Researchers chart oilcane microbiome
In a new collaboration, scientists at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) have identified the types of microbes that associate with engineered oilcane. Further exploration of the oilcane microbiome may reveal opportunities to leverage plant-microbial interactions in these feedstocks, which could increase oil yields for sustainable bioenergy production.
Protein nanoparticle vaccine with adjuvant improves immune response against influenza, find researchers
A novel type of protein nanoparticle vaccine formulation containing influenza proteins and adjuvant to boost immune responses has provided complete protection against influenza viral challenges, according to a new study published by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.
How songs of the oceans raise environmental awareness
For many people, there are few sounds as relaxing as ocean waves. But the sound of the seas can also convey deeper emotions and raise awareness about pollution.
Report explores role of dollar stores in food landscape
A market for an expanded grocery selection at dollar stores potentially exists, especially with consumers who live less than 10 minutes away, according to data reported in the April Consumer Food Insights report.
The 15-minute city begins with sidewalks that aid mobility: Study proposes a new urban model
Neither artificial intelligence nor the metaverse will define the cities of the future. Instead, everything points to it being something as matter of fact as proximity to services. This is what's known as the 15-minute city, and work is already being carried out on it in cities like Barcelona, Paris, Bogotá, Shanghai and Melbourne.
Novel method for analyzing protein crystals could open up new avenues for drug discovery
A new method for analyzing protein crystals—developed by Cornell University researchers and given a funky two-part name—could open up applications for new drug discovery and other areas of biotechnology and biochemistry.
Simple management steps for a high fertility cycle in dairy herds
The dairy industry has seen a revolution over the past two decades in fertility success within herds. Widely adopted fertility programs are at the heart of this leap forward, along with the industry's increased understanding—and optimization—of the holistic interactions among the body condition, overall health, and fertility of a dairy cow.
Researchers develop resource to identify corn tar spot
Corn tar spot is a new disease causing significant yield loss in the United States. The lack of information about the pathogen and epidemiology of the disease—which was first reported in the U.S. in 2015 and has since spread to multiple states, including Minnesota in 2019—has made it difficult to diagnose and treat properly. Corn tar spot also appears similar to other leaf diseases and abiotic...
Scientists use new technology to examine health of deep-sea corals, find suspected new species
Scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) have returned from an expedition to study the impact of climate change on deep water corals. Scientists from the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico found greater biodiversity than previously known in Puerto Rican waters and may have identified several suspected new species of corals, collecting over 300 samples across 75 different species....
Broad climate change concern in Florida linked with recent extreme weather
An increasing number of Floridians agree that human actions are causing climate change, including a record number of Florida Republicans, according to a new survey from Florida Atlantic University. This finding reinforces the trend observed in the prior seven Florida Climate Resilience Surveys, conducted by FAU's Center for Environmental Studies within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.
New technology developed for quantum cryptography applications
The development of quantum computing means that the use of classic cryptography for secure communications is in danger of becoming obsolete. Quantum cryptography, on the other hand, uses the laws of quantum mechanics to ensure total security. One example of this is quantum key distribution, which enables two parties to secure a message via a random secret key.
Another step away from the farm: Meat grown from immortal stem cells
To make it possible for cellular agriculture—the process of growing meat in bioreactors—to feed millions of people, several technical challenges will have to be overcome. Muscle cells from chicken, fish, cows, and other food sources will have to be grown to produce millions of metric tons per year. Toward this goal, researchers at Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) have...
Achieving linguistic justice for African American English
African American English (AAE) is a variety of English spoken primarily, though not exclusively, by Black Americans of historical African descent.
Targeting resistance to a crucial reserve antibiotic
Colistin is a cationic cyclic peptide that disrupts bacterial cell membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. It is one of the few remaining antibiotics of last resort for use against infections with multidrug-resistant bacteria. Hence, the recent global detection of transferable mobile colistin resistance gene families in a wide range of multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria isolated from all kinds of...
Research Excellence Framework significantly increases UK university output but not efficiency, study shows
A new study led by City, University of London suggests that the introduction of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) to measure the research performance of UK universities has led to significant increases in the quantity of their high-quality published research, but not in the output of active academics, and that it must do more to support university research strategies.
Listening to the largest tree on Earth
Spread across 106 acres in southcentral Utah, the Pando aspen grove resembles a forest but is actually a single organism with more than 47,000 genetically identical aspen stems connected at the root. Pando is the world's largest tree by weight and land mass. Research suggests Pando has been regenerating for 9,000 years, making it one of the oldest organisms on Earth.
Bridging the gap between lab and field studies in soil microbiology research
Soil microbiology research increasingly depends on big data. This means that experiments will no longer only mostly be carried out under controlled conditions in the laboratory but will instead move out into the fields.
Researchers develop injectable bioelectrodes with tunable lifetimes
Implantable bioelectrodes are electronic devices that can monitor or stimulate biological activity by transmitting signals to and from living biological systems. Such devices can be fabricated using various materials and techniques. But, because of their intimate contact and interactions with living tissues, selection of the right material for performance and biocompatibility is crucial. In recent...
How DNA repair can go wrong and lead to disease
We often come to an understanding of what causes a disease. We know, for example, that cancers are caused by mutations at critical locations in the genome, resulting in loss of control of cell growth. We know that the onset of Huntington's disease, and other diseases that lead to muscle wasting and loss of coordination and balance, are linked to the expansion of short, repeated DNA sequences.
Study finds copper key to more efficient biomass breakdown
Nonfood, plant-based biofuels have potential as a green alternative to fossil fuels, but the enzymes required for production are too inefficient and costly to produce. However, new research published in Chemical Science is shining a light on enzymes from fungi that could make biofuels economically viable.
Stephen Hawking and I created his final theory of the cosmos—here's what it reveals about the origins of time and life
The late physicist Stephen Hawking first asked me to work with him to develop "a new quantum theory of the Big Bang" in 1998. What started out as a doctoral project evolved over some 20 years into an intense collaboration that ended only with his passing on March 14 2018.
New study reveals boreal wetlands are a large source of reactive vapors in a warming climate
Boreal wetlands are a significant source of isoprene and terpenes, a class of highly reactive organic compounds that have a substantial impact on the Earth's climate, according to a new study led by the University of Eastern Finland and published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Size and diversity of research teams does not automatically equate to better research outcomes, finds new study
While often large research teams are able to generate more impact, they struggle to reach top-tier journals, finds a new study from the University of Surrey that analyzed data from 1.4 million academic papers. The paper is published in the journal Academy of Management Learning & Education.
When a cat video elicits more than warm fuzzies: Examining human responses to 'cuteness' in social media
Could a kitten in your Instagram feed sway your cereal choice? If the cat has saucer-sized eyes, wears a tiny tuxedo and teeters on a wobbling box of day-glo frosted carbs, you might be more apt to add it to your shopping list, according to University of Maryland researchers.
Chasms on the flanks of a Martian volcano
Mars has some of the most impressive volcanoes in the solar system. ESA's Mars Express has now imaged the pitted, fissured flank of the planet's second-tallest: Ascraeus Mons.