Reuters Science News Summary

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Scientists map gene activity in brain's prefrontal cortex

Scientists have ​created a detailed map of gene activity within a crucial part ​of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, gaining insight into ‌normal ​development and major brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. In nine separate studies, the researchers examined changes in individual types of brain cells that occur over time and made progress toward deciphering molecular processes that underlie some of ‌the most devastating brain disorders, a step toward possible new treatments.

Google plans first test of AI chips in space under Project Suncatcher

Alphabet's Google said on Thursday it will launch a prototype satellite next week in its first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, a research effort to explore whether space could potentially host large-scale AI computing infrastructure. Companies including ‌SpaceX and Starcloud are pursuing plans to deploy data centers in low Earth orbit, aiming to harness near-continuous sunlight to power energy-intensive AI computing and sidestep terrestrial ‌constraints on electricity supplies.

EU and Canada secure €211 million for ocean observation activities

The European Commission and Canada have secured at least €211 million ($240 million) in funding pledges for a newly launched ocean observation initiative, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The OceanEye International Alliance for the Global Ocean Observing System, which ⁠so far ​comprises 30 country members and the European ⁠Union, aims to support safe navigation, weather forecasting, climate prediction, coastal protection and the naval economy.

Space investment more than doubled to $23 billion in year to June, report says

Private investment in space companies globally more ⁠than doubled to $23 billion in the year through June as the sector shifts toward proven businesses, according to British investment firm Seraphim and Relm Insurance on Wednesday. SpaceX's June IPO has reshaped the ​funding landscape for the sector, drawing in new investors as venture firms look for the next space company capable of a similar payoff.

Anthropic says ⁠Claude AI helped discover novel enzyme system

Anthropic on Wednesday said its Claude model helped discover a novel enzyme system with properties reminiscent of mechanisms in gene-editing technology CRISPR, marking the first result from the AI ⁠startup's ​biology research efforts. The finding comes days after Reuters reported Anthropic had quietly established a wet lab in the San Francisco Bay Area, as the company expands its ambitions in life sciences and drug-related research beyond purely computer-based work.

Study reveals evolutionary history of bats, dating back 65 million years

Bats are critical players in global ecosystems, ⁠pollinating plants, dispersing seeds and eating huge numbers of insects. One of only three lineages of flying vertebrates in Earth's history, there are more than 1,500 bat ⁠species living today. But their evolutionary history has ⁠been a bit of a puzzle for scientists.

The largest combined bat genome and fossil study ever conducted is now bringing some clarity. Its findings indicate that these flying mammals first appeared in Europe about 65 million years ago, in the ‌aftermath of the mass ‌extinction event that doomed the dinosaurs, before spreading around the world, not in North America, ​Asia or Africa as previously hypothesized.