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The Organ We Got Wrong, Light-Speed AI, and a Cellular Surprise
The Point by Modern Sciences - August 20, 2025
Don Smith
August 20, 2025
By The Modern Sciences Team | August 20, 2025 |
Welcome to August, Cultivators of Curiosity!
Welcome to the 33rd volume of The Point by Modern Sciences! This edition is dedicated to the thrill of discovery, highlighting how science constantly challenges what we think we know—revisiting old assumptions and uncovering entirely new frameworks for how the world works.
First, we re-examine an organ that has long been dismissed as a disposable remnant: the appendix. We’ll explore groundbreaking research that reveals its vital role in regulating our gut microbiome, prompting us to reconsider its importance for long-term health. Then, we leap from human biology to the future of technology, looking at the race to create photonic computer chips that process data at the speed of light and could redefine the potential of AI. Finally, we journey deep inside our bodies to witness a fundamental discovery: a brand-new cellular structure called the "hemifusome," which offers an entirely new blueprint for understanding and potentially treating complex genetic diseases. We invite you to dive in.
HEALTH AND THE BODY
Why the appendix is much more important than we once thought
Is the appendix a useless organ? While it was once common practice to remove it from astronauts as a precaution, we now know this is a mistake. Far from being a vestigial remnant, the appendix plays a vital role in our immune system, acting as a safe haven for beneficial gut bacteria and making it critical to our overall health.
The Point:
Once seen as disposable, the appendix is now understood to play a key role in gut health: Though previously removed preemptively from astronauts due to appendicitis risks, new research reveals it helps regulate immune function and supports beneficial gut bacteria.
The appendix stores microbiota and helps restore gut balance after illness: It contains a unique, diverse microbial community that aids in repopulating the gut after infections or antibiotics, maintaining microbial stability and reducing disease vulnerability.
Appendectomy carries surgical risks and long-term health consequences: Beyond infection or bleeding, removal has been linked to reduced bacterial diversity, increased fungal presence, and higher risks of conditions like IBD, heart disease, and Parkinson’s, leading NASA to reconsider routine removals.
TECH
Next generation computer chips could process data at the speed of light – new research
The AI boom is demanding more computing power than traditional electronic chips can deliver. A promising solution is photonic computing, which uses light for superior speed and efficiency. Two recent breakthroughs have finally overcome significant hurdles, demonstrating that large-scale photonic processors can run complex AI tasks with impressive accuracy. This marks a critical step toward next-generation hardware.
The Point:
Rising Limits of Electronic Chips: As demand for computing power increases—especially due to AI—traditional electronic microchips are hitting performance and manufacturing barriers, making it harder to continue improving speed and efficiency.
Promise and Challenges of Photonic Chips: Photonic chips, which use light instead of electricity, offer faster processing and lower energy loss, making them ideal for AI tasks like matrix multiplications. However, integration with existing electronics, precision, scalability, and the need for new software remain key hurdles.
Breakthroughs Toward Viable Photonic Computing: Two new Nature papers showcase large-scale photonic processors that demonstrate real-world applications and compatibility with AI systems. These advances signal that scalable photonic hardware is becoming feasible, though further innovations in materials and design are still required.
NATURE
Scientists discover ‘hemifusome,’ a new cellular structure key to cell health
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown structure within our cells, known as the "hemifusome," which acts as a dynamic cargo-sorting platform. Revealed by advanced cryo-ET, this new organelle is a key player in cellular recycling and maintenance. The finding challenges existing biological models and opens a new avenue for understanding genetic diseases linked to faulty cellular transport.
The Point:
Scientists identify a new cellular organelle: Researchers have discovered the "hemifusome," a transient structure that functions as a dynamic sorting station for managing internal cargo within cells.
The finding reveals a novel biological pathway: Using advanced cryo-electron tomography; the team observed that hemifusomes create new vesicles through a process that operates independently of the well-known ESCRT machinery.
Discovery offers new hope for understanding genetic diseases: By providing a new blueprint for cellular transport, the hemifusome offers a fresh target for researching inherited disorders caused by faulty cellular logistics.