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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Geoscience: Geology
Published Fresh understanding of ice age frequency
(via sciencedaily.com) A chance find of an unstudied Antarctic sediment core has led researchers to flip our understanding of how often ice ages occurred in Antarctica.
Published Understanding the cryptic role fungi play in ecosystems
(via sciencedaily.com) It is estimated that there are approximately 3 to 13 million fungal species on Earth, many of which are microscopic in size. They live in a range of environments such as in soils, inside the tissues of leaves in rainforests, and in deep oceans. Understanding how fungi move across a range of spatial scales is important to understanding ecosystems and has implications for agriculture and human health, according to a new review.
Published Accelerating pathogen identification in infants and children with bloodstream infections
(via sciencedaily.com) A collaborative team has re-engineered the process of microbial pathogen identification in blood samples from pediatric sepsis patients using broad-spectrum pathogen capture technology. The advance enables accurate pathogen detection with a combination of unprecedented sensitivity and speed, and could significantly improve clinical outcomes for pediatric and older patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) and sepsis.
Published Fungi in sink drains act as 'reservoirs for mold'
(via sciencedaily.com) Sinks and P-traps are home to a surprising number of fungal organisms.
Published Earthquake lab experiments produce aftershock-like behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Earthquakes are notoriously hard to predict, and so too are the usually less-severe aftershocks that often follow a major seismic event.
Published Antibiotics' effect on the mycobiome varies from person to person
(via sciencedaily.com) Antibiotic treatment disrupts the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in a person's gut. That disruption can lead to the overgrowth of fungal species in the gut mycobiota, including the common intestinal yeast Candida albicans. However, researchers only have a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Researchers now report on how treatment with a common beta-lactam antibiotic led to significant changes in C. albicans in patients.
Published Forests benefit from tree species variety and genetic diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Reforestation projects should include a variety of tree species and ensure genetic diversity within each species to maximize new forests' health and productivity.
Published The evolution of Asia's mammals was dictated by ancient climate change and rising mountains
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study compiles data on more than 3,000 species to show how climate and geologic changes across Asia over the last 66 million years have shaped the evolution of the continent's mammals.
Published Genome studies uncover a new branch in fungal evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source About 600 seemingly disparate fungi that had resisted categorization have been shown to have a common ancestor, according to a a research team that used genome sequencing to give these peculiar creatures a new classification home.
Published Physicians urged to consider fungal infections as possible cause for lung inflammation
(via sciencedaily.com) Infectious diseases experts warn of the rising threat and apparent spread of disease-causing fungi outside their traditional hot spots. Fungal lung infections are commonly misdiagnosed, leading to delays in treatment and increase in antimicrobial resistance in the community.
Published Exploring the deep: Drones offer new ways to monitor sea floor
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have developed a novel method for measuring the earth's crust on the seafloor. A lightweight geodetic measurement device was mounted on a sea-surface landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The mobility of this new system will enable rapid, efficient collection of real-time deep seafloor information, which is critical for understanding earthquake risk, as well as various other oceanographic observations.
Published Monitoring 'frothy' magma gases could help evade disaster
(via sciencedaily.com) Volcanic eruptions are dangerous and difficult to predict. A team has found that the ratio of atoms in specific gases released from volcanic fumaroles (gaps in the Earth's surface) can provide an indicator of what is happening to the magma deep below -- similar to taking a blood test to check your health. This can indicate when things might be 'heating up.' Specifically, changes in the ratio of argon-40 and helium-3 can indicate how frothy the magma is, which signals the risk of different types of eruption. Understanding which ratios of which gases indicate a certain type of magma activity is a big step. Next, the team hopes to develop portable equipment which can provide on-site, real-time measurements for a 24/7 volcanic activity monitoring and early warning system.
Published A Tale of Terroir: Porcini mushrooms have evolved with a preference to local adaptation
(via sciencedaily.com) A genetic survey of porcini mushrooms across the Northern Hemisphere found that these delicious fungi evolved in surprising ways -- contrary to the expectations of many who think that geographic isolation would be the primary driver for species diversity. In fact, there are regions in the world where porcini maintain their genetic distinctiveness in local ecological niches, even if they are not isolated geographically from other genetic lineages.
Published How a common fungus eliminates toxic mercury from soil and water
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers found that the fungus Metarhizium robertsii removes mercury from the soil around plant roots, and from fresh and saltwater. The researchers also genetically engineered the fungus to amplify its mercury detoxifying effects. This new work suggests Metarhizium could provide an inexpensive and efficient way to protect crops grown in polluted areas and remediate mercury-laden waterways.
Published Lung infections caused by soil fungi are a problem nationwide
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have discovered that the three main kinds of soil fungi that cause lung infections have all expanded their ranges in recent decades. Reliance on outdated maps could be causing delayed or missed diagnoses.
Published Earth can regulate its own temperature over millennia, new study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study confirms that the planet harbors a 'stabilizing feedback' mechanism that acts over hundreds of thousands of years to keep global temperatures within a steady, habitable range.
Published Unlocking deep carbon's fate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Carbon dioxide in the deep Earth may be more active than previously thought and may have played a bigger role in climate change than scientists knew before, according to a new study.
Published Desert dust collected from glacier ice helps document climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers are using dust trapped in glacier ice in Tibet to document past changes in Earth's intricate climate system -- and maybe one day help predict future changes.
Published Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study has found evidence that the evolution of tree roots over 300 million years ago triggered mass extinction events through the same chemical processes created by pollution in modern oceans and lakes.
Published Starved yeast poisons clones
(via sciencedaily.com) Yeast is not the simple single-celled microorganism we once thought, but a competitive killer. When starved of glucose, yeast releases a toxin that will poison other microorganisms that have entered its surrounding habitat, even its own clones. This venomous phenomenon was previously unknown and contributes to our understanding of unicellular microorganism behavior, the evolution of unicellular to multicellular organisms, as well as having potentially useful applications for the food industry.