121. Fat Cells and The Brain, Producing Hydrogen at Room Temp, JWST’s First Exoplanet Image

Summary: Show Notes: Researchers discover new way fat cells talk directly with the brain | New Atlas (01:36) Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute have discovered a novel communication pathway between fat cells and the brain. Brain doesn’t regulate fat burning by just slowly responding to hormonal signals in the blood. (traditional view) But can directly send messages to fat tissue and influence metabolic processes. The researchers use 2 new ways of looking at the fat tissue: 1.  HYBRiD - This method renders fat tissue transparent, allowing researchers a unique window into the paths of neurons.  2. ROOT, and it lets the researchers study exactly how certain neurons localized in fat tissue communicate with other parts of the body. The big finding from the study was the discovery of sensory neurons that branch out from the spine into fat tissue.  Directly communicate with a part of the brain called the dorsal root ganglia. Co-senior author Li Ye, stated on this finding: “The discovery of these neurons suggests for the first time that your brain is actively surveying your fat, rather than just passively receiving messages about it … The implications of this finding are profound.” Researchers found by blocking communication from these sensory neurons the sympathetic nervous system kicked into gear and began converting the white fat cells into brown fat.  Stepping up the body’s fat-burning processes.  All this finding can clearly establish at this stage is that the newly discovered sensory neuron communication pathway is crucial for keeping fat tissue healthy. Two-Seater eVTOL Will Be Used to Train Pilots for Flying Taxis | Singularity Hub (07:38) London-based SkyFly has recently started taking pre-orders on a personal eVTOL called the Axe. It seats two, different the others trying to hit the market (seat one) Unlike its peers, the Axe has a fixed-wing design, so it’s able to take off and land both vertically and in the conventional way. Vertical takeoff: Four propellers (4 ft diameter) lifts it off the ground, and once airborne, the body tilts forward to gain speed.  Eight 35-kilowatt electric engines power the plane Mounted at a 45-degree angle and don’t rotate. Wingspan is 16.4 feet  Larger than any of the other personal aircraft Weighs 944 pounds (lithium battery pack accounts for a good portion of that total) Lift a maximum weight of 379 pounds.  Its top speed is 100 miles per hour, and its range is 100 miles (200 if you add an optional range extender). Skyfly is aiming for its customer base to be made up of people who are already licensed pilots and/or own their own aircraft, and those who want to become pilots. Right now there’s not only a shortage of pilots for commercial aircraft, there’s not a cost-effective way to train new pilots either.  And Skyfly CEO Michael Thompson wants the Axe to serve as a general aviation platform for pilots in training. SkyFly is taking pre-orders at a base price of US$175k. The company is planning to start production in 2024. A  Simple Way to Produce Hydrogen From Water at Room Temperature | ScienceAlert (15:52) A new study out of University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), provides us with another promising step in Hydrogen clean fuel, provided you can make use of existing supplies of post-consumer aluminum and gallium. Discovered a simple method involving aluminum nanoparticles that are able to strip the oxygen from water molecules and leave hydrogen gas. yields large amounts of hydrogen, and it all works at room temperature. This discovery removes one of the big barriers to hydrogen fuel production: the large amounts of power required to produce it using existing methods. Works with any kind of water, too, including wastewater and ocean water. Materials scientist Scott Oliver from UCSC seemed surprised by this process: "We don't need any energy input, and it bubbles hydrogen like crazy … I've never seen anyth