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What made the brightest cosmic explosion of all time so exceptional?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Last year, telescopes around the world registered the brightest cosmic explosion of all time. Astrophysicists can now explain what made it so dazzling.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
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Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
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New study identifies mechanism driving the sun's fast wind      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers used data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe to explain how the solar wind is capable of surpassing speeds of 1 million miles per hour. They discovered that the energy released from the magnetic field near the sun's surface is powerful enough to drive the fast solar wind, which is made up of ionized particles -- called plasma -- that flow outward from the sun.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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To groom or not to groom: 'Triage' in the ant kingdom      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Social ants are masters of cooperative disease defense. They collectively take care of each other to prevent the spread of infections within a colony. But how does an individual ant know whom it should groom? A multidisciplinary team of researchers combined experimental and theoretical approaches to get a detailed look into ants' sanitary decision-making.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
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Biological clocks of people and malaria parasites tick in tune      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Could the next weapon against malaria come from a better understanding of biological clocks? A new study shows that malaria parasites sync their gene activity with the circadian rhythms of their host, like two pendulum clocks with synchronized swings. If scientists can identify the molecular signals behind this mysterious synchronicity, they might be able to develop new anti-malarial drugs that throw malaria's internal clock out of step with its host, essentially 'jet-lagging' the parasites.

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Published

First detection of secondary supermassive black hole in a well-known binary system      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of astronomers observed the second one of the two supermassive black holes circling each other in an active galaxy OJ 287.

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

A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research shows that the natural peptide, called drosocin, protects fruit flies from bacterial infections by binding to ribosomes in bacteria. Once bound, drosocin prevents the ribosome from making new proteins.

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

Muscle fibers: An unexpected organization revealed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have just made the unexpected discovery of a novel organization of muscle fibers in Parophidion vassali, a fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and, like many fish, uses specialized muscles to produce sounds. This is an important discovery that could well change our understanding of muscle contraction.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Microbiology
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Previously unknown antibiotic resistance widespread among bacteria      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics are much more widespread in our environment than was previously realized. A new study shows that bacteria in almost all environments carry resistance genes, with a risk of them spreading and aggravating the problem of bacterial infections that are untreatable with antibiotics.

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How studying feces may help us boost white rhino populations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not reproduced successfully in captivity. The work raises questions about the role that a particular genus of gut microbes may be playing in limiting captive breeding of this rhinoceros species.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Microbes key to sequestering carbon in soil      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Microbes are by far the most important factor in determining how much carbon is stored in the soil, according to a new study with implications for mitigating climate change and improving soil health for agriculture and food production.

Biology: Microbiology
Published

Global response to antimicrobial resistance 'insufficient'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Governments around the world must do more to tackle the growing threat of drug-resistant infections, according to new research. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to medicines designed to treat them. After the World Health Organization declared AMR one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity, national action plans to tackle the threat were developed by more than 100 countries. Academics say the plans focus on designing policies to curb AMR and devising tools to implement the policies -- but they do not adequately factor in monitoring and evaluation.

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Webb Space Telescope detects universe's most distant complex organic molecules      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earth -- the most distant galaxy in which these molecules are now known to exist. Thanks to the capabilities of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope and careful analyses from the research team, a new study lends critical insight into the complex chemical interactions that occur in the first galaxies in the early universe.

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

NASA's Webb Space Telescope peers behind bars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A delicate tracery of dust and bright star clusters threads across this image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The bright tendrils of gas and stars belong to the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, whose bright central bar is visible in the upper left of this image -- a composite from two of Webb's instruments.