established processes to produce tagatose, but they are inefficient and expensive," said Nik Nair, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering at Tufts. To address this problem, the research team developed a new production strategy using genetically engineered bacteria. This is much more economically feasible than our previous approach, which used less abundant and expensive galactose to make tagatose." The bacteria were modified to include a newly identified enzyme from slime mold called galactose-1-phosphate-selective phosphatase (Gal1P). This enzyme enables the bacteria to generate galactose directly from glucose. This represents a major improvement over traditional manufacturing techniques, which typically achieve yields ranging from 40 to 77%. This designation is shared by everyday ingredients such as salt, vinegar, and baking soda. One reason tagatose may be beneficial for people with diabetes is how the body processes it. Clinical studies have shown only minimal increases in plasma glucose or insulin after consumption. Because it is low in calories and poorly absorbed by the body, tagatose functions well as a "bulk sweetener." This means it can replace sugar not only for sweetness but also for the physical properties sugar provides in cooking and baking. "That allowed us to reverse a natural biological pathway that metabolizes galactose to glucose and instead generate galactose from glucose supplied as a feedstock. Tagatose and potentially other rare sugars can be synthesized from that point." Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Scientists Solve Mars Water Mystery With a Thin Layer of Ice Astronomers Weigh “Cotton Candy” Planets and Solve a Cosmic Mystery Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Or view our many newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments.