Molecule

The American Physical Society highlights research using quantum light to probe how solvents affect molecular behaviour. The work suggests that using quantum states of light can reveal solvent-induced changes in molecules more precisely than classical light, with potential implications for chemistry and materials science.

Researchers have described a method for embedding watermarks into proteins designed by artificial intelligence while keeping the molecules' function intact. The approach, published in Nature, would allow lab-designed proteins to be identified as AI-generated without disrupting how they work. It is being discussed as a possible step toward transparency and traceability in synthetic biology and AI-assisted protein design.

The Economist reports that creating "mirror life" — organisms built from mirror-image versions of biological molecules — may soon be within reach of science. Such synthetic life forms, based on right-handed amino acids and left-handed DNA instead of the standard versions, could behave in unfamiliar ways. Discussion is focusing on what this would mean for biology, biotechnology safety and the risks of organisms that existing life might not be able to interact with or control.

A Wayne State University chemist has published research explaining how organisms detect carbon monoxide, a gas better known as a deadly poison but also used by cells as a signalling and energy-related molecule. The work, reported via Newswise, looks at the natural molecular sensors that respond to carbon monoxide, shedding light on how biology turns a toxic gas into a useful cellular fuel. Further details of the findings and their implications are limited.