Biofilms study reveals how multiple bacteria species manage to coexist
Biofilms—slimy communities of bacteria—grow on all sorts of surfaces: from glaciers and hot springs to plant roots, your bathtub and fridge, wounds, and medical devices such as catheters. Most biofilms are composed of multiple bacterial species,.....»»
Resolving biology"s dark matter: DNA barcoding reveals hidden insect diversity
There are millions of species on Earth that we still know nothing about. Researchers call these species "biological dark matter," but new methods can provide us with a better overview more quickly......»»
A method to switch between optical pulling and pushing forces by altering the shape of Fermi arcs in Weyl systems
Optical forces, which act like an invisible "hand," are capable of precisely controlling tiny particles. Optical tweezers, a well-known tool, use this force to capture and manipulate small objects such as cells, bacteria, and viruses. This effect is.....»»
Study of wild type mosquitoes in Burkina Faso discovers new signs of insecticide resistance
One of the main discoveries of a new study is the identification of new variants in genes associated with insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria in West Africa, and potential novel resistance mechanisms, emphas.....»»
Study: Smaller, more specific academic journals hold more sway over conservation policy
Scientists don't just want their results to be published; they want them to be published in the most influential journal they can find. This focus on a high impact factor is driven by their concerns about promotion and tenure, but it may be overlooki.....»»
New study sheds light on lily toxicity in cats—outpatient treatment may be viable option
A study published recently in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has revealed new insights into the treatment of cats exposed to toxic lilies, offering hope for pet owners facing this common household hazard......»»
New study reveals a global consensus on what democracy means
Most people in most countries state that they wish to have a democratic government. But the definition of democracy has been constantly contested. Without understanding what people really mean by democracy, the concept is vulnerable to being exploite.....»»
Biofilms study reveals how multiple bacteria species manage to coexist
Biofilms—slimy communities of bacteria—grow on all sorts of surfaces: from glaciers and hot springs to plant roots, your bathtub and fridge, wounds, and medical devices such as catheters. Most biofilms are composed of multiple bacterial species,.....»»
Catching prey with grappling hooks and cannons: The unusual weapons arsenal of a predatory marine bacterium
Countless bacteria call the vastness of the oceans home, and they all face the same problem: the nutrients they need to grow and multiply are scarce and unevenly distributed in the waters around them. In some spots they are present in abundance, but.....»»
DNA-binding C2H2 zinc finger proteins also regulate RNA processing, researchers discover
Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that an important class of DNA-binding factors can also bind to RNA, regulating gene expression through various mechanisms. The study significantly expands our understanding of these proteins' funct.....»»
Stem carbohydrate richness in two cycad species
Terrestrial plants have developed strategies to cope with suboptimal conditions. Storage of nonstructural resources is one of those strategies. Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) of plants are primarily sugars and starch, and have been studied extens.....»»
More efficient phenotypic screening method can simultaneously test multiple drugs
Some of the most widely used drugs today, including penicillin, were discovered through a process called phenotypic screening. Using this method, scientists are essentially throwing drugs at a problem—for example, when attempting to stop bacterial.....»»
Environmental DNA and epidemics in wood frogs: Collaboration examines eDNA"s precision in population size estimation
Tracy Rittenhouse, associate professor of natural resources and the environment in UConn's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), was doing an experiment to study ranavirus epidemics in wood frogs. When Meghan Parsley, then a P.....»»
Pathogenic system found on Providencia rustigianii has virulence gene akin to Salmonella"s
Salmonella and E. coli are well-known bacteria that cause food poisoning, but less understood are species of Providencia, another causative agent of serious symptoms......»»
Democracy in danger? Election study in East German states shows mistrust in the state
Survey results from Trier and Jena University show that in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg democracy is in crisis. Most respondents do not want the AfD to participate in government......»»
GPT-4-based AI agents show promise for detecting antimicrobial resistance
Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) have used artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The team led by Adrian Egli, UZH professor at the Institute of Medical Microbiology, is the first to investigate how.....»»
Mangrove microbes show potential for breaking down plastics
A way to select a suite of mangrove bacteria that can transform plastic has been developed that potentially offers a new strategy in the global toolkit of plastic waste cleanup. Researchers have assessed the impact of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).....»»
Quantum research breakthrough uses synthetic dimensions to efficiently process quantum information
A new study opens the door to cutting-edge solutions that could contribute to the realization of a system capable of processing quantum information in a simple yet powerful way......»»
Underestimated female tutors: Zebra finch mothers coach their sons to sing better
In the world of zebra finches, males sing, and females were thought to just listen. But a new study by Daniela Vallentin at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence has overturned this assumption......»»
Could life exist below Mars ice? Study proposes possibilities
While actual evidence for life on Mars has never been found, a new NASA study proposes microbes could find a potential home beneath frozen water on the planet's surface......»»
Ancient ‘Age of Dinosaurs’ Seafloor Found beneath Pacific Ocean
A vast, ancient slab of seafloor plunged beneath the Pacific Ocean and has hovered in Earth’s mantle for more than 120 million years, a new study suggests.....»»