Asteroids vs. microbes
Inside one of the containers of this 40-cm-across miniature laboratory in orbit, a battle is set to start between asteroid-like fragments and rock-hungry microbes, to probe their use for space mining in the future......»»
Hybrid imaging approach reveals microbes in 3D
Caltech researchers have developed a new method to create three-dimensional images of complex communities of bacteria and plant roots. The technology synthesizes two traditional methods of imaging: visualizing microbes with fluorescence and a noninva.....»»
From recycling to food: Can we eat plastic-munching microbes?
Researchers are trying to turn plastic-eating bacteria into food source for humans. Enlarge (credit: Olga Pankova/Moment via Getty Images) In 2019, an agency within the US Department of Defense released a call for resear.....»»
Ancient microbes linked to evolution of human immune proteins
When you become infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it are those passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, two key e.....»»
Bacteria make thermally stable plastics similar to polystyrene and PET for the first time
Bioengineers around the world have been working to create plastic-producing microbes that could replace the petroleum-based plastics industry. Now, researchers from Korea have overcome a major hurdle: getting bacteria to produce polymers that contain.....»»
Study finds "DNA scavengers" can stop some antibiotic resistance from spreading
For nearly a century, scientists have waged war on antibiotic-resistant microbes. Michigan State University researchers say they've found a new way to prevent it—by unleashing "DNA scavengers" in wastewater treatment plants......»»
The evolution of the Trappist-1 planetary system
Planets are bodies that orbit a star and have sufficient gravitational mass that they form themselves into roughly spherical shapes that, in turn, exert gravitational force on smaller objects around them, such as asteroids and moons......»»
Mining the microbiome: Uncovering new antibiotics inside the human gut
The average human gut contains roughly 100 trillion microbes, many of which are constantly competing for limited resources. "It's such a harsh environment," says César de la Fuente, Presidential Assistant Professor in Bioengineering and in Chemical.....»»
Revealing the mysteries within microbial genomes with a new high-throughput approach
A new technique developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) will make it much easier for researchers to discover the traits or activities encoded by genes of unknown function in microbes, a key step toward understanding the role.....»»
NASA just shut down a planetary defense mission that tracks asteroids. Now what?
Launched in 2011, NASA's NEOWISE mission operated in Earth's orbit until late last week. It detected more than 3,000 near-Earth objects or NEOs—asteroids or comets whose orbits can bring them close to Earth, even with the possibility of a collision.....»»
Gaia data shows hundreds of tiny moons orbiting around asteroids
New data about binary asteroids comes from ESA's Gaia mission, a space-based telescope which has spotted new potential moons around 350 asteroids......»»
Gaia spots possible moons around hundreds of asteroids
ESA's star-surveying Gaia mission has again proven to be a formidable asteroid explorer, spotting potential moons around more than 350 asteroids not known to have a companion......»»
Microbes conquer the next extreme environment: Your microwave
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for example, marine oil spills, plastic floating in the oceans, industrial brownfields, and even the interior of the International Space St.....»»
NASA Retires Asteroid-Hunting Telescope
NASA’s NEOWISE telescope has searched for asteroids, brown dwarfs and luminous galaxies. The spacecraft will soon burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.....»»
Biotech potential set to soar with the help of digital technology
Microbes and fungi have long been nature's helpers in producing fine food, drinks and medicine, but new digital technologies could unlock far greater potential for the European biotech sector......»»
More microbes found that break down the carbon-fluorine bonds found in some unsaturated PFAS
A team of chemical and environmental engineers at the University of California Riverside, working with colleagues from the University of California Los Angeles, has found a class of microbes that consume PFAS in the environment and sever some of the.....»»
Engineered microbes found to repel mosquitoes
Genetically-engineered human skin bacteria can make mice less attractive to mosquitoes for 11 days. Mosquitoes transmit a host of deadly diseases, including malaria, West Nile, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. Female mosquitoes on the hunt for a blood.....»»
NASA Mars rover captures rock that could hold fossilized microbes
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date: possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet......»»
A pair of CubeSats using ground penetrating radar could map the interior of near-Earth asteroids
Characterizing near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) is critical if we hope to eventually stop one from hitting us. But so far, missions to do so have been expensive, which is never good for space exploration......»»
Scientists publish first experimental evidence for new groups of methane-producing organisms
A team of scientists from Montana State University has provided the first experimental evidence that two new groups of microbes thriving in thermal features in Yellowstone National Park produce methane—a discovery that could one day contribute to t.....»»
Trees reveal climate surprise: Microbes living in bark remove methane from the atmosphere
Tree bark surfaces play an important role in removing methane gas from the atmosphere, according to a study published 24 July in Nature......»»