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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Environmental: General
Published The importance of the Earth's atmosphere in creating the large storms that affect satellite communications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large geomagnetic storms disrupt radio signals and GPS. Now, researchers have identified the previous underestimated role of the ionosphere, a region of Earth's upper atmosphere that contains a high concentration of ions and free electrons, in determining how such storms develop. Understanding the interactions that cause large geomagnetic storms is important because they can disrupt radio signals and GPS. Their findings may help predict storms with the greatest potential consequences.
Published Selenium reduces mixtures of environmental pollutants' harmful effects on health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study in mice demonstrates that exposure to contaminating mixtures of metals and drug residue increases damage to health, and evaluates the positive effects of a diet enriched in selenium to reduce this harm.
Published Cat-ching criminals with DNA from pet hairs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cat hair could be the purr-fect way to catch criminals, according to researchers.
Published Intestinal bacteria metabolite promotes capture of antigens by dendritic cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dendritic cells are immune cells that capture and present antigens to T cells, activating an immune response. Researchers have discovered that short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal bacteria regulate a crucial step in this process, the extension of dendritic 'arms.' This breakthrough finding could potentially lead to the development of disease prevention strategies involving beneficial bacteria and new drugs targeting the regulation of dendritic cell function.
Published Controlling organoids with light
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Organoids help researchers understand biological processes in health and in disease. It is, however, difficult to influence the way in which they organize themselves into complex tissues. Now a group has found a new way to do so.
Published Drawing a tube of blood could assess ALS risk from environmental toxin exposure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Investigators have developed a new risk score that assesses a person's risk for developing ALS, as well as for survival after diagnosis, using a blood sample based on exposure to toxins in the environment, a new study shows.
Published Increasing risk of invasive species colonization on marine debris
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A groundbreaking scientific study conducted along the Southeast coast of India has unearthed a pressing environmental concern -- the increasing risk of invasive species colonization on marine debris. The research delves into the critical interplay between plastic pollution and the introduction of non-indigenous organisms into Indian waters.
Published AI can alert urban planners and policymakers to cities' decay
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As urbanization advances around the globe, the quality of the urban physical environment will become increasingly critical to human well-being and to sustainable development initiatives. However, measuring and tracking the quality of an urban environment, its evolution and its spatial disparities is difficult due to the amount of on-the-ground data needed to capture these patterns.
Published New battery technology could lead to safer, high-energy electric vehicles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying how lithium batteries fail have developed a new technology that could enable next-generation electric vehicles (EVs) and other devices that are less prone to battery fires while increasing energy storage.
Published Meltwater flowing beneath Antarctic glaciers may be accelerating their retreat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new Antarctic ice sheet modeling study suggests that meltwater flowing out to sea from beneath Antarctic glaciers is making them lose ice faster.
Published Tracking down environmental toxins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source PFAS, a family of highly fluorinated substances, represent a danger for humans and the environment. Particularly problematic members of this family, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) appear to cause organ damage and cancer, as well as disrupting the endocrine system. Researchers have now introduced a new method for an economical, easy-to-use fluorescence sensor for sensitive on-site testing for PFAS in water samples.
Published The race of water droplets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How fast does a droplet flow along a fiber? It depends on the diameter of the fiber... and also on its substructure! These are the findings of a study conducted by researchers who are interested in microfluidics, especially water harvesting in arid/semi-arid regions of our planet.
Published 3D printed reactor core makes solar fuel production more efficient
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using a new 3D printing technique, researchers have developed special ceramic structures for a solar reactor. Initial experimental testing show that these structures can boost the production yield of solar fuels.
Published Researchers solve protein mystery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have uncovered that proteins use a common chemical label as a shield to protect them from degradation, which in turn affects motility and aging.
Published Genetic methods enable the use of fossil lipids as biomarkers for oxygen-producing primordial bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cyanobacteria are a key species in Earth's history, as they introduced atmospheric oxygen for the first time. The analysis of their evolution therefore provides important insights into the formation of modern aerobic ecosystems. For a long time, a certain type of fossil lipid, so-called 2-methylhopanes, was considered to be an important biomarker for Cyanobacteria in sediments, some of which are hundreds of millions of years old. However, this came into doubt when it turned out that not only Cyanobacteria but also Alphaproteobacteria are genetically capable of producing these lipids.
Published Mammalian cells may consume bacteria-killing viruses to promote cellular health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteriophages, also called phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, their natural hosts. But from a macromolecular viewpoint, phages can be viewed as nutritionally enriched packets of nucleotides wrapped in an amino acid shell. A study suggests that mammalian cells internalize phages as a resource to promote cellular growth and survival.
Published Discovery of three novel minorisa species, the smallest predatory marine picoplankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant discovery by identifying and characterizing three novel species within the Minorisa genus of marine picoplankton. Before this study, only one species of Minorisa was recognized. This finding reveals previously unseen diversity of Minorisa, thereby enhancing species identification and our understanding of its ecological functions in marine ecosystems.
Published 75% of exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The tropical wood type ipe is popular for building exclusive wooden decks, and in North America and Europe, the demand for the material has increased sharply. Now, a study shows that more than three-quarters of all ipe from the top producing region in Brazil could have been harvested illegally.
Published Endangered whales live in area earmarked for gas exploration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Endangered whales and dolphins live year-round in an area of the Mediterranean earmarked for oil and gas exploration, new research shows.
Published A potentially cheaper and 'cooler' way for hydrogen transport
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new hydrogen energy carrier material capable storing hydrogen energy efficiently and potentially more cheaply. Each molecule can store one electron from hydrogen at room temperature, store it for up the three months, and can be its own catalyst to extract said electron. Moreover, as the compound is made primarily of nickel, its cost is relatively low.