Scientists discover internal winds in cells linked to cancer spread

April 01, 2026

Reported by AI

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified hidden fluid flows inside cells that rapidly transport proteins to the leading edge, challenging traditional views of cellular movement. The discovery, made during a classroom experiment, could explain why some cancer cells spread aggressively. The findings appear in Nature Communications.

Catherine Galbraith and James Galbraith, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University, uncovered the cellular mechanism while leading a neurobiology course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts. Using a laser to track protein movement, they observed an unexpected dark band of soluble actin racing to the cell's front edge. 'We kind of did it for fun and then realized this gave us a way of measuring something that wasn't able to be measured before,' Cathy Galbraith said. This revealed directed fluid flows, likened to trade winds, that propel proteins faster than random diffusion alone would allow. James Galbraith added, 'Cells really do go with the flow.'

Realistic microscopic illustration of cancer and epithelial cells sensing distant tissue features via collagen matrix, highlighting research on extended cellular reach and metastasis.

Cells can sense 10 times farther than expected, a finding that may shed light on cancer spread

March 16, 2026 Reported by AI Image generated by AI Fact checked

Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis report that while single abnormal cells can mechanically probe roughly 10 microns beyond what they directly touch, groups of epithelial cells can combine forces through collagen to sense features more than 100 microns away—an effect the researchers say could help explain how cancer cells navigate tissue.

Researchers uncover new bacterial movement mechanisms without flagella

Scientists at Arizona State University have identified two unexpected ways bacteria can spread without their usual flagella structures. In one study, E. coli and salmonella use sugar fermentation to create fluid currents for surface migration, dubbed 'swashing.' A separate study reveals a molecular 'gearbox' in flavobacteria that controls directional movement.

Study links fundamental constants to life through liquid flow

May 08, 2026 Reported by AI

A new analysis from Queen Mary University of London proposes that the universe's physical constants occupy a narrow range allowing liquids to flow properly inside living cells.

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Physicists solve plasma asymmetry mystery in tokamaks

Researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have identified plasma rotation as the key factor explaining why particles in fusion tokamaks strike one side of the exhaust system more than the other. Their simulations, which matched real experiments, combined rotation with sideways drifts. The discovery could improve designs for future fusion reactors.

Scientists begin unlocking nanoscale immune system secrets

April 30, 2026 Reported by AI

New technologies are allowing researchers to peer into the nanoscale workings of the human immune system. Immunologist Daniel Davis highlighted these advances at WIRED Health. The insights could transform approaches to diseases like cancer.

Scientists identify a rocket-fuel-like reaction that propels spinning iron crystals inside malaria parasites

University of Utah researchers report that iron-rich hemozoin crystals inside the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum move through the parasite’s digestive compartment because reactions involving hydrogen peroxide at the crystal surface generate chemical propulsion. The work, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, links a long-observed phenomenon to peroxide chemistry and could point to new antimalarial drug strategies and ideas for engineered micro- and nanoscale devices.

May 16, 2026 13:01