Supermassive black holes are found at the centre of galaxies across the universe. But observations of galaxies with more than one – caused by the merging of two galaxies – have been rare. Now, researchers have combined data from a number of telescopes and satellites, to reveal a pair of supermassive blackholes farther from Earth than any pair detected previously. They hope this will offer insights into how galaxies form.
Research article: Chen et al.
News and Views: Distant supermassive black holes spotted in galaxy merger
Why appetite can increase after dieting, and gliding mammals’ flight-associated genes.
Research Highlight: Can’t keep off lost weight? Blame your ‘hunger cells’
Research Highlight: How gliding mammals developed the flaps for ‘flight’
A team of researchers and clinicians report results of a clinical trial designed to test the ability of an AI to accurately interpret echocardiogram images – a technique frequently used to assess heart health. The results showed that the AI was as good at measuring a metric of cardiac function as a trained human, but was able to speed up the diagnosing process, suggesting this method could play a role in improving healthcare in future.
Research article: He et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we hear the ultrasonic sounds that stressed plants make, and discuss a 3D printed glass made from amino acids.
Nature News: Stressed plants ‘cry’ — and some animals can probably hear them
Nature News: 3D-printable glass is made from proteins and biodegrades