Bitter substances spoil the appetite of oak moth caterpillars
Trees have a huge arsenal of ways to keep the pests that attack them under control. In the course of evolution, for example, some English oaks (Quercus robur) have developed the ability to release volatile signaling substances when attacked by oak mo.....»»
How Hop Nerds Are Saving Your Favorite Beer From Climate Change
Extreme heat and droughts are cutting into hop plants’ yields and making them less bitter. But scientists and farmers are brewing up clever solutions......»»
Scientists combine evolution, physics, and robotics to decode insect flight
Some insects' wings flap without brain input. Robots help us understand how. Enlarge / A hawk moth in flight. (credit: Gregory Dubus) Different insects flap their wings in different manners. Understanding the variations.....»»
How do caterpillars acquire chubby legs? Scientists trace the origins to a genetic program associated with crabs
Adult insects, including butterflies and moths, typically have only three pairs of legs. But the existence of extra legs in caterpillars—chubby abdominal appendages also known as "prolegs"—has long posed an evolutionary mystery to biologists. A r.....»»
Examining the toxins in the common tomato
Regardless of how one says "tomato," they all contain tomatine, a toxin in the plant's green fruit, leaves, and roots. Tomatoes produce the bitter-tasting compound—a major plant-specialized metabolite secreted from the roots—to defend against pat.....»»
Scientists unlock the secrets of a sixth basic flavor
Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda first proposed umami as a basic taste—in addition to sweet, sour, salty and bitter—in the early 1900s. About eight decades later, the scientific community officially agreed with him......»»
Chemists obtain derivatives of the natural polymer chitosan, which outpace existing antibiotics
RUDN University chemists and colleagues from Belarus obtained derivatives of the natural polymer chitosan, which exceeded existing antibiotics in antibacterial activity. Moreover, the new substances are non-toxic, and the production method is safe. T.....»»
Using Einstein"s tea leaf paradox to study nanofluids
Stirring can allow the dispersion of substances evenly in liquid. Einstein's tea leaf paradox is a concept that shows how tea leaves can concentrate in a doughnut shape through a secondary flow effect during stirring. In a new study published in Scie.....»»
Biotechnospheres as part of planetary intelligence and the search for extraterrestrial civilizations
To safeguard Earth's biosphere, scientists have turned toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the hope that it may help to protect biodiversity. Yet this hope has been challenged by AI's appetite for water and energy rooted in AI's need for big dat.....»»
A close-up of biological nanomachines: Researchers take a deep look at peroxisomal processes
Every system has its waste disposal system. The cell organelles known as "peroxisomes" dispose of toxic substances and fats in the human body, among other things, and, in doing so, they prevent serious illnesses. The "Pex" group of proteins (peroxiso.....»»
Genomics detective work reveals pest moth travels
The fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a notorious pest in agriculture. It devastates essential food crops and threatens global food security. It has been reported to feed on more than 350 plant species, ranging from maize to cotton and ve.....»»
Evaluating the shear viscosity of different water models
Water is one of the most abundant substances on Earth and partakes in countless biological, chemical, and ecological processes. Thus, understanding its behavior and properties is essential in a wide variety of scientific and applied fields. To do so,.....»»
Researchers reveal the venomous secrets of European snakes
Not only in the tropics do snake bites lead to dangerous envenoming—bites from European venomous snakes can also cause severe physical damage. But their venom also contains active substances that could be used against bacterial pathogens in the fut.....»»
Using lasers to choose and export single-cell cultures: An efficient upgrade to static droplet array tool
Static droplet array (SDA) is a necessary and integral tool when it comes to high-capacity screening tests, or assays, for identifying and targeting specific cells or analytes (substances whose chemical composition is the target of identification). H.....»»
Here"s another truly horrifying "Nun II" teaser to spoil your day
Warner Bros. has released a new teaser for "The Nun II". Just when you think Warner Bros. has surely run out of creepy promotional footage from the upcoming Nun II, they sneak out yet another deeply upsetting teaser.In the footage above we see.....»»
Ever wonder how your body turns food into fuel? Researchers tracked atoms to find out
Inside our bodies at every moment, our cells are orchestrating a complex dance of atoms and molecules that uses energy to create, distribute and deploy the substances on which our lives depend......»»
It"s a bird! No, it"s a ... moth? Heavy rainfall spurs unique insect sightings in Bay Area
A Marin County park ranger was visiting her in-laws two weeks ago when she spotted a baby hummingbird hovering over a thistle in their backyard—or so she thought......»»
Striking gold with molecular mystery solution for potential clean energy
Hydrogen spillover is exactly what it sounds like. Small metal nanoparticles anchored on a thermally stable oxide, like silica, comprise a major class of catalysts, which are substances used to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed the.....»»
From ‘The Shining’ to Shiny Drives: Stephen King"s Horrors Meet AI"s Hunger
From Stephen King to Haruki Murakami, even literary giants aren't safe from AI's appetite. Continue reading........»»
Novel chemosensor-based method for rapid detection of bacterial toxin
The COVID-19 pandemic made it very clear that we need better methods to quickly screen for dangerous pathogens and substances. One such compound that regularly flies under the radar is lipopolysaccharide (LPS), largely known as "endotoxins.".....»»
Video: Burning "forever chemicals" with water
Forever chemicals, otherwise known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are extremely useful industrial chemicals. They can also leak into the environment, your drinking water and your blood. And they last (practically) forever. B.....»»