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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Mathematics: Puzzles

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Bacteria make up more than 10% of all living things but until recently we had little realization that, as in humans, soil bacteria have internal clocks that synchronize their activities with the 24-hour cycles of day and night on Earth. New research shows just how complex and sophisticated these bacterial circadian clocks are, clearing the way for an exciting new phase of study.

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Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which bacteria share their genetic material through virus parasites. The insights could help scientists to better understand how bacteria rapidly adapt and evolve, and how they become more virulent and resistant to antibiotics.

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The immune regulatory protein STING has a previously unknown function: acting as an ion channel that allows protons to leak into cells. This discovery makes it the first human immune sensor that can translate danger signals into ion flow.

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Researchers have changed the way to look at DNA. They show that DNA is much more than a linear sequence of building blocks; it has a 3D structure that influences the variation of human genome-wide mutation rates meaningfully and consistently, and this is likely conserved among species.

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In prehistoric societies, humans tended to learn from members of our ingroup or from more prestigious individuals, as this information was more likely to be reliable and result in group success. However, with the advent of diverse and complex modern communities -- and especially in social media -- these biases become less effective. For example, a person we are connected to online might not necessarily be trustworthy, and people can easily feign prestige on social media. Now, a group of social scientists describe how the functions of social media algorithms are misaligned with human social instincts meant to foster cooperation, which can lead to large-scale polarization and misinformation.

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A team of scientists has made an important breakthrough in the fight against RNA viruses that cause human diseases and pandemics.

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In a breakthrough for bioengineering, researchers have developed organoids that can model the human respiratory tract. The organoids, called AirGels, allow them to uncover the mechanism by which antibiotic-resistant pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa infect the respiratory tract.

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An interdisciplinary team of mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and medical scientists has uncovered an unexpected link between pure mathematics and genetics, that reveals key insights into the structure of neutral mutations and the evolution of organisms.

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Researchers have discovered new cell types in the visual system of flies, made possible by their creation of a tool that finds and labels neurons during development. The study combines single-cell sequencing data with a novel algorithm to identify pairs of genes that point to previously unknown cells in the brains of fruit flies.

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Scientists have pinpointed a genetic cause for virgin birth for the first time, and once switched on the ability is passed down through generations of females.

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Originally, the powerhouses of higher cells, the mitochondria, were independent organisms. Researchers have investigated to what extent their metabolism has blended with that of their host cells in the course of evolution, using the example of a mitochondrial stress response. They have discovered that mitochondria send two different biochemical signals. These are processed together in the cell and trigger a support mechanism to restore cellular balance (homeostasis).

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A metabolic by-product that is more prevalent during fasting may supercharge immune cells as they fight infection and disease, reports an early stage study. The findings may pave the way for future personalized dietary recommendations to augment treatments for infection, cancer and other diseases.

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Bees and wasps have converged on the same architectural solutions to nest-building problems, according to new research.

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In a step forward in the development of genetic medicines, researchers have developed a proof-of-concept model for delivering gene editing tools to treat blood disorders, allowing for the modification of diseased blood cells directly within the body. If translated into the clinic, this approach could expand access and reduce the cost of gene therapies for blood disorders, many of which currently require patients receive chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

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What happens inside the carnivorous plant Venus Flytrap when it catches an insect? New technology has led to discoveries about the electrical signalling that causes the trap to snap shut. Bioelectronic technology enables advanced research into how plants react to their surroundings, and to stress.

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The lifespan of a small roundworm that has been used as a key model organism in aging research is limited by how it self-sacrifices to feed its young, finds a new study.

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The results of a novel study has revealed exciting findings in the pursuit of an HIV cure.

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Researchers have identified a genetic sequence that is essential for plant reproduction. As this region is found in all plant species, it is expected to contribute to future crossbreeding initiatives and help solve the important problem of seed formation defects.

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Board games based on numbers, like Monopoly, Othello and Chutes and Ladders, make young children better at math, according to a comprehensive review of research published on the topic over the last 23 years.

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Measuring human brain activity down to the cellular level: until now, this has been possible only to a limited extent. With a new approach it will now be much easier. The method relies on microelectrodes along with the support of brain tumor patients, who participate in studies while undergoing 'awake' brain surgery. This enabled the team to identify how our brain processes numbers.