A giant panda"s gut bacteria help it remain chubby while on a bamboo diet
The giant panda feeds exclusively on fibrous bamboo, yet they still manage to stay chubby and healthy. In a study published January 18 in the journal Cell Reports, researchers reveal that shifts in the bear's gut microbiota in the season when nutriti.....»»
First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock a.....»»
Discovery of new ancient giant snake in India
A new ancient species of snake dubbed Vasuki Indicus, which lived around 47 million years ago in the state of Gujarat in India, may have been one of the largest snakes to have ever lived, suggests new research published in Scientific Reports. The new.....»»
Mobile genetic elements can inadvertently suppress bacterial immune systems, research reveals
Bacterial restriction-modification systems are responsible for protecting cells from foreign genetic material, for example, bacteriophages and plasmids. Immune systems require strict regulation, as bacteria, like humans, can have autoimmune reactions.....»»
The hidden story behind one of SpaceX’s wettest and wildest launches
"It looked like a giant smoke monster." Enlarge / Is that sooty rocket lifting off with the CRS-3 mission in 2014 a reused booster? No, it is not. (credit: SpaceX) Ten years ago today, when a Falcon 9 rocket took off fro.....»»
NASA chief warns of Chinese military presence in space
China is bolstering its space capabilities and is using its civilian program to mask its military objectives, the head of the US space agency NASA said Wednesday, warning that Washington must remain vigilant......»»
92% of enterprises unprepared for AI security challenges
Most industries continue to run almost two or more months behind in patching software vulnerabilities, endpoints remain vulnerable to threats, and most enterprise PCs must be replaced to support AI-based technologies, according to the Absolute Securi.....»»
Soil bacteria link their life strategies to soil conditions: Study
Soil bacteria help regulate the cycling of carbon and nutrients on Earth. Over time, these bacteria have evolved strategies that determine where they live, what they do, and how they deal with a changing environment. However, microbiologists do not f.....»»
New class of antimicrobials discovered in soil bacteria
Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors, especially others of their own species......»»
Climate change is wiping out rare bacteria in a "greening" Antarctica
Plenty is known about the existential threat of climate change to plants and animals. But by comparison, we know very little about how microorganisms will be affected by climate change......»»
Improved mid-infrared nanoscopy enables 30 times clearer view of the insides of bacteria
A team at the University of Tokyo have constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope, enabling them to see the structures inside living bacteria at the nanometer scale. Mid-infrared microscopy is typically limited by its low resolution, especially.....»»
Multi-drug resistant bacteria found on International Space Station mutate to become functionally distinct
Principal Investigator Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory led a team that studied 13 strains of the bacterial species Enterobacter bugandensis that were isolated from the International Space Station (ISS). E. bugandensis i.....»»
Scientists discover how soil microbes survive in harsh desert environments
Prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall—how do desert soil bacteria manage to survive such harsh conditions? This long-debated question has now been answered by an ERC project led by microbiologist Dagmar Woebken from the Centre fo.....»»
Dubai reels from floods chaos after record rains
Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and airport passengers were urged to stay away on Wednesday as the glitzy financial center reeled from record rains......»»
Silver-based micromotors that eliminate bacteria can move freely in aqueous media
Researchers at ICIQ in Tarragona have developed a simple technique to produce microscopic crystals that activate in the presence of light, releasing silver ions with antimicrobial activity......»»
Linus Torvalds reiterates his tabs-versus-spaces stance with a kernel trap
One does not simply suggest changing a kernel line to help out a parsing tool. Enlarge / Cans of Tab diet soda on display in 2011. Tab was discontinued in 2020. There has never been a soda named "Spaces" that had a cult following.....»»
Uranium-immobilizing bacteria in clay rock: Exploring how microorganisms can influence the behavior of radioactive waste
When designing repositories for high-level radioactive waste in deep geological layers, various factors must be carefully considered to ensure their long-term safety. Among other things, natural communities of microorganisms can influence the behavio.....»»
Apple, Google, Meta, others struggle when it comes to ad transparency
A new report suggests that every tech giant has failed to provide crucial ad transparency tools to its user base, leaving the door open for disinformation and manipulation.On Tuesday, Mozilla and CheckFirst, a Finland-based research company, released.....»»
Report finds significant gender and racial inequities in the educational measurement profession
Gender and racially based employment disparities, differences in perceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and workplace discrimination remain significant issues in the field of educational measurement, according to a new report......»»
Formation-flying spacecraft could probe the solar system for new physics
It's an exciting time for the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. Thanks to cutting-edge observatories, instruments, and new techniques, scientists are getting closer to experimentally verifying theories that remain largely untested. Th.....»»
Astrophysicists solve mystery of heart-shaped feature on the surface of Pluto
The mystery of how Pluto got a giant heart-shaped feature on its surface has finally been solved by an international team of astrophysicists led by the University of Bern and members of the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS. Th.....»»