Why have some plant species changed pollinators in their evolution? An international team of researchers studied the reproductive systems of three sister species pairs, where one species is pollinated by insects and the other by hummingbirds. Mechanisms were discovered that explain the switch from insect to bird pollination.
How to look thousands of kilometers deep into the Earth
Researchers have developed a new method to measure the density of silicon dioxide (SiO2) glass, one of the most important materials in industry and geology, at pressures of up to 110 gigapascals, 1.1 million times higher than normal atmospheric pressure. Instead of employing highly focused X-rays at a synchrotron facility,...
Researchers identify protein complex critical in helping control cell death
A pathway critical for regulating a form of cell death known as necroptosis has been identified. The team's preclinical findings suggest that an inhibitor targeting this PPP13RG protein complex can help prevent or reduce deaths and severe tissue damage from heart attacks and other inflammation-associated diseases.
Review of technologies that repurpose carbon finds most aren’t Paris Agreement compatible
As the climate crisis becomes more immediate, carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology has been touted as part of the solution. The process involves harnessing carbon dioxide from emissions or the atmosphere and repurposing them. However, a recent review calls into question the viability of many of these methods to...
Legionellosis: A novel mechanism by which the bacterium Legionella pneumophila regulates the immune response of its host cells
Legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease affected more than 1 800 people in France in 2019 and caused 160 deaths. This emerging disease is caused by Legionella pneumophila, an environmental bacterium that thrives in hot water systems. Researchers have discovered a mechanism that allows Legionella pneumophila to target the immune response of...
Trade-off between biodiversity and food security in land use
Strict reservation of large land areas for animals and plants might save humankind from the collapse of species diversity in the next decades. However, in some countries, particularly in the global South, this might endanger food supply.
Easy aluminum nanoparticles for rapid, efficient hydrogen generation from water
For years, researchers have tried to find efficient and cost-effective ways to harness the extreme reactivity of aluminum to generate clean hydrogen fuel. A new study shows that an easily produced composite of gallium and aluminum creates aluminum nanoparticles that react rapidly with water at room temperature to yield large...
An easier way to grow model organs
A laboratory has developed a new, significantly simpler way of cultivating a 3D model of the intestine that leads to increased complexity and organization.
Engineered bacterial strains could fertilize crops, reduce waterways pollution
Researchers have engineered strains of the ubiquitous, nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii to produce ammonia and excrete it at high concentrations, transferring it into crop plants in lieu of conventional chemical fertilizers.
How superbugs uses mirror images to create antibiotic resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial infection that has become resistant to most of the antibiotics used to treat regular staph infections. Computer scientists are working to develop new enzyme inhibitors to fight MRSA. In recent research, the team discovered how a single small mutation makes a big difference...