AUGUST 2026, ISSUE 154

There’s a well-known scene on the series Ted Lasso where the main character discusses the merits of being curious, a quote he misattributes to Walt Whitman. Scientific research is conducted by curious individuals. Like journalists, who look for the answers to the 5 Ws—who, what, where, when, and why—scientists pose questions like: What is this made of? Where did it come from? How does this work? Why does it look like that?

The narwhal is a fascinating creature. An aquatic unicorn of sorts that lives in cold northern waters. Their main distinguishing feature is the “tusk” that is an elongated upper-left canine tooth piercing the lip. It grows up to ten feet long and is packed with millions of sensitive nerve endings. The presence of such a feature inspires questions. Why do narwhals need this tusk? What do they do with it?

Biologists believe the tusks act as a sensory organ and not, as might be assumed, an offensive or defensive weapon. They can bend up to a foot in any direction without breaking.

But what about the fact that it is the only tusk in nature that is straight, unlike those attached to elephants, hogs, walruses, and hippos. Even rhinoceroses’ horns—which aren’t tusks—are curved. A scientist investigating molecular chirality was intrigued when he learned that the spirals on the surfaces of the tusks all twist in the same direction: a counterclockwise or left-handed spiral. A decades-old hypothesis suggested that the spiral growth compensates for uneven growth around the base of the tooth, preventing it from curving.

New research published in Nature Communications dives deeper into the material itself. An international team examined narwhal tusks across multiple length scales using imaging and other materials-characterization techniques. They found that the visible spiral isn't just a surface feature. The tusk is built from mineralized collagen organized into microscopic helical structures. Some twist in opposing directions: a left-handed spiral on the outer layer of cementum, and a right-handed one in the inner layer of dentine. The researchers propose that these counteracting twists balance mechanical forces as the tusk grows, allowing this long structure with a pronounced spiral architecture to remain extraordinarily straight.

Curiosity identifies the mystery; analytical tools allow us to investigate it.

63rd European High Pressure research Group Meeting in France | Montpellier, France   | Aug 23 - 28, 2026 | Website

USBTA FTTE | Indian Head, MD  | Aug 24 - 28, 2026 | Website

DRIP21 - 21st International Conference on Defects Recognition, Imaging and Physics in Semiconductors | Warsaw, Poland  | Aug 30 - Sep 3, 2026 | Website

SEMICON Taiwan 2026 | Taipei, Taiwan  | Sep 2 - 4, 2026 | Website

ToScA | Thessaloniki, Greece | Sep 2 - 4, 2026 | Website

12th International Conference on f-Elements (ICfE-12) |  Manchester, UK  |  Sep 6 - 10, 2026 | Website

See the full event calendar > 

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This application note demonstrates the measurement of copper (Cu) in treated wood and wood treatment solutions using the Rigaku NEX QC II energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analyzer. 

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Introduction of the Pre-calibration Package GEO-TRACE-PAK: An Analytical Package for Trace Elements Including Rare Earth Elements in Rocks

By Yasujiro Yamada

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry enables the rapid, nondestructive analysis of a wide range of different sample types. However, as it is a relative analytical method, quantitative analysis requires preparing standard samples, establishing calibration curves, and optimizing correction conditions, which results in longer analysis times and higher costs. This report describes the features and effectiveness of “GEO-TRACE-PAK,” a pre-calibration analytical package specifically designed for analyzing trace elements, including rare earth elements, in rocks.

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The Opioid Matrix is a podcast for anyone looking for the latest information in the illegal drug supply chain—beginning to end. Each episode will feature a discussion with industry experts about the current opioid crisis, including drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, drug identification, drug addiction, as well as the role of government, law enforcement, new health and social programs, and more. 

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