Cordyceps fungus infecting a longhorn beetle grub. (Ian Redding/Getty Images)Zombies tap into our fears, and once they get in our heads, they stay there. Animals overtaken by "zombies" lose control over their bodies and actions, instead serving the needs of a virus, fungus, or other parasite.The word "zombi" originates from Vodou, a religion that developed...
Green dye highlighting the DNA of microbes in a sample. (Suzuki et al., Microbial Ecology, 2024)Deep underground, a community of microbes has thrived in isolation for billions of years. These organisms, found in 2 billion-year-old rock, have been cut off far longer than any known subterranean microbes, surpassing the previous record of 100 million years.Geomicrobiologist...
Washing the rice. Credit: Teste Cooking.Rice is a staple food for billions of people in Asia and Africa. It's also a versatile ingredient for many iconic dishes worldwide, including Greece's dolmades, Italy's risottos, Spain's paella, and the UK's rice puddings. In this publication, we'll unravel the scientific dilemma of whether or not to wash...
Scientists discover Darwinibacteriales, a game-changing bacteria order, revolutionizing biogas production. Potential to enhance renewable energy globally. Credit: bioRxiv (2023). DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.08.556800In a significant breakthrough, scientists from the European research project Micro4Biogas have identified a new taxonomic order of bacteria known as Darwinibacteriales, which play a crucial role in the decomposition of organic matter and have the...
Tetraspanin 8 is localized at the plasma membrane of mucin-secreting cells. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39277-9.In a recent study, scientists from the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona investigated how cells execute the controlled release of mucins and insulin, two vital proteins for human health. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.Mucins: Guardians...
Recent research has demonstrated that the excessive utilization of antimicrobials in the rearing of livestock may lead to the evolution of bacteria that are more resilient to the initial defense of the human immune system.As the journalist has noted in the past, antibiotic resistance refers to the ability of specific subsets of microorganisms to...
A light micrograph of a section through the thorax of a mouse embryo, which shows left–right asymmetry. RIKEN researchers have discovered how cilia detect fluid flow, which eventually leads to this asymmetry. Credit: Dr. Keith Wheeler/Science Photo LibraryThe process through which small hairs in embryos perceive fluid movement has been identified by biologists from...
Credit: CanvaIn a potential game changer for the treatment of superbugs, a brand-new class of antibiotics was developed that cured mice infected with bacteria regarded virtually "untreatable" in humans-- and resistance to the drug was undetectable.Produced by a research team of UC Santa Barbara researchers, the research study was released in the journal eBioMedicine....
Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Reports Physical Science (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101237A group of scientists from the Technical University of Munich and the College of Regensburg, both in Germany, has discovered that it is possible to develop origami DNA frameworks that can be used to trap large viruses. In their paper released in the journal Cell Reports Physical...
It is only under the microscope that the similarity of its namesake becomes apparent: the plump, round physique and the short legs are reminiscent of those of a bear. Credit: Ralph SchillTardigrades are excellent at adjusting to severe environmental problems. Back in 2019, Ralph Schill, one professor at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular...
