Sponges, not just their microbes, make biologically potent compounds
Soft and immobile, sea sponges may appear inert, but these simple animals are rich with chemistry. From them, scientists have uncovered plenty of biologically active compounds, some of which have gone on to become medications. All of these small mole.....»»
Researchers follow AI path to safer senolytic compounds
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and the University of Cantabria, Spain, have teamed up to develop an AI trained to discover senolytic medicinal chemistry in familiar compounds......»»
Deep sea dive from a desk uncovers three new species
Queensland Museum Network Sessile Marine Invertebrate Researcher, Dr. Merrick Ekins has described three new species of carnivorous sponges collected two kilometers below the surface on the Great Barrier Reef. The study is published in the journal Zoo.....»»
Ancient Egyptian followers of a deity called Bes may have used hallucinogens
Blue water lily acts as a sedative, while Syrian rue induces dream-like visions. Enlarge / An Egyptian drinking vessel in the shape of Bes head contained traces of Syrian rue and blue water lily, among other compounds. (credit: T.....»»
Just add sugar: Research shows common antioxidant can be more beneficial through glycosylation
New research shows that polyphenolic compounds, which are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, can be combined with sugar molecules to create potential life-saving drugs......»»
Researchers isolate key compounds in the aroma of walnuts
A research team from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has analyzed the aroma of walnut kernels and deciphered the underlying odorant code. As the team shows for the first time, the typical walnut ar.....»»
The life below our feet: Team discovers microbes thriving in groundwater and producing oxygen in the dark
Nearly a third of Earth's freshwater resources lie in groundwater—much more than in all lakes, rivers and the atmosphere combined, and exceeded only by the frozen water in polar ice caps. Accordingly, about half of humankind depends on groundwater.....»»
Climate change releases carbon stocks deep underground: Study
Subsoils are the largest storehouses for carbon, as well as one of the most important sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Global warming is accelerating the decomposition of soil humus. It is also affecting the waxy and woody compounds which.....»»
Evidence of 1-Billion-Year-Old "Lost World" of Microbes Discovered beneath Australian Outback
Fatlike compounds in ancient rocks point to a vast array of previously unknown microbes that once dominated complex life on Earth.....»»
A marine mystery: Finding the link between climate change and sea sponge loss
Sea sponges are essential to marine ecosystems. They play critical roles in the ocean, as they provide shelter and food to a plethora of marine creatures, recycle nutrients by filtering thousands of liters of sea water daily, and are hosts to microbe.....»»
Evidence of 1-Billion-Year-Old "Lost World" of Microbes Discovered Beneath Australian Outback
Fat-like compounds in ancient rocks point to a vast array of previously unknown microbes that once dominated complex life on Earth.....»»
Retooling the ribosomal translation machine could expand chemical repertoire of cells
Synthetic biologists have become increasingly creative in engineering yeast or bacteria to churn out useful chemicals—from fuels to fabrics and drugs—beyond the normal repertoire of microbes......»»
Team uncovers plant remediation effects on petroleum contamination
Initial choices about fertilization and grass seeding could have a long-lasting effect on how plants and their associated microbes break down pollution in petroleum-contaminated soils, a research team led by a University of Alaska Fairbanks professor.....»»
New study traces amino acids synthesized by gut microbes in wild animals
The role of the gut microbiome in our health has become an important topic in recent years, but a new study out of The University of New Mexico is the first of its kind to look at how it supports animals in the wild who are dealing with variable food.....»»
Trees as old as time: Using tree resin to reconstruct million-year old ecosystems
Fossil tree resins open a window into the deep past as their organic compounds, termed biomarkers, can be used to identify the botanical provenance of these ancient trees, as well as the paleoenvironmental conditions in which they grew. Amber, one su.....»»
New model offers a way to speed up drug discovery
Huge libraries of drug compounds may hold potential treatments for a variety of diseases, such as cancer or heart disease. Ideally, scientists would like to experimentally test each of these compounds against all possible targets, but doing that kind.....»»
Testing antibacterial surfaces on the International Space Station
Humans breathe out a lot of microbes that can make homes on surfaces inside the ISS. Enlarge / Because particles that astronauts breathe out can drift for a while before settling, most surfaces in the International Space Station.....»»
Usually $250, this robot vacuum can be yours for $150 today
The Eufy RoboVac 11S Max is an inexpensive but potent robot vacuum. It's even better value when it's $100 off at Amazon right now......»»
New report underscores importance of microbes in climate change modeling
The American Academy of Microbiology, an honorific leadership group and scientific think tank within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), has released a new colloquium report, "Microbes in Models: Steps for Integrating Microbes into Earth Sys.....»»
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.....»»
Droughts increasingly reduce carbon dioxide uptake in the tropics, finds study
Plants take in CO2 to grow. They extract it from the atmosphere and use it to build organic compounds by means of photosynthesis and water. Terrestrial ecosystems have absorbed an average of about 32 percent of CO2 emissions caused by human activity.....»»