from the tissue pixels containing
single nuclei. Spatial-CUT&Tag
adds a new dimension to spatial
biology by enabling the mapping
of epigenetic regulations broadly
implicated in development and
disease. —DJ
Science, abg7216, this issue p. 681
CORONAVIRUS
Uncounted cases in India
It is apparent that the official
number of COVID-19 cases that
have accumulated in India is
substantially underestimated, but
the question is, by how much? In
an independent survey of 137,000
adults, Jha et al. recorded how
many people died from severe
acute respiratory syndrome coro-
navirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–related
causes. Examining the data for
all-cause mortality for the year
spanning 2020 to 2021 revealed
26 to 29% excess mortality
tracking waves of new variant
transmission. Extrapolating to the
Indian population, this equates
to the deaths of more than 3.2
million people, with the majority
occurring during April to June of
- —CA
Science, abm5154, this issue p. 667
BIOENGINEERING
Swimming cardiac cells
Biohybrid organisms, which
are devices containing biologi-
cal components, provide a way
to study physiological control
mechanisms in living organisms
and may inspire robotic solutions
to various challenges. Lee et al.
designed a swimming fish analog
using a bilayer construct made of
OPTOELECTRONICS
Illuminating information
transfer
The insatiable demand for
increased information capac-
ity in an ever-increasingly
connected world puts strains
on existing radiofrequency
communication channels. The
shift to digital lighting with light-
emitting diodes (LEDs) and
laser diodes has seen not just
a decrease in power consump-
tion for lighting applications, but
also the possibility to piggyback
information transfer on the
back of the LED output. Using
a combination of three LEDs
and five micro-LEDs operating
at different wavelengths, Qiu et
al. demonstrate data-transfer
rates exceeding 25 gigabits
per second using a standard
wavelength division multiplex-
ing encoding method, which
exceeds present wi-fi capa-
bilities. This steady progressimplies that li-fi will be able to
provide the platform to meet
the data rate requirements of
the Internet of Things. —ISO
Opt. Lett. 47 , 317 (2022).NEURODEVELOPMENT
Glial cells respond to
a neurotransmitter
Inhibitory and excitatory
neurotransmission is medi-
ated by g-aminobutyric acid
(GABA), depending on context.
Oligodendrocytes and their
precursors, which go on to build
myelin sheaths, can also carry
GABA receptors. Pudasaini et al.
analyzed the function of GABA
receptors in oligodendroglial
cells of the developing rat brain.
Inhibition of GABA receptors
in neonatal rats delayed the
maturation of oligodendro-
cytes and drove deficits in
myelination. A subset of oligo-
dendroglial cells showed morecardiac cells. These cells generate
autonomous, rhythmic, antago-
nistic muscle movements that
are either light induced or self
paced, thus exploiting both the
mechanoelectrical signaling and
automaticity of cardiac cells. The
biohybrid fish showed increased
performance over previous bio-
hybrids and provided insight into
how mechanoelectrical signaling
can be used for self-paced muscle
actuation. —MSL
Science, abh0474, this issue p. 639ARCHAEOLOGY
Early Homo sapiens
in Europe
Data from Mandrin Cave in
southwestern France challenge
our understanding of the entry
of modern humans into Europe
and their interactions with
Neanderthals. Previous studies
estimated the date of entry as
being around 45,000 years ago,
followed by the rapid disappear-
ance of Neanderthals. Slimak et
al. have now discovered alter-
nating strata of Neanderthal
and modern human stone tool
assemblages. One of these
strata, which was dated to
54,000 years ago and has an
assemblage of tools resembling
one found in the Mediterranean,
also has dental remains similar
to those of modern humans.
These findings suggest that the
replacement of Neanderthals
in Europe may not have been a
single event but one of greater
complexity. —MSA
Sci. Adv. 10.1126/
sciadv.abj9496 (2022).CREDITS: (IMAGE LEET AL; (PHOTO MARK CONLIN/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO626 11 FEBRUARY 2022 • VOL 375 ISSUE 6581
A biohybrid fi sh swims by exploiting antagonistic contraction of a muscular
bilayer of cardiac cells.
IN OTHER JOURNALS
Edited by Caroline Ash and Jesse SmithFlorida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) are further
endangered by encroaching solar power installations.RESEARCH | IN SCIENCE JOURNALS
science.org SCIENCECONSERVATIONSolar threat to Florida panthers
A
dopting alternative energy sources is
critical for mitigating climate change,
but implementing these new technolo-
gies can also create problems for wildlife.
The endangered Florida panther (Puma
concolor coryi) is found only in south Florida,
an area with an increasing density of solar
energy facilities. Using habitat suitability and
least-cost path analyses, Leskova et al. evalu-
ated the effects of 45 recently installed and
planned solar facilities on panther habitat and
movement. The authors found that 20% of the
facilities were located within major panther
movement corridors, indicating that current
measures for the assignment of solar facility
permits may not adequately address potential
impacts on this endangered species. —BEL
J. Appl. Ecol. 10.1111/1365-2664.14098 (2022).