Showing 20 articles starting at article 181

< Previous 20 articles        Next 20 articles >

Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Space: Astronomy

Return to the site home page

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent discovery by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) confirmed that luminous, very red objects previously detected in the early universe upend conventional thinking about the origins and evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bringing us one step closer to solving the 'missing satellites problem,' researchers have discovered two new satellite galaxies.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of researchers combine orbital imagery with seismological data from NASA's Mars InSight lander to derive a new impact rate for meteorite strikes on Mars. Seismology also offers a new tool for determining the density of Mars' craters and the age of different regions of a planet.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The majority of stars in our galaxy are home to planets. The most abundant are the sub-Neptunes, planets between the size of Earth and Neptune. Calculating their density poses a problem for scientists: depending on the method used to measure their mass, two populations are highlighted, the dense and the less dense. Is this due to an observational bias or the physical existence of two distinct populations of sub-Neptunes? Recent work argues for the latter.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a deep-learning model, called PepFlow, that can predict all possible shapes of peptides -- chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins, but perform similar biological functions. Peptides are known to be highly flexible, taking on a wide range of folding patterns, and are thus involved in many biological processes of interest to researchers in the development of therapeutics.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a gene-silencing tool that shows promise as a therapy against fatal prion diseases. The tool, a streamlined epigenetic editor, paves the way for a new class of genetic approaches to treat certain diseases.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Synthetic biology combines principles from science, engineering and social science, creating emerging technologies such as alternative meats and mRNA vaccines; Deconstructing synthetic biology across scales gives rise to new approach to uniting traditional disciplines; Case studies offer a modular, accessible approach to teaching at different institutions.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

We often think of species as separate and distinct, but sometimes they can interbreed and create hybrids. When this happens consistently in a specific area, it forms what's known as a hybrid zone. These zones can be highly dynamic or remarkably stable, and studying them can reveal key insights into how species boundaries evolve -- or sometimes blur. Researchers now describe a hybrid zone between two manakin species in Panama that has overall remained relatively stable over the past 30 years.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A genetic 'off switch' that shuts down the process in which legume plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients has been identified for the first time by a team of international scientists.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Before a cell commits fully to the process of dividing itself into two new cells, it may ensure the appropriateness of its commitment by staying for many hours -- sometimes more than a day -- in a reversible intermediate state, according to a new discovery. Their revelation of this fundamental feature of biology includes details of its mechanisms and dynamics, which may inform the development of future therapies targeting cancers and other diseases.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research had the goal of reducing the time and cost it takes to bring an improved crop to the marketplace to improve agriculture sustainability.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bacteria possess unique traits with great potential for benefiting society. However, current genetic engineering methods to harness these advantages are limited to a small fraction of bacterial species. A team has now introduced a novel approach that can make many more bacteria amenable to genetic engineering. Their method, called IMPRINT, uses cell-free systems to enhance DNA transformation across various bacterial strains.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that in thale cresses histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9) methylation, conventionally thought to be a mark of turning off gene transcription, can also turn on gene expression via the interactions of two other proteins and histone marks. The molecular mechanisms demonstrate that rather than functioning as a simple 'off switch,' H3K9 methylation is more like a 'dimmer switch' that fine-tunes DNA transcription. The discovery suggests there might be similar mechanisms in other organisms, too.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Made famous in 1995 by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the Pillars of Creation in the heart of the Eagle Nebula have captured imaginations worldwide with their arresting, ethereal beauty. Now, NASA has released a new 3D visualization of these towering celestial structures using data from NASA's Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. This is the most comprehensive and detailed multiwavelength movie yet of these star-birthing clouds.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Study reveals how drug molecules bind in channels between neighboring cells, changing intercellular communication.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Norcembranolide diterpenes, isolated from the soft corals of the genus Sinularia, are important compounds for the development of new drugs, owing to their diverse biological activities. However, total synthesis methods for these compounds are scarce. Now, a team of researchers has achieved the total synthesis of scabrolide F, a norcembranolide diterpene. They also revealed its non-toxic antifouling properties. This novel method can lead to the development of new drugs and antifouling agents.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The nine-banded armadillo, which ranges all the way from Argentina to Nebraska, is actually four separate species. One of the species, the Guianan long-nosed armadillo, is new to science. Meanwhile, the species that has migrated from Mexico to the United States (and is the official small mammal of Texas) is now called the Mexican long-nosed armadillo.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research describes how nerve cells and muscle cells communicate through electrical signals during development -- a phenomenon known as bioelectricity. The communication, which takes place via specialized channels between cells, is vital for proper development and behavior. The study identifies specific genes that control the process, and pins down what happens when it goes wrong. The finding offers clues to the genetic origins of muscle disorders in humans.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The study reveals vast differences in gene activity within the mitochondria of males compared to females. This is the first study to test effects of all 37 genes in the mitochondrial genome -- genes that copepods and humans share. The study found that males demonstrate more activity across all protein-coding mitochondrial genes than females. Although the study looks at tiny marine organisms called copepods, the findings have weighty implications for human medicine.

     (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Solar physicists have revealed the interior structure of the sun's supergranules, a flow structure that transports heat from the sun's hidden interior to its surface. The researchers' analysis of the supergranules presents a challenge to the current understanding of solar convection.