Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Sun's coldest region stores secret to heating million-degree corona      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have unveiled the discovery of intense wave energy from a relatively cool, dark and strongly magnetized plasma region on the Sun, capable of traversing the solar atmosphere and maintaining temperatures of a million degrees Kelvin inside the corona. Researchers say the finding is the latest key to unraveling a host of related mysteries pertaining to Earth's nearest star.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Altered gut bacteria may be early sign of Alzheimer's disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Alzheimer's disease causes changes to the brain that begin two decades or more before symptoms appear. A study reveals that the bacteria that live in the gut also change before Alzheimer's symptoms arise, a discovery that could lead to diagnostics or treatments for Alzheimer's disease that target the gut microbiome.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Researchers find high risk to amphibians if fungal pathogen invades North America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research indicates the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) could be devastating to amphibian biodiversity if introduced to North America.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Scientists discover small RNA that regulates bacterial infection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified the major mechanism behind the transition between chronic and acute P. aeruginosa infections. Their research findings can inform the development of future treatments for life-threatening acute infections.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

First illustration of the molecular machinery that makes cilia beat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The first image of the structures that power human cilia -- the tiny, hairlike projections that line our airways -- has now been produced and it could lead to much-needed treatments for people with rare cilial diseases.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Earth Science Paleontology: General
Published

Scientists investigate the evolution of animal developmental mechanisms, show how some of Earth's earliest animals evolved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lacking bones, brains, and even a complete gut, the body plans of simple animals like sea anemones appear to have little in common with humans and their vertebrate kin. Nevertheless, new research shows that appearances can be deceiving, and that a common genetic toolkit can be deployed in different ways to drive embryological development to produce very different adult body plans. It is well established that sea anemones, corals, and their jellyfish relatives shared a common ancestor with humans that plied the Earth's ancient oceans over 600 million years ago. A new study from the Gibson Lab, published in Current Biology on June 13, 2023, illuminates the genetic basis for body plan development in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. This new knowledge paints a vivid picture of how some of the earliest animals on earth progressed from egg to embryo to adult.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Pass the salt: This space rock holds clues as to how Earth got its water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The discovery of tiny salt grains in a sample from an asteroid provides strong evidence that liquid water may be more common in the solar system than previously thought.

Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

DESI early data release holds nearly two million objects      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument is now available for researchers to explore. Taken during the experiment's 'survey validation' phase, the data include distant galaxies and quasars as well as stars in our own Milky Way.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment with the help of a virus      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are describing the results of a recent clinical trial -- a breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment with the help of a modified cold virus injected directly into the tumor. When combined with an immunotherapy drug, the authors observed a subset of patients that appeared to be living longer as a result of this therapy.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology
Published

Vaccine against deadly chytrid fungus primes frog microbiome for future exposure      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study found that a new vaccine against the deadly chytrid fungus in frogs can shift the composition of the microbiome, making frogs more resilient to future exposure to the fungus.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Flaring star could be down to young planet's disc inferno      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New simulations offer new explanation for star's 85-year flare. In this scenario, a young giant planet is burning up very close to its star, suggesting solar systems may have hosted many of such planets that have since 'evaporated'.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Animals Environmental: General
Published

Climate change: Rising rainfall, not temperatures, threaten giraffe survival      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Giraffes in the East African savannahs are adapting surprisingly well to the rising temperatures caused by climate change. However, they are threatened by increasingly heavy rainfall, as researchers have shown.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

A new Tatooine-like multi-planetary system identified      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of astronomers has announced the second-ever discovery of a multiplanetary circumbinary system.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Astronomers discover supernova explosion through rare 'cosmic magnifying glasses'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists recently discovered an exceptionally rare gravitationally lensed supernova, which the team named 'SN Zwicky.' Located more than 4 billion light years away, the supernova was magnified nearly 25 times by a foreground galaxy acting as a lens. The discovery presents a unique opportunity for astronomers to learn more about the inner cores of galaxies, dark matter and the mechanics behind universe expansion.

Space: Astronomy Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

'Hot Jupiters' may not be orbiting alone      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers challenge longstanding beliefs about the isolation of 'hot Jupiters' and proposes a new mechanism for understanding the exoplanets' evolution.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Water Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

When water temperatures change, the molecular motors of cephalopods do too      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Working with live squid hatchlings, scientists find the animals can tune their proteome on the fly in response to changes in ocean temperature via the unique process of RNA recoding. The findings inspire new questions about basic protein function.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Elusive planets play 'hide and seek' with CHEOPS      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers have clearly identified the existence of four new exoplanets. The four mini-Neptunes are smaller and cooler, and more difficult to find than the so-called Hot Jupiter exoplanets which have been found in abundance.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Dentists identify new bacterial species involved in tooth decay      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Large study in children reveals Selenomonas sputigena as a key partner of Streptococcus in cavity formation.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Animals Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Octopuses rewire their brains to adapt to seasonal temperature shifts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Octopuses don't thermoregulate, so their powerful brains are exposed to -- and potentially threatened by -- changes in temperature. Researchers report that two-spot octopuses adapt to seasonal temperature shifts by producing different neural proteins under warm versus cool conditions. The octopuses achieve this by editing their RNA, the messenger molecule between DNA and proteins. This rewiring likely protects their brains, and the researchers suspect that this unusual strategy is used widely amongst octopuses and squid.