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Categories: Biology: Biochemistry, Space: Astronomy
Published Webb captures top of iconic horsehead nebula in unprecedented detail
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of a zoomed-in portion of one of the most distinctive objects in our skies, the Horsehead Nebula. These observations show the top of the 'horse's mane' or edge of this iconic nebula in a whole new light, capturing the region's complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution.
Published New and improved way to grow the cells that give rise to the kidney's filtration system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells (NPCs), the cells destined to form the kidney's filtration system, the nephrons. NPCs hold immense promise for understanding kidney development, modeling diseases, and discovering new treatments. The team improved the chemical cocktail for generating and growing NPCs in the laboratory, enabling the sustained growth of both mouse and human NPCs in a simple 2-dimensional format.
Published Researchers parse oddity of distantly related bats in Solomon Islands that appear identical
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study of body size in leaf-nosed bats of the Solomon Islands has revealed surprising genetic diversity among nearly indistinguishable species on different islands.
Published NASA's Webb maps weather on planet 280 light-years away
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have successfully used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to map the weather on the hot gas-giant exoplanet WASP-43 b.
Published Discovery of mechanism plants use to change seed oil could impact industrial, food oils
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of oil biosynthesis and found a way to genetically engineer a type of test plant to more efficiently produce different kinds of seed oil that it otherwise wouldn't make. While the engineering is proof-of-concept, this discovery could lead to improved production of valuable oils used in food and by a range of industries. The modified plant overcame metabolic bottlenecks and produced significant amounts of an oil similar to castor oil that it doesn't naturally produce.
Published Unlocking the genetic mysteries behind plant adaptation: New insights into the evolution of a water-saving trait in the pineapple family (bromeliaceae)
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in understanding how genetic drivers influence the evolution of a specific photosynthesis mechanism in Tillandsia (air plants). This sheds light on the complex actions that cause plant adaptation and ecological diversity.
Published Trotting robots reveal emergence of animal gait transitions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A four-legged robot trained with machine learning has learned to avoid falls by spontaneously switching between walking, trotting, and pronking -- a milestone for roboticists as well as biologists interested in animal locomotion.
Published The double-fanged adolescence of saber-toothed cats
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How did North America's saber-toothed cats hunt without breaking their unwieldy saber-like canines, which are vulnerable to sideways bending stresses? A paleontologist provides mechanical evidence that during adolescence, when young cats were learning to hunt, their baby teeth remained in place for up to 30 months to laterally buttress the emerging permanent sabers. By the time the baby teeth fell out, presumably the adult cat knew how to protect its sabers during attacks.
Published Fading lights: Multiple threats to North America's firefly populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have applied a data-driven approach to understanding firefly population dynamics on a continental scale. Key findings from this new study indicate that fireflies, part of the beetle order, are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends, including the number of growing-degree days related to temperature accumulations.
Published Astronomers' simulations support dark matter theory
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Computer simulations by astronomers support the idea that dark matter -- matter that no one has yet directly detected but which many physicists think must be there to explain several aspects of the observable universe -- exists, according to the researchers.
Published Research on RNA editing illuminates possible lifesaving treatments for genetic diseases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The research explores how CRISPR can be used to edit RNA.
Published Long snouts protect foxes when diving headfirst in snow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When hunting for mice in winter, red and arctic fox are known to plunge headfirst at speeds of 2-4 meters per second, but their sharp noses reduce the impact force in snow and protect them from injury, according to a new study.
Published Possible alternative to antibiotics produced by bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many bacteria produce substances to gain an advantage over competitors in their highly competitive natural environment. Researchers have discovered a new so-called lantibiotic, namely epilancin A37. It is produced by staphylococci that colonize the skin and acts specifically against their main competitors there, the corynebacteria. This specificity is presumably mediated by a very special mechanism of action, which the researchers were able to decipher in detail.
Published Study reveals cancer vulnerabilities in popular dog breeds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Medium-sized dogs have a higher risk of developing cancer than the very largest or smallest breeds, according to a new study.
Published Fixin' to be flexitarian: Scrap fish and invasive species can liven up vegetables
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Greening the way we eat needn't mean going vegetarian. A healthy, more realistic solution is to adopt a flexitarian diet where seafoods add umami to 'boring' vegetables. A gastrophysicist puts mathematical equations to work in calculating the umami potential of everything from seaweed and shrimp paste to mussels and mackerel.
Published T. Rex not as smart as previously claimed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dinosaurs were likely as smart as reptiles but not as intelligent as monkeys.
Published Probing the effects of interplanetary space on asteroid Ryugu
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Samples reveal evidence of changes experienced by the surface of asteroid Ryugu, some probably due to micrometeoroid bombardment.
Published Study details a common bacterial defense against viral infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report on the molecular assembly of one of the most common anti-phage systems -- from the family of proteins called Gabija -- that is estimated to be used by at least 8.5%, and up to 18%, of all bacteria species on Earth.
Published Mobile device location data is already used by private companies, so why not for studying human-wildlife interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When did you last go anywhere without your cell phone? From maps and weather apps to social media platforms, we give consent for our phones to trace our footsteps and behavior. These curated mobility data are often used for personalized advertisements. Scientists now argue mobility data can offer so much more -- it is key to understanding human-wildlife interactions for guiding policy decisions on sustainability-related issues and should be free and accessible for research.
Published Florida dolphin found with highly pathogenic avian flu
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Report details first-ever finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in North American dolphin.