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Categories: Mathematics: Modeling, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published Will it slip or will it grip: scientists ask, 'what is snail mucus?'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists profile the mucus of Cornu aspersum -- a snail species used in beauty product formulation and eaten as escargot -- and detail the composition of three unique types of secretions -- one that hydrates and protects its skin, another that works as a glue-like adhesive, and another that lubricates to allow the animal to move freely across surfaces.
Published Surpassing the human eye: Machine learning image analysis rapidly determines chemical mixture composition
(via sciencedaily.com) Machine learning model provides quick method for determining the composition of solid chemical mixtures using only photographs of the sample.
Published Bat study reveals how the brain is wired for collective behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers used wireless neural recording and imaging devices to 'listen in' on the hippocampal brain activity of groups of Egyptian fruit bats as they flew freely within a large flight room. The researchers were surprised to find that, in this social setting, the bat's 'place' neurons encoded not only the animal's location, but also information about the presence or absence of other bats, and even the identity of bats in their path.
Published Three-eyed distant relative of insects and crustaceans reveals amazing detail of early animal evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists use cutting edge scanning technology to reconstruct 'fossil monster' that lived half a billion years ago. The creature's soft anatomy was well-preserved, allowing it to be imaged almost completely: It fills a gap in our understanding of the evolution of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans.
Published Curious and cryptic: New leaf insects discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research team has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or -- in the case of leaf insects -- leaves. This sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators as well as presenting a challenge to researchers. Genetic analysis enabled the researchers to discover 'cryptic species', which cannot be distinguished by their external appearance alone. The findings are not only important for the systematic study of leaf insects, but also for the protection of their diversity.
Published Australian woman found with parasitic roundworm in her brain caught from carpet python
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The world's first case of a new parasitic infection in humans has been discovered by researchers who detected a live eight-centimeter roundworm from a carpet python in the brain of a 64- year-old Australian woman.
Published Move over pythons: These snakes are the real champion eaters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pythons have huge appetites, but which snake would win an eating contest? Surprisingly, it's a harmless little African snake that consumes eggs whole like an amuse-bouche.
Published Scientists solve mystery of why thousands of octopus migrate to deep-sea thermal springs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers used advanced technology to study a massive aggregation of deep-sea octopus gathered at thermal springs near an extinct underwater volcano off the coast of Central California. Warm water from hydrothermal springs accelerates development of octopus embryos, giving young octopus a better chance of survival. The Octopus Garden is the largest known aggregation of octopus on the planet -- the size of this nursery, and the abundance of other marine life that thrives in this rich community, highlight the need to understand and protect the hotspots of life on the deep seafloor from threats like climate change and seabed mining.
Published How a cup of water can unlock the secrets of our Universe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A researcher made a discovery that could change our understanding of the universe. He reveals that there is a range in which fundamental constants can vary, allowing for the viscosity needed for life processes to occur within and between living cells. This is an important piece of the puzzle in determining where these constants come from and how they impact life as we know it.
Published Longevity gene from naked mole rats extends lifespan of mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a groundbreaking endeavor, researchers have successfully transferred a longevity gene from naked mole rats to mice, resulting in improved health and an extension of the mouse's lifespan. The research opens exciting possibilities for unlocking the secrets of aging and extending human lifespan.
Published Barnacles may help reveal location of lost Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Geoscientists have created a new method that can reconstruct the drift path and origin of debris from flight MH370, an aircraft that went missing over the Indian Ocean in 2014 with 239 passengers and crew.
Published Newly discovered 'primitive cousins of T rex' shed light on the end of the age of dinosaurs in Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered the fossils of two new abelisaurs in Morocco, showing the diversity of dinosaurs in this region at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Published This fish doesn't just see with its eyes -- it also sees with its skin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Without a mirror, it can be hard to tell if you're blushing, or have spinach in your teeth. But one color-changing fish has evolved a clever way to keep watch on the parts of itself that lie outside its field of view -- by sensing light with its skin.
Published Heat sensor protects the Venus flytrap from fire
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sensory hairs of the Venus flytrap contain a heat sensor that warns the plant of bush fires. It reacts to rapid temperature jumps, as researchers have discovered.
Published Researchers extract ancient DNA from a 2,900-year-old clay brick, revealing a time capsule of plant life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, a group of researchers have successfully extracted ancient DNA from a 2,900-year-old clay brick. The analysis provides a fascinating insight into the diversity of plant species cultivated at that time and place, and could open the way to similar studies on clay material from other sites and time periods.
Published Coffee offers performance boost for concrete
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers in Australia have found a way of making stronger concrete with roasted used-coffee grounds, to give the drink-additive a 'double shot' at life and reduce waste going to landfills. The team developed a technique to make concrete 30% stronger by turning waste coffee grounds into biochar, using a low-energy process without oxygen at 350 degrees Celsius.
Published Did sabertooth tigers purr or roar?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When a sabertooth tiger called out, what noise did it make -- a mighty roar or a throaty purr? A new study examined the data behind the arguments for each vocalization and found that the answer was more nuanced than they thought -- and that it could depend on the shape of a few small bones.
Published AI models are powerful, but are they biologically plausible?
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers hypothesize that a powerful type of AI model known as a transformer could be implemented in the brain through networks of neuron and astrocyte cells. The work could offer insights into how the brain works and help scientists understand why transformers are so effective at machine-learning tasks.
Published Researchers use mathematical modeling and dynamic biomarkers to characterize metastatic disease during adaptive therapy
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers demonstrate how mathematical modeling combined with dynamic biomarkers can be used to characterize metastatic disease and identify appropriate therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes.
Published Transforming flies into degradable plastics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Imagine using insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later -- with the help of that very same type of bug. That concept is closer to reality than you might expect. Researchers will describe their progress to date, including the isolation and purification of the insect-derived chemicals and their conversion into their bioplastics.