Prevalence of heterotrophic methylmercury-detoxifying bacteria across oceanic regions
A team of researchers led by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) of Barcelona and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has revealed the distribution and mercury degradation capacities of heterotrophic bacteria recovered from differen.....»»
Slow-moving landslides a growing, but ignored, threat to mountain communities
As urban centers in mountainous regions grow, more people are driven to build on steeper slopes prone to slow-moving landslides, a new study finds. Slow-moving landslides are frequently excluded from estimates of landslide risk, but they could threat.....»»
Highly-sensitive beaks could help albatrosses and penguins find their food
Researchers have discovered that seabirds, including penguins and albatrosses, have highly-sensitive regions in their beaks that could be used to help them find food. This is the first time this ability has been identified in seabirds......»»
Do bacteria age?
Any organism that lives, grows and reproduces must also age. People often think of aging in the physical sense—gray hair, slowed movements and wrinkles—but aging fundamentally occurs on a molecular level, inside of cells......»»
National political dialogue focuses on power and morals, finds study
A study of political speeches, social media posts from politicians, and Reddit discussions among everyday users finds a higher prevalence of abstract, moralized, and power-centric language in national versus local politics. Political dialogue and deb.....»»
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......»»
Edible insects show promise as sustainable nutritional source
As the global population grows and traditional livestock production increasingly strains environmental resources, there is a rising interest in alternative protein sources. Edible insects, particularly grasshoppers, are abundant in regions like Camer.....»»
How bacteria actively use passive physics to make biofilms
When we think about bacteria, we may imagine single cells swimming in solution. However, similarly to humans, bacterial cells often socialize, using surfaces to coalesce into complex heterogeneous communities called biofilms. Within a group, bacteria.....»»
Future foods: How non-thermal tech could transform starch consumption
Starch is a vital component of the human diet, serving as a primary energy source. However, high-glycemic starches are linked to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Traditional starch modification methods, such as.....»»
How the oceans" most abundant bacteria impact global nutrient flows
If you were to collect all the organisms from the ocean surface down to 200 meters, you'd find that SAR11 bacteria, though invisible to the naked eye, would make up a fifth of the total biomass. These bacteria, also known as Pelagibacterales, have ev.....»»
Promoting horse welfare with an intestinal disease screening method
Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, are developing a promising method to support the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in horses. Awareness of the prevalence of IBD in both humans and animals has increased in recent de.....»»
More Indians than ever are going on holiday abroad. Where are they heading and why?
Travel is on the rise again. According to the UN's tourism agency, international travel for all purposes reached 97% of its pre-pandemic level in the first quarter of 2024. In some regions such as Africa and Europe, arrivals are already surpassing th.....»»
Researchers identify new tools for anti-Acinetobacter drug development and AMR preparedness
University of Liverpool researchers have engineered a library of strains that can be used to develop new antibacterial compounds to help address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria......»»
Unprecedented heat wave on the Tibetan plateau: Study highlights land-atmosphere interactions
Heat waves are generally thought to occur in hot, lowland regions—but what happens when extreme heat strikes the frigid, high-altitude Tibetan Plateau? Is the definition of a heat wave the same at 5,000 meters above sea level as it is in the plains.....»»
Crispr-Enhanced Viruses Are Being Deployed Against UTIs
With antibiotics losing their effectiveness, one company is turning to gene editing and bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—to combat infections......»»
Researchers find live fungi, bacteria and viruses high in the Earth"s atmosphere
A team of climate, health and atmospheric specialists in Spain and Japan has found abundant live fungi, bacteria and viruses high in the Earth's atmosphere. In their study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group co.....»»
Silver nanoparticles and a new sensing method can fight back against antibiotic-resistant biofilms
From safeguarding our food supply to preventing hospital infections, the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing challenge. Some bacteria can form biofilms, thick aggregates of millions of individual cells surrounded by protective m.....»»
Hijacking the command center of the cell: Nuclear parasites in deep-sea mussels
Most animals live in intimate relationships with bacteria. Some of these bacteria live inside the cells of their hosts, but only very few are able to live inside cell organelles (structures inside the cell, like organs in the body). One group of bact.....»»
Phage editing technology could lead to alternative treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
As antibiotic resistance becomes an increasingly serious threat to our health, the scientific and medical communities are searching for new medicines to fight infections. Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have just moved closer to that goal with a.....»»
Unlocking oceanic mysteries: Satellites shed light on aerosol layer height
Aerosol layer height (ALH) is a key parameter for assessing aerosol impacts on weather, climate, and atmospheric correction. Accurate ALH retrieval improves the understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions and aids in surface air quality monitoring......»»
Algorithm maps protein degradation patterns to improve infection diagnosis and treatment
Peptides are small fragments of proteins, mainly found in the skin and mucous membranes. Some peptides act as a barrier, protecting the body against infections by fighting off microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, while others p.....»»