Science Wrap: Alien solar system discovered, ultraviolet Jupiter, and Jedi rats

This week's science headlines span from finding an alien solar system in Kepler 385 to the second unsuccessful pig-to-human transplant, with a bonus display of Jupiter's unique colours.

Here are the top science news of the week, in detail.

NASA’s Kepler telescope discovers alien Solar system

The retired Kepler space telescope recently revealed an extraordinary alien solar system known as Kepler-385.

• Kepler-385 consists of seven planets, all larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, and they receive intense heat from their star.

• This discovery is part of a new Kepler catalogue with around 4,400 planet candidates, including over 700 multi-planet systems.
• Kepler-385 has a Sun-like star at its center, which is slightly bigger and hotter than our Sun. The first two planets are likely rocky with thin atmospheres and a bit larger than Earth.

• The other five planets are roughly double the size of Earth and are expected to have thick atmospheres.

Hubble captures ultraviolet Jupiter

The NASA Hubble Space Telescope has just released an image that showcases Jupiter in ultraviolet colours to mark its opposition when it's on the opposite side of the sky from the Sun.

• The image shows the famous "Great Red Spot," which appears darker in ultraviolet light because high-altitude haze particles absorb this type of light.

• The reddish, wavy polar hazes absorb slightly less light due to various factors.

• The image is presented in false-color since human vision can't perceive ultraviolet light.

• To create this image, different ultraviolet filters were used, and each was mapped to colors within the visible light spectrum.

• This data contributes to a Hubble project that's all about studying Jupiter's complex superstorm system.

• The goal is to map deep water clouds and understand the 3D cloud structures in Jupiter's atmosphere.

Researchers discover Jedi rats

In a recent study, insights into the brain's ability to imagine distant locations have emerged.

• Researchers have discovered that rats can mentally navigate spaces they've previously explored, implying a form of imagination in these rodents.

• Chongxi Lai, the study's lead author from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus, notes that this is the first evidence of animals intentionally activating mental representations of distant places.

• The researchers identified a brain region called the hippocampus, which contains a mental map of previously explored environments. Specific neurons fire when an individual moves through these places.

How did they do it?

• To investigate if rats could do the same, researchers implanted electrodes in their brains.
• Rats were placed on a treadmill in a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) environment and given a goal to reach on the screen.
• As the rats moved on the treadmill, their apparent location in the VR world updated accordingly.
• When they reached the goal, they received a reward, and the goal was relocated in the VR environment.
• During this phase, the team monitored hippocampal activity and translated it into the VR environment.

The next step

• The treadmill was disconnected from the VR system, forcing the rats to rely solely on their brain activity to navigate the virtual world.
• The results showed that the rats could indeed reach the goal using only their brain activity.
• The rats were tested with a "Jedi challenge," where they had to guide an object in a virtual reality setting using their brain signals. Remarkably, the rats aced this task once more.

This research suggests parallels between rat and human brain activity, highlighting the role of the hippocampus in imagination and memory recall.

Second pig-to-human heart transplant failure

• In a quest for medical breakthroughs, Lawrence Faucette, a 58-year-old heart failure patient, has died after a pig heart transplant, marking the second such case.

• Faucette underwent this experimental procedure at the University of Maryland Medical Center, hoping for an alternative to traditional human heart transplants.

• Initially, the genetically modified pig heart appeared to function well within his body. However, signs of rejection in recent days led to Faucette's unfortunate passing.

• This follows the death of the first patient, David Bennett, who experienced complications and pig-related virus traces after a similar transplant.