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Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Ecology: Endangered Species
Published Detecting a vast diversity of rainforest animals by swabbing their DNA from leaves
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers demonstrate that a vast multitude of birds and mammals can be detected by simply swabbing the DNA left behind by animals from leaves. They showcased the power of this approach in an ecosystem that hosts a ton of wildlife and where detecting animals has historically proven extremely challenging -- the tropical rainforest.
Published New approach shows hydrogen can be combined with electricity to make pharmaceutical drugs
(via sciencedaily.com) The world needs greener ways to make chemicals. In a new study, researchers demonstrate one potential path toward this goal by adapting hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
Published Research team developing a nano-sized force sensor and improving high-precision microscopy technology
(via sciencedaily.com) Recent research in cell biology highlights groundbreaking results. An international team of researchers have recently established a tool they developed to study the mechanics of the cell. The tool can be used to study the inner forces of the cell, for example, the stretching of the nuclear membrane. The microscopic force sensor, only about 0.00002 mm long, is constructed of exotic ingredients such as spider web protein parts, fluorescent proteins from jellyfish, and antibodies from alpaca. In addition, the multidisciplinary team of researchers has developed further the sensitivity of super-resolution microscopy technique.
Published Groundbreaking green propane production method
(via sciencedaily.com) New research reveals a promising breakthrough in green energy: an electrolyzer device capable of converting carbon dioxide into propane in a manner that is both scalable and economically viable.
Published Scientists zero in on timing, causes of ice age mammal extinctions in southern California
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Radiocarbon dating on bones in the La Brea Tar Pits lead archaeologists to warn that history may be repeating itself.
Published Pollutants are important to biodiversity's role in spread of wildlife diseases
(via sciencedaily.com) Conventional wisdom among ecologists holds that the more species there are inhabiting an ecosystem, the less vulnerable any one species will be to a threat like a parasite. A new study of tadpoles illustrates how overlapping biological and environmental factors can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. The researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities.
Published Scientists reveal how sensory protein changes shape with nanometer resolution
(via sciencedaily.com) The sensory receptor PIEZO1 changes shape in response to mechanical stimuli. The super high-resolution microscopy technology used in this discovery is a breakthrough in enabling protein structures to be studied within the cellular environment.
Published Bats feast as insects migrate through Pyrenees
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bats gather to feast as nocturnal insects fly through mountain passes in the Pyrenees each autumn, new research shows.
Published Decoding how molecules 'talk' to each other to develop new nanotechnologies
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists recreate and compare molecular languages at the origin of life -- opening new doors for the development of novel nanotechnologies.
Published Researchers develop versatile and low-cost technology for targeted long-read RNA sequencing
(via sciencedaily.com) In a development that could accelerate the discovery of new diagnostics and treatments, researchers have developed a versatile and low-cost technology for targeted sequencing of full-length RNA molecules. The technology, called TEQUILA-seq, is highly cost-effective compared to commercially available solutions for targeted RNA sequencing and can be adapted for different research and clinical purposes.
Published Gold buckyballs, oft-used nanoparticle 'seeds' are one and the same
(via sciencedaily.com) Chemists have discovered that tiny gold 'seed' particles, a key ingredient in one of the most common nanoparticle recipes, are one and the same as gold buckyballs, 32-atom spheres that are cousins of the Nobel Prize-winning carbon buckyballs discovered in 1985.
Published Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together
(via sciencedaily.com) Bioengineers have developed a generalizable method to address 'off-target' binding, a significant problem in the field of synthetic biology. Taking a cue from nature, the researchers showed they could all but eliminate off-target gene activation by designing weak transcription factors that cooperatively assemble.
Published Researchers design efficient iridium catalyst for hydrogen generation
(via sciencedaily.com) Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers converts surplus electric energy into transportable hydrogen energy as a clean energy solution. However, slow oxygen evolution reaction rates and high loading levels of expensive metal oxide catalysts limit its practical feasibility. Now, researchers have developed a new tantalum oxide-supported iridium catalyst that significantly boosts the oxygen evolution reaction speed. Additionally, it shows high catalytic activity and long-term stability in prolonged single cell operation.
Published Nanoscale material offers new way to control fire
(via sciencedaily.com) High-temperature flames are used to create a wide variety of materials -- but once you start a fire, it can be difficult to control how the flame interacts with the material you are trying to process. Researchers have now developed a technique that utilizes a molecule-thin protective layer to control how the flame's heat interacts with the material -- taming the fire and allowing users to finely tune the characteristics of the processed material.
Published Researchers find global plant water use efficiency stalled due to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New findings have found that water use efficiency has stalled since 2001 which implies not as much CO2 was being taken in by plants and more water was consumed and that could have implications on carbon cycling, agricultural production and water resources.
Published Chromium replaces rare and expensive noble metals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Expensive noble metals often play a vital role in illuminating screens or converting solar energy into fuels. Now, chemists have succeeded in replacing these rare elements with a significantly cheaper metal. In terms of their properties, the new materials are very similar to those used in the past.
Published Arrays of quantum rods could enhance TVs or virtual reality devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Using scaffolds of folded DNA, engineers assembled arrays of quantum rods with desirable photonic properties that could enable them to be used as highly efficient micro-LEDs for televisions or virtual reality devices.
Published Researchers 'film' novel catalyst at work
(via sciencedaily.com) A novel catalysis scheme enables chemical reactions that were previously virtually impossible. The method is also environmentally friendly and does not require rare and precious metals. The researchers recorded the exact course of the catalysis in a kind of high-speed film. They did this using special lasers that can make processes visible that last only fractions of a billionth of a second. The results allow them to further optimize the catalyst.
Published Chemicals from maize roots influence wheat yield
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.
Published The positional transmitter of statoliths unveiled: It keeps plants from getting lazy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants orient their organs in response to the gravity vector, with roots growing towards gravity and shoots growing in the opposite direction. The movement of statoliths responding to the inclination relative to the gravity vector is employed for gravity sensing in both plants and animals. However, in plants, the statolith takes the form of a high-density organelle, known as an amyloplast, which settles toward gravity within the gravity sensing cell. Despite the significance of this gravity sensing mechanism, the exact process behind it has eluded scientists for over a century.