ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Balanced diet can mitigate negative impact of pests for bumblebees

Posted: 21 Jan 2022 09:48 AM PST

Bumblebees are important pollinators because they pollinate many different plant species and are extremely resilient. They can still manage to fly at temperatures that are too cold for other pollinators. Like many other insects, they are in sharp decline. This makes it even more important to find out what bumblebees need to reproduce successfully. A team has shown that a diverse landscape and a diverse pollen diet, which the bumblebees collect as a protein source to nourish their offspring, play a significant role in this. A more diverse diet could even mitigate negative effects of infestation with parasitic wax moth larvae.

Scientists build 'valves' in DNA to shape biological information flows

Posted: 21 Jan 2022 06:43 AM PST

Scientists have developed new biological parts that are able to shape the flow of cellular processes along DNA.

Novel microscopic picoshell particles developed

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 01:51 PM PST

Bioengineers have created a new type of petri dish in the form of microscopic, permeable particles that can dramatically speed up research and development (R&D) timelines of biological products, such as fatty acids for biofuels. Dubbed PicoShells, the picoliter (trillionth of a liter), porous, hydrogel particles can enable more than one million individual cells to be compartmentalized, cultured in production-relevant environments, and selected based on growth and biomass accumulation traits using standard cell-processing equipment.

Just what is a ‘resilient’ forest, anyway?

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 11:07 AM PST

What does a 'resilient' forest look like in California's Sierra Nevada? A lot fewer trees than we're used to, according to a study of frequent-fire forests.

Scientists identify new genus and species of legume, now mysteriously extinct

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 11:07 AM PST

Researchers have described a new legume tree from flowers embedded in several lumps of amber recovered from deep within an amber mine in the mountains of the Dominican Republic.

Branching worm discovered in Japan named after Godzilla’s nemesis

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 11:07 AM PST

Branching marine worms are bizarre creatures with one head but a body that branches over and over again into multiple posterior ends. Until now, only two species of these curious beasts, thought to be extremely rare, were known. However, a third species has now been discovered and described. The worm, named Ramisyllis kingghidorahi after King Ghidorah, Godzilla's monster enemy, was discovered in Japan.

Creating sustainable material from waste

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 10:51 AM PST

A team of researchers looking for ways to upcycle biomass into new products has demonstrated that it is possible to efficiently turn industrially processed lignin into high-performance plastics, such as bio-based 3D-printing resins, and valuable chemicals. An economic and life-cycle analysis reveals the approach can be competitive with similar petroleum-based products, too.

An all-in-one approach to diabetes treatment

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 10:51 AM PST

A team of researchers has come up with a new approach to streamline the process that people with diabetes use to estimate the carbohydrate content of a meal, draw blood to measure current blood glucose levels, and calculate and deliver the correct insulin dose.

The cellular response that protects pigs from COVID-19

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

Studies since the start of the pandemic have noted that pigs exposed to the coronavirus don't show clinical signs of disease nor do they transmit the virus to other animals. Scientists have uncovered important clues that shed light on why pigs don't get sick, and the discovery could lead to better treatments for COVID-19 in humans.

Is Vesuvius taking an extended siesta?

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

Located near Naples, Italy, Vesuvius last had a violent eruption in 1944, towards the end of the Second World War. It could be a few hundred years before another dangerous, explosive eruption occurs, suggests a new study by volcano experts.

New study determines parentage, age, and survival of North Atlantic right whales using genetic testing

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

A new study is providing insight into North Atlantic right whale calf survival, growth rates, and life history, demonstrating the power of genetic sampling for this critically endangered species.

Drug mimics beneficial effects of fasting in mice

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

An investigational cancer drug that starves tumors of their energy supply also shows evidence of improving whole body metabolism, leading to improved weight control, according to a new study in mice.

Research in mice identifies neurons that control locomotion

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

For more than a century, scientists have known that while the commands that initiate movement come from the brain, the neurons that control locomotion once movement is underway reside within the spinal cord. Researchers now report that, in mice, they have identified one particular type of neuron that is both necessary and sufficient for regulating this type of movement. These neurons are called ventral spinocerebellar tract neurons (VSCTs).

Old neurons can block neurogenesis in mice

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:54 AM PST

Destroying senescent cells in the aging stem cell niche enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function in mice, researchers report.

Researchers simulate behavior of living 'minimal cell' in three dimensions

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:53 AM PST

Scientists report that they have built a living 'minimal cell' with a genome stripped down to its barest essentials -- and a computer model of the cell that mirrors its behavior. By refining and testing their model, the scientists say they are developing a system for predicting how changes to the genomes, living conditions or physical characteristics of live cells will alter how they function.

Here’s why whales don’t drown when they gulp down food underwater

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:53 AM PST

Ever wondered whether whales can burp, and why they don't drown when they gulp down gallons of water and krill? New research may just hold the answer. Researchers found that lunge-feeding whales have an 'oral plug', a fleshy bulb in their mouths that moves backwards to seal off the upper airways during feeding, while their larynx closes to block the lower airways.

Fickle sunshine slows down Rubisco and limits photosynthetic productivity of crops

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:53 AM PST

A team of researchers discovered an imperfection in how Rubisco functions in cowpea and how they can improve it across crops to increase productivity.

Newly discovered DNA repair mechanisms point to potential therapy targets for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 07:34 AM PST

Faulty DNA damage repair can lead to many types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and other serious disorders. Investigators have developed high-throughput microscopy and machine learning systems that can identify and classify DNA repair factors. The investigators have identified nine previously unknown factors involved in the process of cellular DNA repair.

Scientists build bioreactors and engineer bacteria to advance biofuel research

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 07:33 AM PST

Researchers from the University of Kent's School of Biosciences have designed and built equipment that can be used to investigate bacterial biofuel production at a fraction of the cost of commercial systems. This technology was then used to demonstrate that bacterial genetic engineering could be used to enhance biofuel production.

New modeling tools to help solid-waste systems reach environmental goals

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 07:33 AM PST

Researchers have developed a free, user-friendly tool that makes use of multiple computational models to help solid waste systems achieve their environmental goals in the most cost-efficient way possible.

Mount Etna’s exceptional CO2 emissions are triggered by deep carbon dioxide reservoirs

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 07:33 AM PST

Magma transports carbon dioxide stored in the Earth's mantle to volcanoes, where it is released into the atmosphere. A research team now presents results obtained using a new methodology to clarify the contribution of volcanoes to natural CO2 emissions.

Black eyed peas could help eliminate need for fertilizer

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 06:11 AM PST

Black eyed peas' ability to attract beneficial bacteria isn't diminished by modern farming practices, new research shows. Planting it in rotation with other crops could help growers avoid the need for costly, environmentally damaging fertilizers.

First clinical-grade transplant of gene-edited pig kidneys into brain-dead human

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 06:11 AM PST

Researchers have announced the first peer-reviewed research outlining the successful transplant of genetically modified, clinical-grade pig kidneys into a brain-dead human individual, replacing the recipient's native kidneys. These positive results demonstrate how xenotransplantation could address the worldwide organ shortage crisis.

Researchers simulate SARS-COV-2 transmission and infection on airline flights

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 06:09 AM PST

A new study simulated the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on a flight from London to Hanoi and on another flight from Singapore to Hangzhou.