Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Allergy cells' hidden secret      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Known for their role in allergic reactions, mast cells have long been recognised as key players in our immune system. When they encounter allergens, they release chemicals that trigger typical allergy symptoms such as tissue swelling and inflammation. Now, researchers have discovered a hidden talent of mast cells: they can capture and use another type of immune cell called neutrophils. This surprising discovery sheds new light on how our immune system works, particularly during allergic reactions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

Reduction in folate intake linked to healthier aging in animal models      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists found that decreasing folate intake can support healthier metabolisms in aging animal models, challenging the conventional belief that high folate consumption universally benefits health.

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

Coinfecting viruses impede each other's ability to enter cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The process by which phages -- viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria -- enter cells has been studied for over 50 years. In a new study, researchers have used cutting-edge techniques to look at this process at the level of a single cell.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New research sheds light on relationships between plants and insects in forest ecosystems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have published new findings on how leaf-eating insects affect forest ecosystems worldwide. Researchers are aware of how large herbivores cycle nutrients in forests. They know much less, however, about how leaf-eating insects impact forest carbon and nutrient cycling.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Revolutionary loop heat pipe transports 10 kW of waste heat -- No electricity required      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have unveiled a new loop heat pipe capable of transporting up to 10 kW of heat without using electric power. The loop heat pipe's design aims to contribute to energy savings and carbon neutrality in various fields, including waste heat recovery, solar heat utilization, electric vehicle thermal management, and data center cooling.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Born to modulate: Researchers reveal origins of climate-controlling particles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aerosol particles imbue climate models with uncertainty. New work reveals where in the world and under what conditions new particles are born.

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

Circular RNAs: The new frontier in cancer research      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Unravelling the complexities of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer biology has positioned scientists on the cusp of revolutionary breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. A new study predicts remarkable potential for circular RNAs to improve cancer treatment and patient outcomes within the next 5-10 years.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Sea level changes shaped early life on Earth, fossil study reveals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Shifts in the Earth's continental plates that drove long-term changes in sea level set the stage for the evolution of the earliest animals on Earth, a study suggests.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Combined effects of plastic pollution and seawater flooding amplify threats to coastal plant species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study highlights how a combination of environmental stressors -- namely plastic pollution and seawater flooding -- can increase the threats faced by plants in some of the planet's critical ecosystems. It showed that both stressors had some effects on the species tested, but being exposed to both microplastics and flooding together -- a threat likely to increase as a result of climate change and plastic use -- had a more pronounced impact on their resource allocation.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists find a human 'fingerprint' in the upper troposphere's increasing ozone      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists confirmed that much of ozone's increase in the upper troposphere is likely due to humans. A team detected a clear signal of human influence on upper tropospheric ozone trends in a 17-year satellite record starting in 2005.

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

What gave the first molecules their stability?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The origins of life remain a major mystery. How were complex molecules able to form and remain intact for prolonged periods without disintegrating? A team has demonstrated a mechanism that could have enabled the first RNA molecules to stabilize in the primordial soup. When two RNA strands combine, their stability and lifespan increase significantly.

Anthropology: Early Humans Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Genetic signatures of domestication identified in pigs, chickens      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Wild boars and red junglefowl gave rise to common pigs and chickens. These animals' genes evolved to express themselves differently, leading to signatures of domestication -- such as weaker bones and better viral resistance -- in pigs and chickens, according to a research team.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Healthy AI: Sustainable artificial intelligence for healthcare      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers investigated the environmental costs of AI, including energy consumption of AI systems in the medical field, carbon emissions of data centers, and electronic waste issues. Specific solutions to mitigate these environmental impacts were discussed, including the development of energy-efficient AI models, the implementation of green computing, and the use of renewable energy.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Retreat of tropical glaciers foreshadows changing climate's effect on the global ice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As they are in many places around the globe, glaciers perched high in the Andes Mountains are shrinking. Now, researchers have uncovered evidence that the high-altitude tropical ice fields are likely smaller than they've been at any time since the last ice age ended 11,700 years ago.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

When it comes to DNA replication, humans and baker's yeast are more alike than different      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies. The findings visualize for the first time a molecular complex -- called CTF18-RFC in humans and Ctf18-RFC in yeast -- that loads a 'clamp' onto DNA to keep parts of the replication machinery from falling off the DNA strand.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Climate change may lead to shifts in vital Pacific Arctic fisheries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Commercially important marine fish and invertebrate species will likely shift northwards under a warmer climate, according to new research.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Sustainable and reversible 3D printing method uses minimal ingredients and steps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new 3D printing method developed by engineers is so simple that it uses a polymer ink and salt water solution to create solid structures. The work has the potential to make materials manufacturing more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Multiple urinary metals play key role in cardiovascular disease and mortality, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Higher levels of urinary metals such as cadmium, tungsten, uranium, cobalt, copper and zinc are linked to increased cardiovascular disease and mortality in a racially and ethnically diverse U.S. population, according to a new study.

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

Which strains of tuberculosis are the most infectious?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Highly localized TB strains are less infectious in cosmopolitan cities and more likely to infect people from the geographic area that is the strain's natural habitat. The research provides the first controlled evidence that TB strains may evolve with their human hosts, adapting to be more infectious to specific populations. The findings offer new clues for tailoring preventive treatments after exposure to TB based on affinity between strains host populations.

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

Talking about regeneration      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers transferred genes from simple organisms capable of regenerating their bodies into common fruit flies, more complex animals that cannot. They found the transferred gene suppressed an age-related intestinal issue in the flies. Their results suggest studying genes specific to animals with high regenerative capability may uncover new mechanisms for rejuvenating stem cell function and extending the healthy lifespan of unrelated organisms.