Individual genetics help determine composition of the gut microbiome
Microorganisms are involved in nearly all biological processes on earth. As an important component of a metaorganism, i.e., the community of a complex living organism with colonizing microorganisms, they are a central building block of life on our pl.....»»
Testing of wind sensing in rats shows sub-orbital whiskers play a role in assessing direction
A team of neurobiologists and neuroscientists at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory has found that sub-orbital whiskers play a role in helping rats determine which direction air movement is coming from and to respond accordingly. In their pa.....»»
Research group unveils properties of cosmic-ray sulfur and the composition of other primary cosmic rays
Charged cosmic rays, high-energy clusters of particles moving through space, were first described in 1912 by physicist Victor Hess. Since their discovery, they have been the topic of numerous astrophysics studies aimed at better understanding their o.....»»
Building models to predict interactions in plant microbiomes
Plants, animals, and humans are all home to numerous microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. These form complex communities that have a profound impact on the health of their host. One notable microbiome is that of the human gut, which helps diges.....»»
Researchers develop new strategy for acquisition and analysis of image-based phenome in rice
Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Yang Wanneng's group from the Huazhong Agricultural University developed a strategy to acquire and analyze 58 image-based traits (i-trai.....»»
The power of the Copper Age "Ivory Lady" revealed
The highest status individual in ancient Copper Age society in Iberia, was a woman and not a man as previously thought, according to peptide analysis reported in Scientific Reports......»»
Black hole ripples could help pin down expansion of universe
The echoes of light from jets launched from black holes offers a new way to pin down the distance to these exotic objects and to study a largely unobserved population in the center of the Galaxy. It could also even help determine the rate of expansio.....»»
Increased female, youth legislative representation may improve sustainable development goals performance
As part of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology's (OIST) SDG initiative, researchers from OIST and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) have studied the composition of national legislatures from more than 100 countries.....»»
New AI system can decode fruit fly behaviors: Why that"s pivotal for future human genetics research
How can you tell if a fruit fly is hungry? Ask a computer......»»
Scientists pinpoint where thousands of individual proteins are made in intact tissue and single cells
For researchers studying how proteins can cause human disease, knowing precisely where proteins are made within cells and tissues could help them learn about their role in disease and come up with new treatments......»»
Complex organosulfur molecules on comet 67P: Evidence from Rosetta orbiter and the lab
The Rosetta orbiter spectrometer for ion and neutral analysis (ROSINA) instrument orbited comet 67P to revolutionize our understanding of cometary material composition. A key finding of the satellite was to explore the composition of comet 67P/Churyu.....»»
Economic inequality cannot be explained by individual bad choices, study finds
A global study led by a researcher at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and published in the journal Scientific Reports finds that economic inequality on a social level cannot be explained by bad choices among the poor nor by good d.....»»
This is what our Milky Way galaxy looks like when viewed with neutrinos
We now have strong evidence that the Milky Way is a source of high-energy neutrinos. Enlarge / An artist’s composition of the Milky Way seen with a neutrino lens (blue). (credit: IceCube Collaboration/NSF/ESO) Scientis.....»»
New criteria to determine whether shear bands are beneficial or harmful to crystalline materials
Shear band formation is not typically a good sign in a material—the bands often appear before a material fractures or fails. But materials science and engineering researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have found that shear bands aren.....»»
Sponges react to changes in their microbiome with extensive modifications in gene regulation: Study
For a number of years, mounting evidence has shown that the microbiome—the totality of all microorganisms that inhabit a living being—interacts with its host in various ways and can influence key life processes. Sponges, which rank among the olde.....»»
Study finds ear shape is as accurate as fingerprints for identification
International researchers have compared the external ears of more than 1,400 people of multiple nationalities and found that the ear is as good an identifier of an individual as a fingerprint or DNA, and can even distinguish between identical twins......»»
Modern Hunter-Gatherers Have Thriving Gut Microbiome, Compared with Californians
A Western lifestyle seems to diminish the diversity of gut microbes.....»»
Mercedes-Benz addresses Level 3 legalities; lawyers say uncertainty lingers
Mercedes-Benz says "well-established legal systems" should determine whether the company is liable for crashes and other incidents that may arise from use of its Drive Pilot system. Whether human drivers bear some liability remains a key legal questi.....»»
Clever fly offers lessons on advanced predator adaptations
The saffron robber fly (Laphria saffrana) is an extremely fast bee-colored hunter that has to determine, while perched, which insects it wants to chase and eat. This is complicated by the fact that its eyes have poor resolution, especially at distanc.....»»
Host genetics shown to play a significant role in the composition of switchgrass root microbiomes
Plants provide a home for a wide diversity of microbes, especially in their roots. In turn, these communities can provide important benefits for the host. A study published in Current Biology investigated how the genetics of host plants determine the.....»»
Training AI to recognize fly mating identifies a gene that controls mating positions
A research group at the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University in Japan has used artificial intelligence to determine that piezo, a channel that receives mechanical stimuli, plays a role in controlling the mating posture of male fruit flies (D.....»»