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Naked mole rat (Glaber heterocephaly) queens produce a chemical that prevents other females in their colony from reproducing. The smell of isopropyl myristate, which is also a common ingredient in skin care products, disrupts hormone production in other women, trapping them in a prepubescence-like state. The researchers found that the chemical alone can maintain the status quo in mole rat colonies when the queen is not physically present. The study solves the “long-standing mystery” of why only one female breeds in a colony of naked mole rats, says behavioral scientist Melissa Holmes.

Nature | 4 min read or watch the video 12 min

Reference: Nature paper

Exposure to microgravity aboard the International Space Station triggers mitochondria in human cells and Caenorhabditis elegans worms to produce less protein. The effect appears to be caused by a disruption of cell adhesion (the ability of cells to attach to proteins on their surface) caused by microgravity. The findings could help explain why astronauts’ bone and muscle mass decreases after a stay in space.

Nature | 5 minutes of reading

Reference: Nature Communications paper

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) triggers a particularly strong immune response from a particular type of T cell, suggesting why the virus is implicated in the development of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers found that CD4 activity⁺ T cells in response to EBV were twice as high in people with MS compared to people without the disease, but responsiveness was markedly decreased when CD4 was administered.⁺ the cells were exhausted. A treatment that depletes B cells, the immune cells that EBV infects, also reduced CD4⁺ response, because the cells had fewer stimuli to respond to.

Nature | 5 minutes of reading

Reference: Scientific translational medicine paper

U.S. health officials are racing to pinpoint the origins of a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a diarrheal disease. The parasite that causes the disease, Cyclospora cayetanensisIt is difficult to track because there is a delay between consumption of contaminated food and the appearance of symptoms, researchers say. Efforts are also complicated by cuts to health agencies made by the US government. “The number of staff working on these outbreaks is not what it used to be,” says Joel Barratt, former leader of the parasite surveillance team at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nature | 6 minutes of reading

Image of the week

This little guy is a likweli, a type of monkey that has been confirmed as a new species to science: Colobus congoensis. The elusive species was first discovered by researchers in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2008 and specimens have been sought ever since. It is only the fifth new species of monkey described in Africa since the early 1950s. Researchers hope a designation will allow officials to designate the species as protected, so it cannot be hunted for meat. (BBC | 5 minute read)Reference: PLUS one article (Junior Amboko (CC-BY 4.0))

Features and opinion

Two recent major reports have presented ways to go beyond growth by simply focusing on improving life and protecting the Earth. But not all economists think these plans – which include ideas like global taxes on the very rich – are realistic. They argue that growth has a proven track record of reducing extreme poverty, and large-scale redistribution of wealth will never fly politically. Or it could be a matter of fine-tuning growth, rather than abandoning it. “Green growth,” for example, depends on cleaner technologies, while “degrowth” strategies that simply involve producing and consuming less could be implemented at certain scales, such as in cities.

Nature | 6 minutes of reading

Reference: Global Justice Report and Roadmap to Eradicate Poverty Beyond Growth

In South Carolina, members of a nonprofit organization are purposely burning down houses. The group is studying how flames pass through and spread between these custom-built homes to learn how to build homes that are more fire-resistant. As climate change makes wildfires more frequent, adjustments to the design of homes and entire neighborhoods could limit the damage caused by these destructive events, the team says.

The New York Times | 7 minute visual reading

What do you do if you love your research but not the difficult realities that come with experimenting on animals? Three researchers familiar with the work advise a doctoral student facing this problem that emotional reactions are valid. “When students are made fun of for showing emotions about research with animals, that reflects a problem with the culture of research,” says one of them, laboratory technician Fernando González-Uarquín. Self-care strategies, such as getting enough sleep and disconnecting from work each day, can help build resilience. And becoming more composed when performing animal procedures does not indicate a lack of empathy. “A calm and confident researcher handles animals better than a stressed one, which is important for animal well-being,” says González-Uarquín.

Nature | 10 minutes of reading

Today I am jealous of people who live in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Colorado. These lucky people still have the chance to see ‘Big Boy’, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, before its US tour ends.

I’m not a train spotter, but I find there’s something magical about seeing a steam engine at work in real life. Especially one that measures more than 10 meters and weighs more than 500,000 kilograms, I imagine.

Distract me from my jealousy with your comments on this newsletter. Send any feedback you have to briefing@nature.com.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob Smith, Associate Editor, Nature Briefing

With contributions from Flora Graham and Gemma Conroy

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