The brain builds a sentence neuron by neuron

Hello Nature readers,
Today we investigate a cross-species transplant that could reveal clues about the origin of animals. Plus, we learn how individual brain cells help us build sentences and delve into the history of GPS.

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‘Organizers’ in jellies hint at animal origins

Researchers have discovered a new ‘embryonic organizer’ in marine predators called comb jellies (Ctenophora) and successfully transplanted them into sea anemones (Cnidaria). Organizer cells determine an organism’s body axis — a map that plots where various parts of the embryo should develop. After the transplant, the anemones developed a second body axis, complete with extra mouths and pharynxes. The findings support the idea that the emergence of organizing activity was a key step in animal evolution, says evolutionary developmental biologist Ulrich Technau.

How the brain builds a sentence

Researchers have tracked the electrical activity of individual brain cells during conversation in real time, capturing how sentences are built before a single word is spoken. By observing these neurons in a brain region called the frontotemporal cortex, scientists have discovered that individual neurons act as specialized linguistic building blocks. “We used to think language was this diffuse, whole-network phenomenon,” says neurosurgeon and study co-author Ziv Williams. “But it turns out you have specific neurons that only care if a word is a noun, or only care if a phrase is ending.”

Post-Brexit research rifts begin to heal

Ten years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, the UK is set to rejoin Erasmus+, an EU exchange scheme used by PhD students and university staff. And the UK’s share of the EU’s flagship Horizon Europe funding scheme has begun to recover after the country rejoined the programme in 2024. But hurdles remain, such as how much input the UK might have in the next iteration of Horizon Europe, and the country’s increasingly inhospitable visa requirements for researchers and students.

Brain freeze lessens stroke damage in mice

Sharply lowering body temperature with two well-established drugs reduces stroke-related brain damage in mice. Mice given the drugs during a stroke had less dead brain tissue than did those that didn’t receive them, and scored better on a post-stroke neurological assessment. A clinical trial in people showed that the drugs were safe, but ineffective at the doses tested. Researchers are now planning a second trial to administer the drugs to people over a shorter timeframe, which they hope will improve outcomes.

The great gopher tortoise shuffle

To accommodate the booming population of Florida, housing complexes are popping up left, right and centre. Before construction projects can start, developers are required to relocate any gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) on the land. More than 97,000 tortoises have been moved around the state since 2009 in an attempt to conserve this vulnerable species. But scientists aren’t sure whether it’s working. The move is stressful for the reptiles, and could introduce them to unfamiliar diseases, both of which can impact their reproduction rates.

The first GPS fakers

In her new book Little Blue Dot, energy reporter Katherine Dunn explores how the satellite-based navigation network known as GPS evolved from a military tool to a cornerstone of everyday life. In an excerpt, she tells the tale of engineer Todd Humphreys, who showed that GPS ‘spoofers’ could manipulate the system in dangerous ways, such as to crash a drone or to steal a superyacht.

Video: 13,000 baby seals killed by bird flu

Distressing images recorded on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands in the far south of the Indian Ocean show that more than three-quarters of its young southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) have been killed by H5N1 avian influenza. Infections and deaths were also seen among penguin species. The islands make up an uninhabited nature reserve managed by the Australian government.