The Almighty Squabble Over Who Gets to Name Microbes
Scientists are just starting to uncover the vast diversity of microbes out there. The only problem? No one can agree on how to name them......»»
Polar experiments reveal seasonal cycle in Antarctic sea ice algae
In the frigid waters surrounding Antarctica, an unusual seasonal cycle occurs. During winter, from March to October, the sun barely rises. As seawater freezes it rejects salts, creating pockets of extra-salty brine where microbes live in winter. In s.....»»
Scientists find evolutionary clues while examining microbes in far-flung hot springs
Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists studied hot springs on different continents and found similarities in how some microbes adapted despite their geographic diversity......»»
Synthesis of nanoparticles by microorganisms: Exploring the green power of fungi
They are used as medicines, drug carriers and to combat microbes in hospitals, destroy plant pathogens and reduce the amount of traditional fertilizers used in agriculture—nanoparticles are taking over medicine and the agri-food industry......»»
Genetic tools probe microbial dark matter
Patescibacteria are a group of puzzling, tiny microbes whose manner of staying alive has been difficult to fathom. Scientists can cultivate only a few types, yet these bacteria are a diverse group found in many environments......»»
Whale shark health relies on habitat, diet—and the right mix of microbes
Loss of habitat and human activities such as fishing and shipping pose a grave threat to wildlife but diseases driven by the smallest organisms in the ocean are a less understood side of marine conservation......»»
Can soil microbes survive in a changing climate?
Organisms across the globe are facing unprecedented levels of stress from climate change, habitat destruction, and many other human-driven changes to the environment. Predicting and mitigating the effects of this increasing stress on organisms, and t.....»»
What makes those pandemic-era sourdoughs so deliciously, uniquely, sour?
A few years ago, amid lockdown boredom, it seemed like everyone was perfecting their sourdoughs. A simple, fermented mixture of flour and water, the bread is powered by microbes that provide its one-of-a-kind tangy flavor. For over a hundred years, s.....»»
Scientists pinpoint the microbes essential to making traditional mozzarella
Mozzarella is far more than just a pizza topping. A unique Italian cheese, buffalo mozzarella from Campania has been recognized as a delicacy and protected under EU law for nearly 30 years. But what makes this mozzarella so special? The ingredients a.....»»
Microbe-stuffed soil crusts menaced by climate change
Using a novel method to detect microbial activity in biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, after they are wetted, a Penn State–led research team in a new study uncovered clues that will lead to a better understanding of the role microbes play in fo.....»»
Current estimates of Lake Erie algae toxicity may miss the mark
There is more to a harmful algal bloom than the green stuff in water that meets the eye—specifically, a changing hazard level of toxins produced by the microbes that make up the scummy mess......»»
Ancient lake microbes caused global warming during ice age
Global warming is not just a modern issue, but has occurred numerous times over Earth's history, with one such event happening 304 million years ago during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (which spanned from 340 to 290 million years ago). Studies have dis.....»»
Biosphere 2 experiment reveals that soils in drought stress leak more volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere
Microbes are doing a lot under the soil surface that can't be seen with the naked eye—from sequestering carbon to building the foundation of Earth's crust. But even tiny microbes are feeling the stress of a hotter, drier future......»»
Novel metric examines the role of organic matter and microbes in ecological communities
Ecological researchers study the relationships among different organisms and between organisms and their surroundings. It is important to understand how individual features in a community, like microbes or types of chemicals, affect the overall commu.....»»
How a Microbial Evolutionary Accident Changed Earth"s Atmosphere
An extra membrane that once had digestive functions let marine microbes boost their yield from photosynthesis. Today, they're responsible for locking carbon in the ocean and putting oxygen in the air......»»
Imaging shows how solar-powered microbes turn carbon dioxide into bioplastic
When considering ways to sustainably generate environmentally friendly products, bacteria might not immediately spring to mind......»»
Making renewable, infinitely recyclable plastics using bacteria
Plastic waste is a problem. Most plastics can't be recycled, and many use finite, polluting petrochemicals as the basic ingredients. But that's changing. In a study published in Nature Sustainability, researchers successfully engineered microbes to m.....»»
Soil microbes help plants cope with drought, but not how scientists thought
There's a complex world beneath our feet, teeming with diverse and interdependent life. Plants call out with chemical signals in times of stress, summoning microbes that can unlock bound nutrients and find water in soil pores too small for the finest.....»»
Study improves understanding of how bacteria benefit plant growth
Plants form alliances with microbes in the soil in which they grow. Legumes, for example, benefit from a symbiotic relationship with microbes that inhabit nodules in their roots and "fix" nitrogen in the atmosphere to make it available to promote the.....»»
Desert microbes turn on drought tolerance when needed, finds study
Priming crop plants with a microbe sourced from the roots of desert plants could be a powerful tool to boost crop plant's resilience to drought......»»
Scientists use supercomputer to learn how cicada wings kill bacteria
Over the past decade, teams of engineers, chemists and biologists have analyzed the physical and chemical properties of cicada wings, hoping to unlock the secret of their ability to kill microbes on contact. If this function of nature can be replicat.....»»