ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Scientists identify live immune cells in a coral and sea anemone

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 04:30 PM PDT

A new study has identified specialized immune cells in the cauliflower coral and starlet sea anemone that can help fight infection. The findings are important to better understand how reef-building corals and other reef animals protect themselves from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses found in and around coral reefs.

New method developed to solve plastics sustainability problem

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 04:30 PM PDT

A research group is developing polymers that can be broken down into their constituent parts; thus, when the catalyst for depolymerization is absent or removed, the polymers will be highly stable and their thermal and mechanical properties can be tuned to meet the needs of various applications.

As cities grow in size, the poor 'get nothing at all'

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 04:30 PM PDT

On average, people in larger cities are better off economically. But a new study  builds on previous research that says, that's not necessarily true for the individual city-dweller. It turns out, bigger cities also produce more income inequality.

Light can trigger key signaling pathway for embryonic development, cancer

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 04:30 PM PDT

Blue light is illuminating new understanding of a key signaling pathway in embryo development, tissue maintenance and cancer genesis. Researchers have developed an approach using blue light to activate the Wnt signaling pathway in frog embryos. The pathway plays a wide variety of roles in animal and human development, and the ability to regulate it with light will allow researchers to better study its assorted functions, the team says.

Bioprocess for converting plant materials into valuable chemicals

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:14 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a bioprocess using engineered yeast that completely and efficiently converted plant matter consisting of acetate and xylose into high-value bioproducts.

Invasive plants are still for sale as garden ornamentals, research shows

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:14 AM PDT

Ecologists show that 1,330 nurseries, garden centers and online retailers are still offering hundreds of invasive plant species as ornamental garden plants. This includes 20 species that are illegal to grow or sell nationwide.

How microbes can exacerbate cognitive decline

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:13 AM PDT

Recent research has found that changes in the gut microbiota -- the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestines -- can alter the brain and behavior. A new study could elucidate how and why that phenomenon occurs.

Benefits of time-restricted eating depend on age and sex

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Time-restricted eating (TRE), a dietary regimen that restricts eating to specific hours, has garnered increased attention in weight-loss circles. A new study further shows that TRE confers multiple health benefits besides weight loss. The study also shows that these benefits may depend on sex and age.

Building bonds between males leads to more offspring for chimpanzees

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 08:14 AM PDT

If you're a male chimp looking for love -- or offspring -- it pays to make friends with other males. A study examined why male chimpanzees form close relationships with each other, and found that male chimpanzees that build strong bonds with the alpha male of the group, or with a large network of other males, are more successful at siring offspring.

Unique insight into the interior of the Arabidopsis photosynthesis machine

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Researchers have, with the help of cryogenic electron microscopy, succeeded in producing a high-resolution image of photosystem II - the central complex of photosynthesis - of the model plant Arabidopsis. The enormous complex is responsible for the vital oxygen production in photosynthesis that once made life possible on our planet.

Hamster study evaluates airborne and fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 07:43 AM PDT

Scientists studying SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have defined in Syrian hamsters how different routes of virus exposure are linked to disease severity. Their study details the efficiency of airborne transmission between hamsters and examines how the virus replicates and causes disease throughout the respiratory system.

New research provides clues to developing better intranasal vaccines for COVID-19 and flu

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 05:46 AM PDT

While gut microbiota play a critical role in the induction of adaptive immune responses to influenza virus infection, the role of nasal bacteria in the induction of virus-specific adaptive immunity is less clear. New research explores the role of nasal bacteria and provides clues to developing better intranasal vaccines for flu and COVID-19.

Researchers confirm speed, simplicity and sensitivity for new COVID-19 test

Posted: 16 Aug 2021 04:13 PM PDT

Researchers have published a three way comparison study to confirm that the Reverse Transcriptase Free Exponential Amplification Reaction (RTF-EXPAR) method is just as sensitive, but faster, than both PCR and LAMP tests. The study revealed that the RTF-EXPAR method converts under 10 strands of RNA into billions of copies of DNA in under 10 minutes, using a one-pot assay that is compatible with more basic, benchtop equipment than that used with current testing methods.

Herbicide resistance no longer a black box for scientists

Posted: 16 Aug 2021 09:57 AM PDT

New research pinpoints genomic regions associated with metabolic or non-target-site herbicide resistance in waterhemp, a problematic agricultural weed. Non-target-site resistance has long been considered a black box, but the complete waterhemp genome allows for a more precise understanding of the detoxifying mechanism's genetic architecture.

Researchers develop new way to study neurodegenerative diseases

Posted: 13 Aug 2021 12:19 PM PDT

Some proteins in cells can separate into small droplets like oil droplets in water, but faults in this process may underlie neurodegenerative diseases in the brains of older people. Now, researchers have developed a new method to quantify protein droplets involved in these diseases.