The research, conducted by Professor Yossi Yovel from the School of Zoology and Professor Lilach Hadany from the School of Plant Sciences and Food Security at TAU's George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, demonstrates that female moths actively avoid plants emitting distress signals when selecting locations to deposit their eggs. The study was published as a pre-print on December 27, 2024, in the journal eLife.

These ultrasonic communications occur at frequencies beyond human hearing capabilities but remain clearly audible to moths and other insects. The research team, led by students Dr. Raya Seltzer and Guy Zer Eshel in collaboration with scientists from the Plant Protection Institute at the Volcani Institute, discovered that when plants broadcast distress sounds, female moths consistently choose healthier plants that remain silent.

The investigation builds upon previous research published by the same team approximately two years ago, which initially revealed that plants under stress emit sounds at ultrasonic frequencies detectable by many animals. That initial discovery sparked worldwide interest and opened extensive research opportunities into acoustic communication between plants and animals.

"After proving in the previous study that plants produce sounds, we hypothesized that animals capable of hearing these high-frequency sounds may respond to them and make decisions accordingly," Professor Yovel explained. "Specifically, we know that many insects, which have diverse interactions with the plant world, can perceive plant sounds. We wanted to investigate whether such insects actually detect and respond to these sounds."

The researchers focused their attention on female moths due to their reproductive behavior patterns. "We chose to focus on female moths, which typically lay their eggs on plants so that the larvae can feed on them once hatched," Professor Hadany stated. "We assumed the females seek an optimal site to lay their eggs, a healthy plant that can properly nourish the larvae."

The scientific team questioned whether moths would heed warning signals from stressed plants. "When the plant signals that it is dehydrated and under stress, would the moths heed the warning and avoid laying eggs on it? To explore this question, we conducted several experiments," Professor Hadany added.

The first experiment aimed to separate the auditory component from other plant characteristics such as color and scent. Researchers presented female moths with two boxes – one containing a speaker playing recordings of tomato plants in dehydration states, while the other remained silent. The moths demonstrated a clear preference for the "noisy" box, which they likely interpreted as a living plant, even if the plant was experiencing stress.

The research team concluded that moths indeed perceive and respond to the playback of plant-emitted sounds. When researchers neutralized the moths' hearing organs, this preference disappeared, and they chose both boxes equally, providing clear evidence that the preference was specifically based on listening to sounds, not on other stimuli.

The second experiment presented female moths with two healthy tomato plants – one equipped with a speaker playing sounds of a drying plant, and one that remained silent. Again, they showed clear preference, but this time for the silent plant, from which no distress sounds were heard, and probably serving as a better site for laying eggs.

A final experiment presented moths with two boxes again – one silent and the other containing male moths, which also emit ultrasonic sounds at frequencies similar to plant sounds. This time, the females showed no preference and laid their eggs equally in both boxes. The researchers concluded that when deciding where to lay their eggs, the females specifically respond to plant-emitted sounds and not to the sounds made by males.

"In this study, we revealed the first evidence for acoustic interaction between a plant and an insect," the researchers conclude. "We are convinced, however, that this is just the beginning. Acoustic interaction between plants and animals doubtlessly has many more forms and a wide range of roles. This is a vast, unexplored field, an entire world waiting to be discovered."

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Alibaba founder and philanthropist Jack Ma, who received an honorary doctorate degree from Israel's Tel Aviv University in 2018, will join the school as a visiting professor, the university said in a statement on Monday.

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Ma is expected to contribute to TAU's research efforts on sustainable agriculture and food.

"We are honored and delighted to welcome Mr. Jack Ma to Tel Aviv University," said TAU President Ariel Porat. "His appointment is a testament to the importance of collaboration between academia and industry, and we look forward to learning from his insights and experience."

One of China's richest businesspeople, Ma has been regularly visiting Israel since his first trip five years ago.

"Arriving here was nothing like I expected," said Ma at the honorary doctorate ceremony of TAU in 2018. "I was told it wasn't safe here, that there were bombs and guns everywhere. But when I arrived I saw this place was so peaceful, and the economy is booming. I think you shouldn't read about Israel, you should come here, feel Israel, touch Israel."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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A new sniffing robot equipped with a biological sensor that uses the antennae of locusts could help advance disease diagnosis and improve security checks, its Israeli developers said.

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Locusts have an acute sense of smell, which the researchers in Tel Aviv University have managed to harness to their bio-hybrid robot, making it far more sensitive than existing electronic sniffers, they said.

Locusts smell with their antennae. On the four-wheeled robot, the researchers placed the insect's antenna between two electrodes that send electrical signals as a response to a nearby odor. Each scent has a unique signature which, with machine learning, the robot's electronic system can identify.

"Ultimately, we are trying to create a robot with a sense of smell that will be able to distinguish between smells and to locate them in space," said Neta Shvil of the Sagol School of Neuroscience.

As scientists try to understand how some animals detect disease by smell, fellow developer Ben Moaz said the future applications would almost be endless, extending to the detection of drugs and explosives and even food safety.

"We are overwhelmed with possibilities," said Maoz of the Fleischman Faculty of Engineering and Sagol School of Neuroscience.

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Israeli researchers are progressing towards a more effective way to determine whether someone is lying or not, focusing on facial movements rather than physiological responses.

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Polygraph lie detector tests measure a number of different bodily responses such as blood pressure, changes in breathing, and sweating on the palms.

"There is no way to tell if someone is lying 100%. However, there is increasing stress associated with lying," Dr. Kamila Forkosh Lavan explained to i24NEWS.

It is well-known, though, that people can deceive them by controlling their physiological responses.

"This is why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law," said Lavan, who has a Ph.D. in psychology.

Such potential led a team of Israeli researchers at Tel Aviv University to figure out how to use wearable electrodes to better detect a liar.

They measured people when lying and telling the truth, using that information of the face to build a model based on machine learning.

"We can capture muscle movements, big or small, eye movements, and even brain activity," Prof. Yael Hanein at the Center of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at TAU told i24NEWS.

Prof. Dino Levy, an Associate Professor at the Coller School of Management at TAU, noted that the technology "can correctly detect when people are lying 73% of the time."

The researchers noted that the technology won't be ready for another three to five years.

However, the team hopes to soon reach a point where they can understand when people are lying simply through video.

"We could use any camera that is out there to understand when people are lying or not. Zoom interviews, when you get a loan, at the airport, that would be the real breakthrough," Levy said.

This article was first published by i24NEWS

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A new technology developed by Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, uses artificial intelligence to identify patients at risk of developing a serious disease in its early stages.

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The new technology focuses on bloodstream infections, which are a leading cause of death worldwide.

The researchers developed an AI program to study the electronic medical records of some 8,000 patients at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center with bloodstream infections. The results of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

After analyzing the data and medical history of each patient, the program was able to automatically identify risk factors from the medical records at a success rate of 82%.

"We worked with the medical records of about 8,000 patients with bloodstream infections between the years 2014 and 2020, during their hospitalization and up to 30 days afterward, regardless of whether the patient died or not," explained Prof. Noam Shomron.

"We are now working with medical staff to understand how this information can be used to categorize patients based on the severity of their infection," he added.

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Once the patient's data was entered, the algorithm was able to predict the course of the disease, suggesting that in the future, it will be possible to categorize patients in advance based on their potential health risks.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Israeli researchers announced on Tuesday that they uncovered a key mechanism that causes the neurodegenerative disease ALS, in a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

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This breakthrough could unlock a way to delay or reverse the condition which affects hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

The team consisted of researchers from Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center in central Israel, as well as from institutes in Germany, France, Britain and the United States.

They found that a buildup of a protein called TDP-43 near neuromuscular junctions – which translate neural signals into motor activity – causes neurons to degenerate and die.

As a result, this leads to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which causes the loss of the ability to walk, talk, or even breathe.

"The paralysis caused by the disease results from damage to the motor neurons, which leads to the degeneration of nerve endings and to the loss of muscle innervation," said Prof. Eran Perlson, who led the study with doctoral students Topaz Altman and Ariel Ionescu.

"Until now, we could not understand the basic biological mechanism causing the initial damage behind this vicious cascade," he added.

The scientists were able to restore motor neuron activity using an experimental molecule to break down TDP-43 in animals.

Perlson explained that the discovery could "lead to the development of new therapies… and thereby heal the nerve cells before the irreversible damage that occurs in the spinal cord."

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TAU Ventures, the investment fund of Tel Aviv University, has announced raising a second fund of $50 million for investments in startups, with the opportunity to grow the fund to $70 million.

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The fund invests in early financing stages, often investing the first money in the company or after angel investment, a stage where there is a shortage in the industry.

The fund intends to invest in 15 to 25 companies founded by Israeli entrepreneurs, with investment amounts up to $1 million per venture as a first investment.

TAU Ventures emphasizes creating value for entrepreneurs with various university resources. The fund focuses on backing strong teams of entrepreneurs across a wide range of sectors, understanding that at an early stage the product is expected to change.

All investors from the previous fund have reinvested in the current fund. Both funds were led by Chartered Group, which brings together many leading entities from the Japanese industry, plus new investors, including Family Offices in the US, Canada and Europe.

TAU Ventures was established in 2018 by managing partner Nimrod Cohen in conjunction with Tel Aviv University. Cohen previously led first investments at companies such as HOUSEPARTY, Coralogix, WSC SPORTS, BRINGG & YOTPO.

Alumni of Tel Aviv University are ranked 5th globally as top university producing VC-backed entrepreneurs and 8th in the world in creating unicorn companies.

TAU Ventures' first fund, which included $20 million, launched in 2018 and made 18 investments in companies that included: SWIMM, Xtend, Gaviti, MyAir, Castor, Medorion and more. The first fund IRR is in the top 10% compared to all US funds from the same size and vintage.

According to Cohen, "We are in a period where a lot of money is circulating in the market. However, this can be misleading as there is still a shortage of investors in the early stages in Israel. More investors are operating in A or post-seed stages. They do not talk to entrepreneurs in the initial stages and rather want to see a product that has already reached the market. We are covering this critical stage enabling new companies to emerge."

Tel Aviv University President Ariel Porat said, "As part of Tel Aviv University's strategic plan, we have made it a central goal to strengthen ties with industry here as well as promoting an international and multidisciplinary campus. TAU Ventures provides for entrepreneurs a platform with significant opportunities in innovation and making academic progress beyond the campus boundaries. It enables students to integrate practical experience with leading startups during their studies, and at the same time, it enables entrepreneurs to enjoy the diverse qualities of the campus. I'm happy in the given trust of the investors in TAU Ventures and I'm sure that combining forces between academia and industry will provide in the near future significant technological achievements that will benefit the entrepreneurs, the university and society at large."

Eyal Agmoni, who heads lead investor Chartered Group, said, "We are happy and proud to be the lead investor also in the second fund of TAU Ventures. As a result of the success of the first fund, combining with proving the model in which we help young Israeli companies break into the Japanese market, it was natural to continue the successful cooperation and even strengthen it."

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Tel Aviv University has been ranked the world's fifth most-leading school for entrepreneurship by Startup Genome, an international policy advisor and research organization that every year names the globe's top institutions.

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It is the only Israeli university to have made the list and the only non-American school to have ranked in the top five, following Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University.

The ranking reflects the involvement of alumni at the world's leading universities in entrepreneurship, and in the establishment of scale-up companies, meaning companies that have advanced beyond the startup stage and whose worth is estimated at $50 million or more.

A report by Startup Genome said that about 1,300 TAU alumni have gone on to found active companies in a wide range of fields over the last decade, 40 of which have become scale-up companies.

"This is a very significant achievement for both Tel Aviv University and Israel," Professor Moshe Zviran, dean of TAU's Coller School of Management and Chief Entrepreneurship and Innovation said.

"The Startup Genome ranking is a standard of entrepreneurial excellence of the highest level in the world. Israel in general, and TAU as its leading entrepreneurial university, form fertile ground for uniquely creative young entrepreneurs who establish independent companies and hold key positions in the world's leading corporations.

"The rich toolbox which our students acquire during their studies serves them well when they enter the job market. We are proud of our alumni and students for this achievement and will continue to fortify TAU's position in the top echelons of global entrepreneurship," Zviran said.

The Israeli institution is followed in the ranking by Cornell University, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.

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President of Tel Aviv University, Ariel Porat, has angered students with recorded remarks in which he asserted that Arabs in Israel were suffering more than Jews during the current wave of violence that has engulfed the country.

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In a video he shared, Porat said, "Minds cannot tolerate a situation in which Jews in the State of Israel are scared to leave their homes … out of fear for their well-being and property, but the attack on Arab citizens is an attack on those who are a minority among us, and is, therefore, seven times as severe."

Porat said, "More than any other people, we Jews need to understand the significance of attacking a person solely for their ethnicity or nationality."

He said he was particularly shocked to see that the crowd of Israelis that had gathered to watch the brutal beating of an Arab driver in the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam last week did nothing to stop the attack.

"What a terrible sight," he said.

Following criticism of Porat's remarks, the university edited out the words "seven times as bad." It claimed Porat had not meant to say that attacks on Arabs were worse than attacks on Jews.

In a statement, the Tel Aviv University said: "The university president issued an important public call for an immediate end to the violence and racism spreading among us, among both Arabs and Jews, which could lead to a civil war. As for the expression 'seven times as bad,' the aim was to sharpen the message that as the Jewish people, we must be particularly sensitive to attacks on a minority. Unfortunately, this expression was misconstrued and taken out of context, and as a result, half an hour later, was removed from the video to prevent misunderstandings."

In a similar incident last week, lecturers at Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Art and Design angered students when they expressed support for the ongoing Palestinian struggle against Israel in the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

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Tel Aviv University announced a major breakthrough, Sunday, in understanding and treating one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

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"Glioblastoma is the deadliest type of cancer in the central nervous system, accounting for most malignant brain tumors," said Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, director of the Cancer Biology Research Center and the head of the Cancer Research and Nanomedicine Laboratory at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

"It is aggressive, invasive, and fast-growing, making it resistant to existing treatments, with patients dying within a year of the cancer's onset. Moreover, glioblastoma is defined as a 'cold tumor', which means that it does not respond to immunotherapeutic attempts to activate the immune system against it," she added.

Initially, researchers identified an unusual failure in the brain's immune system, which not only did not inhibit the cancer, it actually amplified the cell division and spread of glioblastoma cancer cells. This is due to the presence of a protein called P-Selectin (SELP).

Researchers were able to inhibit the secretion of the SELP protein, neutralizing the failure in the immune system, restoring its normal activity, and blocking the spread of this incurable cancer.

The Tel Aviv University team collaborated with neurosurgeons from Sourasky Medical Center who supplied glioblastoma tissue samples removed during surgery as well as neurosurgeons from Johns Hopkins University and the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, both located in Baltimore, who supplied healthy brain tissue from autopsies.

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Satchi-Fainaro emphasized that the new study may have lifesaving therapeutic implications. She said she hopes that the fact that the treatment inhibiting SELP has been proven safe in humans will pave the way for relatively rapid approval of a clinical trial repurposing the new treatment for glioblastoma.

"Unfortunately, glioblastoma patients need new treatments immediately. Our treatment may be the needed breakthrough in the battle against the most daunting cancer of all," she said in the TAU statement.

Two of the most notable victims of glioblastoma were Beau Biden, the late son of US President Joe Biden, and former Arizona Senator and 2008 Presidential nominee, John McCain.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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