New research has uncovered the first fossil evidence of a rare botanical condition known as precocious germination in which seeds sprout before leaving the fruit.
Game theory and economics show how to steer evolution in a better direction
Human behavior drives the evolution of biological organisms in ways that can profoundly adversely impact human welfare. Understanding people's incentives when they do so is essential to identify policies and other strategies to improve evolutionary outcomes. In a new study, researchers bring the tools of economics and game theory to...
Artificial intelligence successfully predicts protein interactions
Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) and evolutionary analysis to produce 3D models of eukaryotic protein interactions. The study identified more than 100 probable protein complexes for the first time and provided structural models for more than 700 previously uncharacterized ones. Insights into the ways pairs or groups of proteins fit...
Electronic nose on a drone sniffs out wastewater treatment plant stink
Researchers have engineered a portable electronic nose (e-nose) that's almost as sharp as a human nose at sniffing out the stink of wastewater treatment plants. Coupled with a drone, the lightweight e-nose can measure the concentration of different smells, predict odor intensity, and produce a real-time odor map of the...
Microtissue system allows study of deadly lung disease
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and rising air pollution levels, incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is anticipated to rise, urgently increasing the need for strong model systems. Researchers describe a 3D cell culturing platform that allows study of lung fibroblasts and their microenvironment. The platform enables measurement of cell behaviors and...
Air pollution decrease in India during COVID-19 lockdown not as high as originally thought
Observational data shows air pollution in India decreased drastically in the first COVID-19 lockdown when emissions from vehicles naturally declined, but researchers say those numbers only tell part of the story -- blue skies and an absence of visible smog can be deceiving and hide pollutants that could potentially cause...
Africa’s ‘Green Wall’ also makes economic sense
Fifteen years ago, the African Union decided on an ambitious program: degraded ecosystems in parts of the Sahel are to be successively restored in order to secure food for the people living there and to protect the soil against further degradation. At the same time, the African Great Green Wall...
Trees on the move: Researchers reveal how wildfire accelerates forest changes
As climate conditions change, tree species are shifting their ranges. Wildfire is accelerating this process, likely by reducing competition from established species -- a finding that raises questions about how to manage land in an era of shifting ecosystems.
Nascent polypeptides stabilize ribosomes for uninterrupted translation
Protein production (translation) is a complex process involving machinery called ribosomes. How do cells counter ribosomal destabilization leading to premature termination of translation? Scientists have uncovered a novel role of nascent protein chains in stabilizing translating ribosomes. They suggest that longer peptide sequences spanning the ribosomal exit tunnel and bulky...
Keeping chocolate milk smooth, stable without carrageenan
Fat-free chocolate milk processed for the first time with high-pressure jet technology exhibits enhanced viscosity, stabilizing cocoa particles in the fluid and eliminating the need for adding a controversial emulsifier. That's the conclusion of a team of researchers, whose study suggests that the new technology can preclude the use of...