Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

'Glow-in-the-dark' proteins could help diagnose viral diseases      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Despite recent advancements, many highly sensitive diagnostic tests for viral diseases still require complicated techniques to prepare a sample or interpret a result, making them impractical for point-of-care settings or areas with few resources. But now, a team has developed a sensitive method that analyzes viral nucleic acids in as little as 20 minutes and can be completed in one step with 'glow-in-the-dark' proteins.

Biology: Microbiology Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Humans are leaving behind a 'frozen signature' of microbes on Mount Everest      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Thanks to technological advances in microbial DNA analysis, researchers have discovered that mountaineers' boots aren't the only things leaving footprints on the world's tallest mountain. When someone sneezes on Everest, their germs can last for centuries.

Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Innovative approach opens the door to COVID nanobody therapies      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The relatively simple and low-cost procedure could empower laboratories in low-resource areas to generate nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2, as well as other viruses.

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

Molecular component of caffeine may play a role in gut health      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study explores exactly what leads to the generation of Th17 cells -- an important subtype of cells in the intestine -- and uncovers some of the underappreciated molecular players and events that lead to cell differentiation in the gut.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Physics: General Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: General
Published

Spatial patterns in distribution of galaxies      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In an unlikely pairing, a chemist and an astrophysicist applied the tools of statistical mechanics to find similarities in spatial patterns across length scales.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

The 'Rapunzel' virus: an evolutionary oddity      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Extremely long tail provides structural window into how bacteria-infecting viruses called phages assemble.

Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

High winds can worsen pathogen spread at outdoor chicken farms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A study of chicken farms in the West found that high winds increased the prevalence of Campylobacter in outdoor flocks, a bacterial pathogen in poultry that is the largest single cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. Researchers found that about 26% of individual chickens had the pathogen at the 'open environment' farms in the study, which included organic and free-range chicken farms. High winds the week prior to sampling and the farms' location in more intensive agricultural settings were linked to a greater prevalence of Campylobacter.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Observations open door to improved luminous efficiency of organic LEDs      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists succeeded in directly observing how LECs -- which are attracting attention as one of the post-organic LEDs -- change their electronic state over time during field emission by measuring their optical absorption via lamp light irradiation for the first time. This research method can be applied to all light-emitting devices, including not only LECs but also organic LEDs. This method is expected to reveal detailed electroluminescence processes and lead to the early detection of factors that reduce the efficiency of electroluminescence.

Biology: Microbiology
Published

The immune system does battle in the intestines to keep bacteria in check      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers sheds light on a face-off in the intestines between the immune system and a bacterial pathogen whose family members cause gastrointestinal disease and the plague. The team's insights may extend to other chronic infections and could inform the development of immunotherapies capable of fully extinguishing such diseases.

Biology: Microbiology
Published

Researchers develop new technology to easily detect active TB      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of faculty has discovered new technology that will quickly and easily detect active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection antibodies.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Scientists transform algae into unique functional perovskites with tunable properties      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have transformed single-cell algae into functional perovskite materials. The team has converted mineral shells of algae into lead halide perovskites with tunable physical properties. The new perovskites have unique nano-architectures unachievable by conventional synthetic production. The method can be applied to the mass production of perovskites with tunable structural and electro-optical properties from single-celled organisms.

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

A quick new way to screen virus proteins for antibiotic properties      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A whole new world of antibiotics is waiting inside the viruses that infect bacteria. Scientists are making it easier to study them.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries revealed      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have pioneered a technique to observe the 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries. This opens up a wide range of areas for the new technique from energy storage and chemical engineering to biomedical applications.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Thermal conductivity of metal organic frameworks      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Metal organic frameworks, or MOFs, are kind of like plastic building block toys. The pieces are simple to connect, yet they're capable of building highly sophisticated structures.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Experiment unlocks bizarre properties of strange metals      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Physicists are learning more about the bizarre behavior of 'strange metals,' which operate outside the normal rules of electricity.

Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals
Published

Looking for risky viruses now to get ahead of future pandemics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Rather than let the next outbreak take the world by surprise, two virologists say that the scientific community should invest in a four-part research framework to proactively identify animal viruses that might infect humans.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists identify substance that may have sparked life on Earth      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of scientists dedicated to pinpointing the primordial origins of metabolism -- a set of core chemical reactions that first powered life on Earth -- has identified part of a protein that could provide scientists clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Customizing catalysts for solid-state reactions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A newly developed molecular catalyst specifically tailored for mechanochemical reaction conditions enables high-efficiency transformations at near room temperature.