Researchers have uncovered a critical link between rising temperatures and declines in a species' population, shedding new light on how global warming threatens natural ecosystems. The study revealed that rising temperatures exacerbate competition within populations, ultimately leading to population crashes at higher temperatures. It offers one of the first clear...
Bad bitterness made better for everyone: Global taste differences in the flavor of medicines
Scientists examined the bitterness intensity of five medicines and two bitter modifiers in 338 adults of European descent and recent US and Canadian immigrants from Asia, South Asia, and Africa. Bitterness ratings differed by ancestry for two of the five drugs and the effectiveness of some modifiers. They also found...
Iron oxides act as natural catalysts to unlock phosphorus to fuel plant growth
Plants and microbes are known to secrete enzymes to transform organic phosphorus into bioavailable inorganic phosphorus. Now, researchers report iron oxides can drive the same conversion at comparable rates as enzymes. The study adds yet another missing piece to nature's mysterious phosphorus cycle that can be used to fuel plant...
White blood cells use brute force to dislodge bacteria
A vivid new image is taking shape in the world of cell biology: Imagine bacteria adhering to the surface of a cell, perhaps at the site of an injury or wound. In response, a white blood cell arrives at the scene. This cell encircles the pathogen with its membrane, forming...
Breakthrough with biofuel: How alcohol damages microbes that produce it
Researchers achieved a breakthrough in understanding the vulnerability of microbes to the alcohols they produce during fermentation of plant biomass.
Using computer science to save the bees
Researchers have created a system to help beekeepers monitor and analyze the health of their beehives and take corrective actions to prevent colony collapse -- when a majority of the worker bees abandon the colony and its queen. Beehives use thermoregulation to ensure the hive temperature stays between 33 and...
Study establishes ‘ball and chain’ mechanism inactivates key mammalian ion channel
A new study has unveiled a precise picture of how an ion channel found in most mammalian cells regulates its own function with a 'ball-and-chain' channel-plugging mechanism. The findings boost the understanding of ion channel biology and could lead to new drugs that target these channels to treat disorders such...
1,400 species found in guts of Asian hornets
A study of Asian hornets has found about 1,400 different species in their guts.
Breakthrough in clean energy: Palladium nanosheets pave way for affordable hydrogen
Hydrogen energy is widely recognized as a sustainable source for the future, but its large-scale production still relies on expensive and scarce platinum-based catalysts. In order to address this challenge, researchers have developed Bis(diimino)palladium coordination nanosheets (PdDI), a novel two-dimensional electrocatalyst that effectively facilitates the hydrogen evolution reactions while minimizing...
Heat from the sun affects seismic activity on Earth
Researchers explore the likelihood that Earth's climate, as affected by solar heat, plays a role in seismic activity. Using mathematical and computational methods, they analyzed earthquake data alongside solar activity records and surface temperatures on Earth and observed that when they included Earth surface temperatures into their model, the forecasting...