Argentine ants will do anything for sugar, but they won"t do this
It might seem like common sense that a starving animal is more likely to take dangerous risks to obtain food than one with a full belly. But new research from UCLA shows that groups of Argentine ants, who forage boldly when they're well fed, exercise.....»»
How ants are breaking down biogeographic boundaries and homogenizing biodiversity
Ants transported by humans out of their native zones reshape ant communities worldwide. A recent study in Nature Communications by the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) shows that our impact on biodiversity is o.....»»
Tastes like chicken? Think again—edible ants have distinctive flavor profiles.
Go ahead, eat some ants. We triple-dog dare you. Enlarge / Chicatana ants have a nutty, fatty flavor. They are consumed in parts of Mexico to add texture and flavor to dishes. (credit: Changqi Liu) Edible insects, like a.....»»
Artificial mucus identifies link to tumor formation
During cold and flu season, excess mucus is a common, unpleasant symptom of illness, but the slippery substance is essential to human health. To better understand its many roles, researchers synthesized the major component of mucus, the sugar-coated.....»»
Investigating the many flavors of edible ants
Insects are typically unwelcome visitors to a picnic, but they could be a flavorful, nutritious and sustainable addition to the menu. Eating insects is common in some parts of the world, and some species are even considered delicacies......»»
Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can quickly eliminate bacterial infections, no antibiotics required
If left to their own devices, bacteria on our teeth or wounded skin can encase themselves in a slimy scaffolding, turning into what is called biofilm. These bacteria wreak havoc on our tissue and, being shielded from antibiotic medication by the slim.....»»
Dietitian suggests adding a little sugar to water for horses away from home
Barbara Intermill's horses don't adjust well to the water when she takes them away from home. So she's experimented with some advice from seasoned horse travelers. Common guidance is to add something that will make the strange water taste more palata.....»»
How insects tell different sugars apart
Whereas humans have one receptor on their tongues that can detect all sorts of sweet things, from real sugar to artificial sweeteners like aspartame, insects have many receptors that each detect specific types of sugars. Yale researchers have now unc.....»»
FDA approves first iPhone-enabled blood glucose monitor without a prescription
The dream of an Apple Watch which can take blood sugar readings may be some time off yet, but if you want an iPhone-enabled blood glucose monitor, you will soon be able to buy one without a prescription. The FDA has granted approval for Dexcom’s.....»»
A New Startup Wants to Turn the Sugar You Eat Into Fiber
Americans eat too much sugar. Food tech company Zya is developing a substance to add to sweet foods that can convert some of that sugar into fiber in the digestive system......»»
Q&A: How climate change is impacting the maple syrup industry
In the depths of winter, sugar on snow is a yearly treat many Vermonters eagerly anticipate. But with winters warming and snow barely on the ground in some parts of the state, climate change presents a host of challenges for Vermont's iconic maple in.....»»
Apparently, ants can eat your GPU now
Ants are eating the thermal pads in GPUs, and this is far from the first time we've heard about the problem......»»
Desert ants: Earth"s magnetic field calibrates their navigation system
They are only a few centimeters tall and their brains have a comparatively simple structure with less than 1 million neurons. Nevertheless, desert ants of the Cataglyphis genus possess abilities that distinguish them from many other creatures: The an.....»»
Understanding the chemical communication between cells
Like the people they make up, cells communicate by bumping into one another and exchanging handshakes. Unlike people, cells perform these handshakes using the diverse range of sugar molecules coating their surface like trees covering a landscape. Han.....»»
Common food preservative has unexpected effects on the gut microbiome
Food manufacturers often add preservatives to food products to keep them fresh. The purpose of these preservatives is to kill microbes that could break down and otherwise spoil the food. Common additives like sugar, salt, vinegar and alcohol have bee.....»»
How leafcutter ants cultivate a fungal garden to degrade plants could provide insights into future biofuels
Scientists have spent decades finding ways to efficiently and affordably degrade plant materials so that they can be converted into useful bioproducts that benefit everyday life......»»
Ants help reveal why sourcing different plants for eco fuels is crucial for biodiversity
Despite being a renewable energy source, the use of biofuel is controversial, as growing few, highly productive crops for fuel can lead to biodiversity loss in the cropping systems where biomass is produced. A cropping system refers to the crops, the.....»»
Invasive ants selectively abandon toxic baits, evading our most effective eradication method
Invasive ants are economically costly and ecologically devastating, and most of our eradication attempts have failed. Now, researchers at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Regensburg have discovered that these ants can evade the mo.....»»
Ants make their own ant-ibiotic for infected wounds
Ants have a gland that makes an antibiotic, and use it in response to pheromones. Enlarge / An ant carrying away one of the termites it preys on. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Although humans may think we are alone in crea.....»»
How fruit bats evolved to consume so much sugar may have implications for diabetes research
A high-sugar diet is bad news for humans, leading to diabetes, obesity and even cancer. Yet fruit bats survive and even thrive by eating up to twice their body weight in sugary fruit every day......»»
Matabele ants recognize infected wounds and treat them with antibiotics
The African Matabele ants are often injured in fights with termites. Their conspecifics recognize when the wounds become infected and initiate antibiotic treatment......»»