291 articles from WEDNESDAY 1.7.2020
To listen is to survive: Unravelling how plants process information
Researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) have mapped the signaling network in plants and discovered novel insights about how plants process information about their environment. This gives new potential for strategies to protect crops and help them thrive in the time of increasing droughts.
Toward principles of gene regulation in multicellular systems
A team of quantitative biology researchers from Northwestern University have uncovered new insights into the impact of stochasticity in gene expression, offering new evolutionary clues into organismal design principles in the face of physical constraints.
Japan begins charging for plastic bags
Retailers in Japan began charging for plastic bags on Wednesday, a move aimed at curbing Japanese consumers' love for packaging and finally bringing the country in line with other major economies.
Indonesia province declares state of emergency over forest fire risk
An Indonesian province declared a state of emergency Wednesday as officials said they had pinpointed hundreds of spots at risk of erupting into smog-belching forest fires that plague the region every year.
Launch of NASA Mars rover delayed again, 2 weeks left to fly
NASA has delayed the launch of its newest Mars rover yet again—to the end of July at the earliest—this time for a rocket issue.
Astronauts perform 2nd spacewalk to swap station batteries
Astronauts performed their second spacewalk in under a week Wednesday to replace old batteries outside the International Space Station.
Copernicus Sentinels: UK industry loses out in European satellite bids
British firms fail to win leading roles in the expansion of the Copernicus Earth observation...
A binary star as a cosmic particle accelerator
With a specialized telescope in Namibia a DESY-led team of researchers has proven a certain type of binary star as a new kind of source for very high-energy cosmic gamma-radiation. Eta Carinae is located 7500 lightyears away in the constellation Carina (the ship's keel) in the Southern Sky and, based on the data collected, emits gamma rays with energies all the way up to 400 gigaelectronvolts...
New synthetic biology tools unlock complex plant engineering
Researchers at JBEI have developed a new set of synthetic biology tools that could unlock advanced plant engineering.
The mystery of pollen sterility and its reversion in pigeon pea revealed in a new study
Published in The Plant Genome recently, a study has analyzed one environment-sensitive genic male sterile (EGMS) line that exhibited fertility transition under specified environmental conditions. Fertility transition here refers to the reversion of male sterile condition producing viable pollen to become male fertile plant and vice-versa.
Looping footstep pattern in modern guineafowl sheds light on dinosaur tracks
A trio of researchers, two with Brown University, the other with Liverpool John Moores University, has found that a looping pattern in modern guineafowl footsteps is similar to those of certain dinosaurs. In their paper published in The Royal Society Biology Letters, Morgan Turner, Peter Falkingham and Stephen M. Gatesy describe their study of tracks made by modern guineafowl and how they compared...
New chemistry for ultra-thin gas sensors
The application of zinc oxide layers in industry is manifold and ranges from the protection of degradable goods to the detection of toxic nitrogen oxide gas. Such layers can be deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) which employs typically chemical compounds, or simply precursors, which ignite immediately upon contact with air, i.e. are highly pyrophoric. An interdisciplinary research team at...
Knowledge of severe storm patterns may improve tornado warnings
A radar signature may help distinguish which severe storms are likely to produce dangerous tornadoes, potentially leading to more accurate warnings, according to scientists.
Image: Suitcase-sized asteroid explorer
A view of ESA's smallest future asteroid mission mapping its target body by laser.
Study gains new insight into bacterial DNA packing
When bacteria are put in different environments, such as one that is more acidic or anaerobic, their genes start to adapt remarkably quickly. They're able to do so because the proteins making up their chromosome can pack and unpack rapidly. Now, a Berkeley Lab-led team of researchers has been able to capture this process at the molecular level using advanced imaging techniques, a discovery that...
Even groupers have parasites
"Parasite" is a term with a negative connotation, associated with laziness and predation, and the recent Oscar-winning movie "Parasite" will certainly not improve the public's general opinion on the matter.
Surprising mammal diversity discovered in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park
New surveys have revealed surprising mammal biodiversity in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park (Bidoup Nui Ba NP), a large protected area located in the southern part of the Annamites range. The presence of numerous rare and endangered mammals in Bidoup Nui Ba NP provides a ray of hope for the long-term conservation of Vietnam's unique biodiversity.
A shake-up in cell culturing: Flame sterilization may affect the culture
Researchers commonly culture bacteria for many purposes, such as to screen pharmaceuticals and manufacture vaccines. In these cases, shake flasks have been commonly and generally used for over 90 years to cultivate microbes.
Artificial photosynthesis can convert useless carbon dioxide into formic acid used in industry
With energy from the sun, a special enzyme can convert CO2 molecules into formic acid. This can both remove CO2 and provide us with something more useful.
Tiny silica particles: Powerful agents that could wipe out bone diseases
Nanoparticles constitute the main pillar in nanomedicine: They are now continuously being explored for their use in targeted drug delivery or repairing damaged tissues such as bones and muscles.
Whale sharks found to have tiny teeth around their eyes
A team of researchers working at Japan's Okinawa Churashima Research Center has found that whale sharks have thousands of dermal denticles (tiny teeth) in the skin surrounding their eyeballs. In their paper posted on the open access site PLOS ONE, the group describes their study of the teeth and suggest possible functions.
A binary star as a cosmic particle accelerator
- ScienceDaily
- 20/7/1 16:01
Scientists have identified the binary star Eta Carinae as a new kind of source for very high-energy (VHE) cosmic gamma-radiation. Eta Carinae is located 7500 lightyears away in the constellation Carina in the Southern Sky and, based on the data collected, emits gamma rays with energies up to 400 gigaelectronvolts (GeV), some 100 billion times more than the energy of visible light.
Toward principles of gene regulation in multicellular systems?
- ScienceDaily
- 20/7/1 16:00
Quantitative biologists ombine precision measurements and mathematical models to uncover a common mechanism regulating gene expression during development.
Exercise can slow or prevent vision loss, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 20/7/1 16:00
Exercise can slow or prevent the development of macular degeneration and may benefit other common causes of vision loss, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, new research suggests.
Why do arteries age? Study explores link to gut bacteria, diet
- ScienceDaily
- 20/7/1 16:00
Eat a slab of steak and your resident gut bacteria get to work immediately to break it down. But new research shows that a metabolic byproduct, called TMAO, produced in the process can be harmful to the lining of arteries, making them age faster.