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Categories: Biology: Biochemistry, Environmental: General
Published Civil engineers use public satellite images to study why the Jagersfontein dam failed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Study by civil engineers finds that the history of the Jagersfontein dam deviates from best engineering practice.
Published A cold-specialized icefish species underwent major genetic changes as it migrated to temperate waters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have explored the genetic mechanisms underlying the transition from freezing Antarctic waters to more temperature waters by Antarctic Notothenioid fish.
Published Bacterial signaling across biofilm affected by surface structure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria are also able to communicate with each other through chemical signals, a behavior known as quorum signaling (QS). These chemical signals spread through a biofilm that colonies of bacteria form after they reach a certain density, and are used to help the colonies scavenge food, as well as defend against threats, like antibiotics. Researchers examined how different structures affects biofilm growth and QS by the bacteria in the presence of antibiotics. They found structure does have an effect on QS in some strains of the bacteria.
Published How were amino acids, one of the key building blocks of life, formed before the origin of life on Earth?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The amino acid abundances of two Ryugu particles were measured and compared with their rocky components. The results demonstrate the important role that water plays in the formation of amino acids on the giant precursors of asteroids like Ryugu. Our solar system formed from a molecular cloud, which was composed of gas and dust that was emitted into the interstellar medium (ISM), a vast space between stars. On collapse of the molecular cloud, the early sun was formed, with a large disk of gas and dust orbiting it. The dusty material collided to produce rocky material that would eventually grow in size to give large bodies called planetesimals.
Published New tool shows progress in fighting spread of invasive grass carp in Great Lakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers created a new way to estimate the abundance of invasive 'sleeper' species in freshwater ecosystems and help guide management strategies.
Published Preventing urban flooding in the face of climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Planners have come up with many innovative ways to prevent flooding caused by heavy downpours -- from planting rain gardens to installing green roofs. But in many cases, nothing works quite as well as a simple hole in the ground -- a detention basin.
Published New insights into engineering climate-smart crops for the future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research in the field of plant sciences has made significant advances towards understanding the underlying reasons behind why certain crops are better at generating more yield than others.
Published Scientists use computational modeling to design 'ultrastable' materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers developed a computational approach to predict which metal-organic framework (MOF) structures will be the most stable, and therefore the best candidates for applications such as capturing greenhouse gases.
Published A detailed map of the microverse: Microbial niches
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What defines the habitat -- the ecological niche -- of a microorganism? It is a combination of environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, and nutrient content. But the exact contribution of each of these factors is difficult to predict. A research team has redefined microbial niches by determining which microorganisms live together.
Published Sailing cargo ships can benefit from new aerodynamic tech
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has demonstrated a unique method that reduces the aerodynamic resistance of ships by 7.5 per cent. This opens the way for large cargo ships borne across the oceans by wind alone, as wind-powered ships are more affected by aerodynamic drag than fossil-fueled ones.
Published Researchers disentangle patterns of indoor mixing for respiratory disease transmission risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have characterized the seasonal effects on human social behavior to provide new insights on the risk of respiratory disease transmission.
Published Lab-grown fat could give cultured meat real flavor and texture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have successfully bulk-produced fat tissue in the lab that has a similar texture and make-up to naturally occurring fats from animals.
Published Legacy industrial contamination in the Arctic permafrost
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A previously underestimated risk lurks in the frozen soil of the Arctic. When the ground thaws and becomes unstable in response to climate change, it can lead to the collapse of industrial infrastructure, and in turn to the increased release of pollutants. Moreover, contaminations already present will be able to more easily spread throughout ecosystems. According to new findings, there are at least 13,000 to 20,000 contaminated sites in the Arctic that could pose a serious risk in the future.
Published Red tide warning system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Current methods to monitor red tide are limited. Using AUTOHOLO, a new autonomous, submersible, 3D holographic microscope and imaging system, a study is the first to characterize red tide in the field and breaks new ground for monitoring harmful algal blooms.
Published A miniature heart in a petri dish: Organoid emulates development of the human heart
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has induced stem cells to emulate the development of the human heart. The result is a sort of 'mini-heart' known as an organoid. It will permit the study of the earliest development phase of our heart and facilitate research on diseases.
Published Mosquito saliva can weaken body's defenses against deadly dengue viruses, scientists discover
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With dengue on the spread, the new discovery helps explain why dengue viruses are so easily transmitted. The finding could also lead to new ways to prevent infection.
Published Elephants as a new model for understanding human evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human culture and language may be the result of 'self-domestication': an evolutionary process that leads to less aggressive and more prosocial individuals. A research team argues that elephants -- like humans and bonobos -- may also be self-domesticated. Elephants show many traits associated with self-domestication, such as prosocial behavior, playfulness and complex communication skills. This makes elephants an interesting new animal model for the evolution of prosociality.
Published Insect decline also occurs in forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The number of insects has been declining for years. This has already been well documented for agricultural areas. In forests, however, temporal trends are mostly studied for insect species that are considered pests. Now, a research team has studied the trends of very many insect species in German forests. Contrary to what the researchers had suspected, the results showed that the majority of the studied species are declining.
Published Limiting warming to 2°C may avoid 80% of heat-related deaths in Middle East and North Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over 80% of predicted heat-related deaths in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by the end of the century could be prevented if global warming is limited to 2°C, according to a modelling study.
Published Study to decode microbe-gut signaling suggests potential new treatment for IBD
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fresh insights into how our bodies interact with the microbes living in our guts suggest that a two-drug combination may offer a new way to treat inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.