Striking lane-like patterns found in bacteria populations
It's well understood that populations of species don't distribute at random. Rather, as populations grow, individuals are organized around barriers in the landscape. This organization can be seen in, for example, the growth of the cells around the ou.....»»
Bridging culture, cuisine, and urban planning: New book explores the connections between food and urban spaces
Agriculture, fishing, hunting, and gathering—through thousands of years of urbanization, these ways of acquiring food, which were deciding factors in settlement landscape patterns in the primitive society, have gradually been replaced by the manufa.....»»
Partial automated driving systems don’t make driving safer, study finds
Many driver assists do increase safety, but little evidence lane keeping is one. Enlarge / Nissan's ProPilot Assist was one of two partially automated driving systems to be studied for crash safety improvements. (credit: Nissan).....»»
A comprehensive derivative synthesis method for development of new antimicrobial drugs
Efforts to combat the increasing threat of drug-resistant bacteria are being assisted by a new approach for streamlining the search for antimicrobial drug candidates, pioneered by researchers at Hokkaido University, led by Assistant Professor Kazuki.....»»
Lead poisoning continues to impact bald eagle populations in Pennsylvania and beyond
Reports of bald eagles dying from lead ammunition poisoning continue as populations of the formerly endangered bird soar......»»
Unusual rainfall brings winter flowers to Chile"s Atacama desert
Large swaths of the Atacama desert, the driest on the planet, have been covered with purple and white flowers after unusual rainfall patterns in northern Chile......»»
Respiratory bacteria "turn off" immune system to survive, study finds
Researchers from The University of Queensland have identified how a common bacterium is able to manipulate the human immune system during respiratory infections and cause persistent illness. The research was published in PLOS Pathogens......»»
Tree ring records reveal influence of North Atlantic sea surface temperature fluctuations on climate
With the intensification of global climate change, understanding historical climate patterns is crucial for predicting future trends in climate change......»»
NASA researchers battle biofilm in space
A small group of scientists on the biofilm mitigation team at NASA's Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama, study solutions to combat fast-growing colonies of bacteria or fungi, known as biofilm, for future space missions......»»
How artificial intelligence can help prevent illegal wildlife trade
Imagine you are a law enforcement official at a wildlife market and suspect some of the birds on sale are from endangered or illegally traded populations. This is a situation that demands decisive identification and action, but in cases where "look-a.....»»
Photosynthesis powers our world, but what fuels this fundamental process?
It's hard to overstate the importance of photosynthesis, the biochemical pathway by which plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert the sun's energy into the organic material that feeds the entire living biosphere. But there are still aspects of th.....»»
From bands to spots, the secrets of the leopard gecko"s skin
While the patterns and colors of lizards' skin are fascinating, the mechanisms behind them are largely unknown. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) studied the leopard gecko, a popular lizard, to understand how the bands on the skin of juven.....»»
Unexpected phage protein function discovered in bacteria battle
An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Peter Fineran from the University of Otago, investigated a particular protein used by bacteria.....»»
DNA analyses show the plague may have caused the downfall of Stone Age farmers
Ancient DNA from bones and teeth hints at a role of the plague in Stone Age population collapse. Contrary to previous beliefs, the plague may have diminished Europe's populations long before the major plague outbreaks of the Middle Ages, new research.....»»
Wolves" return has had only small impact on deer populations in Washington state, study shows
Humans drove wolves to extinction in Washington state around the 1930s. Thanks to conservation efforts, by about 80 years later, wolves had returned—crossing first from the Canadian border into Washington around 2008 and later entering the state fr.....»»
The geometry of life: Physicists determine what controls biofilm growth
From plaque sticking to teeth to scum on a pond, biofilms can be found nearly everywhere. These colonies of bacteria grow on implanted medical devices, our skin, contact lenses, and in our guts and lungs. They can be found in sewers and drainage syst.....»»
Team discovers a new defense mechanism in bacteria
When confronted with an antibiotic, toxic substance, or other source of considerable stress, bacteria are able to activate a defense mechanism using cell-to-cell communication to "warn" unaffected bacteria, which can then anticipate, shield themselve.....»»
Certain bacteria or fungi could combat a plant pathogen that attacks common vetch
Anthracnose, a severe disease caused by the Colletotrichum spinaciae plant pathogen, often occurs in common vetch, a widely grown legume. Chemicals are not recommended for disease management because the plants are used as livestock feed. A new study.....»»
Island biogeography theory and habitat heterogeneity help explain global patterns of Rhododendron diversity
Mountains are defined by their prominence, steep sides, and significant height above the surrounding regions. They harbor exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and a great number of endemic species worldwide, which are also extremely sensitive to.....»»
Why every quantum computer will need a powerful classical computer
Error-correcting a quantum computer can mean processing 100TB every second. Enlarge / A single logical qubit is built from a large collection of hardware qubits. (credit: at digit) One of the more striking things about q.....»»
Diversity in typhoid bacteria linked to higher mortality rates
Worldwide, 20% of the bacterial strains that cause typhoid fever have genetic variations in their external layer, called Vi capsule, that provide higher virulence, higher infectivity and high antibiotic resistance, Cornell researchers have discovered.....»»