Fluid flow stimulates chemosynthesis in a "Greek salad" of hydrothermal microbes
Most visitors to Paliochori Beach on the Greek island Milos may not be aware of the bay's shallow-water hydrothermal community, a veritable Greek salad of microbes, that is within snorkeling distance from the shoreline......»»
"Swimming in plastic": Greek fishermen fight pollution
The fish market of Keratsini, west of Athens, is abuzz in the early morning, with trawlers disgorging crates of sardines and anchovies as trucks await nearby to be loaded......»»
Machine learning-based protein annotation tool predicts protein function
Microbes drive key processes of life on Earth. They affect global elemental cycles—the movement of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements. They also promote plant growth and affect the development of diseases. These roles are essential in every ecosy.....»»
New study explains interaction between quantized vortices and normal fluids
Osaka Metropolitan University scientists investigated numerically the interaction between a quantized vortex and a normal fluid. Based on the experimental results, researchers decided the most consistent of several theoretical models. They found that.....»»
Petit-spot volcanoes involve deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, may release methane
Underwater volcanoes on the Earth's crust are active contributors of many different elements to the oceanic environment. Hence, they play an important role in biogeochemical and chemosynthetic cycles of the ocean. Although there have been many studie.....»»
Warming climate could turn ocean plankton microbes into carbon emitters
New research finds that a warming climate could flip globally abundant microbial communities from carbon sinks to carbon emitters, potentially triggering climate change tipping points. The findings are published in Functional Ecology......»»
Lofree Flow mechanical keyboard combines customization with portability
Lofee has announced its latest mechanical keyboard, the Lofree Flow, which features a low-profile design and wireless connectivity. Perhaps one of the criticisms the custom mechanical keyboard hobby faces is the fact that there aren’t t.....»»
Hidden in plain sight: Windshield washer fluid is an unexpected emission source
Exhaust fumes probably come to mind when considering vehicle emissions, but they aren't the only source of pollutants released by a daily commute. In a recent Environmental Science & Technology study, researchers report that alcohols in windshield wa.....»»
Novel in-situ pH measurement method for high-temperature hydrothermal systems
Alkaline hydrothermal systems are considered ideal environments for the origin of life because they can provide ideal ion gradient conditions for the formation of early life on Earth......»»
The neurons that make you feel hangry
Brain area that stimulates appetite could be a target for eating-disorder therapies. Enlarge (credit: warrenrandalcarr via Getty Images) Maybe it starts with a low-energy feeling, or maybe you’re getting a little crank.....»»
Scientists provide first field observations of coccolithophore carbon extraction
Coccolithophores, a globally ubiquitous type of phytoplankton, play an essential role in the cycling of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere. New research from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences shows that these vital microbes can survive in lo.....»»
New book eyes Earth"s excavators, from microbes to elephants and dinosaurs
The ordinary person looks at Stone Mountain and sees a solid, unmovable monolith. Emory paleontologist Anthony Martin, who thinks in geologic time, sees something more akin to a giant sugar cube......»»
Human ancestry has been shaped by mixing and matching alleles, show two recent studies
The course of human history has been marked by complex patterns of migration, isolation, and admixture, the latter a term that refers to gene flow between individuals from different populations. Admixture results in a blending of genetic lineages, le.....»»
When crystals flow: Semicrystalline polymer shown to flow at temperatures below its melting point
Semicrystalline polymers are solids that are assumed to flow only above their melting temperature. In a new study published in Science Advances, Chien-Hua Tu and a research team at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany and the Univ.....»»
Nontoxic powder uses sunlight to quickly disinfect contaminated drinking water
At least 2 billion people worldwide routinely drink water contaminated with disease-causing microbes......»»
The First Crispr-Edited Salad Is Here
A startup used gene editing to make mustard greens more appetizing to consumers. Next up: fruits......»»
Researchers track antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolated from swine
The spread of drug-resistant microbes has become a global health concern that threatens our ability to treat infections. The widespread use of antimicrobials in livestock, such as swine farms, exacerbates this problem. Therefore, we need surveillance.....»»
Scientists discover microbes in the Alps and Arctic that can digest plastic at low temperatures
Finding, cultivating, and bioengineering organisms that can digest plastic not only aids in the removal of pollution, but is now also big business. Several microorganisms that can do this have already been found, but when their enzymes that make this.....»»
Viruses could reshuffle the carbon cycle in a warming world
Microbes play important roles in ecosystems, and these roles are changing with global warming. Scientists also now know that most types of microbes are infected by viruses, but they know relatively little about how these viral infections could change.....»»
A new twist on chirality: Researchers extend the concept of directionality and propose a new class of materials
It is often desirable to restrict flows—whether of sound, electricity, or heat—to one direction, but naturally occurring systems almost never allow this. However, unidirectional flow can indeed be engineered under certain conditions, and the resu.....»»
Reconstructing ancient bacterial genomes can revive previously unknown molecules, a potential source for new antibiotics
Microorganisms—in particular bacteria—are skillful chemists that can produce an impressive diversity of chemical compounds known as natural products. These metabolites provide the microbes major evolutionary advantages, such as allowing them to i.....»»