Regrowing Ears, Student AI, and a 6,800-Year-Old Life

The Point by Modern Sciences - November 26, 2025

Author

Don Smith
November 26, 2025

By The Modern Sciences Team

November 26, 2025

Let’s close November, Cultivators of Curiosity!


Welcome to the 47th volume of The Point by Modern Sciences! This week, we explore the theme of "awakening"—from unlocking dormant genetic capabilities to revealing hidden cosmic neighbors and literally resurrecting ancient life.


We begin with a breakthrough in regenerative medicine that proves mammals may hold the hidden key to regrowing complex limbs. We also highlight the incredible work of a high school student whose home-brewed AI model outpaced traditional methods to discover over a million new space objects. Finally, we dive into the Baltic Sea, where "resurrection ecology" is challenging our understanding of evolution by bringing millennia-old organisms back to life. These stories remind us that the answers to our biggest scientific questions are often waiting just beneath the surface, ready to be found.

ENGINEERING

Flipping an ancient genetic switch lets mice regrow ears

Researchers have unlocked a dormant regenerative ability in mice, allowing them to regrow damaged ear tissue. By identifying a key genetic switch found in rabbits, scientists were able to reactivate a chemical pathway involving a vitamin A derivative. This breakthrough demonstrates that the capacity for complex tissue regeneration may be suppressed, rather than lost, in mammals, opening new avenues for medical research.



The Point:

  • A dormant genetic pathway controls tissue regeneration: A study comparing rabbits and mice found that the ability to regrow damaged ear tissue is not lost in mammals but is suppressed by an inactive chemical process.

  • Retinoic acid production is the critical missing link: Regenerating rabbits produce high levels of retinoic acid after injury. At the same time, mice fail to do so due to an inactive enzyme, resulting in scarring rather than regrowth.

  • Scientists successfully reactivated regeneration in mice: Applying retinoic acid directly to wounds or inserting a single rabbit gene was enough to switch on the dormant healing mechanism, enabling mice to regrow complex ear structures.


SPACE

High School Student Develops AI to Discover 1.5 Million Unknown Space Objects

High school student Matteo Paz developed an AI model that uncovered 1.5 million previously unknown space objects, enhancing the analysis of NASA's NEOWISE telescope data. Paz's work provides new insights into the universe by detecting variable objects like quasars and exploding stars. It demonstrates the potential of AI in scientific research, particularly in time-based studies.



The Point:

  • A high school student uncovered 1.5 million space objects using AI: Matteo Paz, working with Caltech astronomers, developed an AI model that analyzed NEOWISE telescope data and identified previously unknown variable cosmic objects with high precision.

  • The AI model detects subtle changes in infrared data: By applying machine learning to over a decade of telescope observations, the system was trained to recognize patterns in brightness variation, successfully revealing objects like quasars and supernovae that traditional methods missed.

  • This breakthrough showcases AI’s broad scientific potential: Paz’s achievement advances astronomical research and illustrates how AI-driven pattern recognition can be applied to other time-series data, such as environmental trends or financial analytics.


NATURE

Scientists Revive 6,800-Year-Old Algae from Baltic Sea Sediment

In an incredible feat of "resurrection ecology," scientists have revived algae that lay dormant in Baltic Sea sediment for nearly 7,000 years. Amazingly, these ancient organisms resumed growing and photosynthesizing as if no time had passed. This breakthrough provides a living window into the past, allowing direct study of how life adapts to environmental changes over millennia.



The Point:

  • Algae revived after 6,800 years: Scientists brought Skeletonema marinoi algae from Baltic Sea sediments back to life, offering a rare glimpse into how ancient life survives the environmental change.

  • No loss in function: Despite their age, the revived algae grew and photosynthesized as efficiently as modern strains, revealing long-term biological stability.

  • A window into evolution: The algae’s genetic differences across periods provide direct evidence of species adaptation, making this a milestone in the emerging field of resurrection ecology.