Microbes in dental plaque look more like relatives in soil than those on the tongue
From the perspective of A. Murat Eren, Ph.D., the mouth is the perfect place to study microbial communities. "Not only is it the beginning of the GI tract, but it's also a very special and small environment that's microbially diverse enough that we c.....»»
Colombia"s Inirida flower: from "weed" to emblem for UN meeting
When Ruben Dario Carianil began cultivating the unusual, pointy Inirida flower in the Colombian Amazon ten years ago, his relatives made fun of him for growing "weeds.".....»»
Personal histories shape how immigrant families transmit their home language to children
According to Statistics Canada, in 2021, 1 in 4 Canadians had at least one mother tongue other than English or French. Many people grow up with their family's heritage languages—like Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish or Arabic—as part of their family's.....»»
Genome sequence analysis identifies new driver of antimicrobial resistance
Antibiotics are a lifesaving tool. Yet, due to their chronic overuse, microbes are evolving and developing immunity against them. As a result, once-effective medications can no longer stave off infections, complicating treatment and increasing mortal.....»»
Light-induced immunoassay can selectively detect coronavirus spike proteins in five minutes
Like moths to a flame, microbes can also be moved by light. Using this knowledge, researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University's Research Institute for Light-induced Acceleration System (RILACS) have demonstrated a method to detect the presence of.....»»
Nanoparticle technology shows promise for targeted diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of plaque in the arteries which causes their narrowing. It is a primary cause of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and ischemic stroke (IS), both of which are major contributors to the 17.9 million deaths caused by cardiova.....»»
Could you find what a lunar crater is made of by shooting it?
Americans are famously fond of their guns. So it should come as no surprise that a team of NASA scientists has devised a way to "shoot" a modified type of sensor into the soil of an otherworldly body and determine what it is made out of. That is prec.....»»
Freshwater oysters could be key to developing stronger, "greener" adhesives
If you think oysters are just delicious seafood, think again. Freshwater oysters produce an adhesive that may hold the secret to developing more environmentally friendly glues with applications from dental care to construction and shipping. An intern.....»»
Tiny robots and AI algorithms could help to craft material solutions for cleaner environments
Many human activities release pollutants into the air, water and soil. These harmful chemicals threaten the health of both people and the ecosystem. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes an estimated 4.2 million deaths annu.....»»
Unveiling soil moisture patterns with advanced navigation tech
A pioneering method for soil moisture retrieval using satellite navigation systems has been introduced, significantly boosting the accuracy and efficiency of global data collection. The research, published in the journal Satellite Navigation, tackles.....»»
Soil pH drives microbial community composition: Study shows how bacteria work together to thrive in difficult conditions
Though a founding concept of ecology suggests that the physical environment determines where organisms can survive, modern scientists have suspected there is more to the story of how microbial communities form in the soil......»»
Study shows microbial diversity differences in volcanic cones and craters
Volcanic activity alters the Earth's surface and promotes the development of new ecosystems, providing valuable models for studying soil formation processes such as microbial composition and vegetation succession. Increasing evidence suggests that so.....»»
Researchers identify novel approach to minimize nitrogen loss in crops
While agriculture producers apply nitrogen fertilizer to supply nutrients to their crops, they can't always keep those nutrients in the soil for maximum efficiency, often losing them into the atmosphere or water supply as nitrates and nitrous oxide......»»
Soil nutrient levels associated with suppression of banana Fusarium wilt disease
Fusarium wilt poses a significant threat to global agriculture, particularly affecting the banana industry, where it is commonly known as banana Panama disease. As a result, enhancing soil-related resistance has emerged as a crucial, environmentally.....»»
An evolutionary battleground: Plants vs. microbes
Gazing out on a freshwater pond, you may see tiny green plants with oval-shaped leaves floating in clusters. In overgrown ponds, these plants coat the water's surface. These plants—called duckweed or water lentils—can grow so fast that they can d.....»»
The legacy of corn nitrogen fertilizer: Study shows lengthy impact in tile drained systems
Midwestern soils are among the most productive in the world, thanks in part to extensive tile drainage systems that remove excess water from crop fields. But water isn't the only thing flowing through tile drains. Nitrogen moves along with soil water.....»»
Biogeochemistry scientists from around the world publish position paper on tackling "hidden" phosphorus
As the world tries to mitigate agriculture's effect on the environment, much of the story can be found in soil, which stores and cycles nutrient elements of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus......»»
Jellyfish under attack: Study uncovers parasitic spillover of a burrowing sea anemone
Many marine organisms, like sea anemones, struggle to spread across the ocean, especially if they lack long, mobile larval stages. Unlike their jellyfish relatives, sea anemones do not have a medusa stage, making their dispersal challenging. Their on.....»»
Found dead in the snow: How microbes can help pinpoint time of death for forensic investigations in frigid conditions
What happens to a dead body in an extremely cold environment? Does it decompose? How do these conditions affect how forensic scientists understand when the person died?.....»»
Soil pollution surpasses climate change as top threat to underground biodiversity, study finds
Earthworms, insects and mites are all at risk from soil pollution, and scientists are worried that we know very little about the damage it's causing......»»
Soil treated with organic fertilizers stores more carbon, study finds
With carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increasing in recent decades, there is a growing urgency to find strategies for capturing and holding carbon......»»