Plant fossils dating back 55 to 40 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch reveal details about the warmer and wetter climate. These conditions meant there were palms at the North and South Pole and predominantly arid landmasses like Australia were lush and green. By focusing on the morphology and...
Oil spill remediation: Research confirms effectiveness of oil dispersants
Chemical dispersants are some of the best tools to clean up after an oil spill. However, scientists do not fully understand how well they work. A new study validated their efficacy in order to better prepare for the next disaster.
New insights into the movement of pine cone scales
Pine cones open when dry and close when wet. In this way, pine seeds are released only under advantageous conditions, namely when it is dry and the seeds can be carried far by wind. Opening and closing is of particular interest to researchers because the actuation is passive, that is,...
New artificial enzyme breaks down tough, woody lignin
An innovative artificial enzyme has shown it can chew through woody lignin, an abundant carbon-based substance that stores tremendous potential for renewable energy and materials.
Fjords emit as much methane as all the deep oceans globally
During heavy storms, the normally stratified layers of water in ocean fjords get mixed, which leads to oxygenation of the fjord floor. But these storm events also result in a spike in methane emissions from fjords to the atmosphere. Researchers have estimated that the total emissions of this climate-warming gas...
Modelling the behavior and dynamics of microswimmers
The understanding of the clustering and movement of microswimmers has a range of applications from human health to tackling ecological problems.
T cell warriors need their R & R
T cells, biology textbooks teach us, are the soldiers of the immune system, constantly on the ready to respond to a variety of threats, from viruses to tumors. However, without rest and maintenance T cells can die and leave their hosts more susceptible to pathogens, scientists report.
Learning from nature: Biosynthesis of cyanobacterin opens up new class of natural compounds for applications in medicine and agriculture
Researchers have succeeded in understanding the biosynthetic mechanisms for the production of the natural product cyanobacterin, which is produced in small quantities by the cyanobacteria Scytonema hofmanni. In the process, they also discovered a new class of enzymes for building carbon-carbon bonds. The (bio)chemists are thus significantly expanding the biocatalytic...
An arms race that plays out in a single genome
We often think of biological arms races occurring between the immune system and pathogens, or predator and prey, but biologists have now discovered an example that plays out within a single genome. Their work in fruit flies may have implications for key biological processes in humans, including fertility and even...
AI learns coral reef ‘song’
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can track the health of coral reefs by learning the 'song of the reef', new research shows.