Indian-origin scientist Satchin Panda resigned from California's prestigious Salk Institute, ending his 22-year tenure, after a female research assistant accused him of workplace sexual misconduct. Panda denies the allegations, and his last day is set for August 13.
Researchers at the Salk Institute documented a rare peaceful queen transition in their naked mole rat colony, challenging the conventional understanding that these rodents typically replace queens through violent warfare. The colony, named 'amigos' (Spanish for friends), experienced a nonviolent succession in 2025 when Queen Teré's daughter Arwen became the new birthing queen while the former queen continued to protect the colony. This contrasts with typical naked mole rat behavior and even a simultaneous violent coup at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.
