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Categories: Biology: Biochemistry, Geoscience: Landslides
Published Pagan-Christian trade networks supplied horses from overseas for the last horse sacrifices in Europe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Horses crossed the Baltic Sea in ships during the Late Viking Age and were sacrificed for funeral rituals. Studies on the remains of horses found at ancient burial sites in Russia and Lithuania show that they were brought overseas from Scandinavia utilizing expansive trade networks connecting the Viking world with the Byzantine and Arab Empires. Up to now, researchers had believed sacrificial horses were always locally-sourced stallions. But these results reveal horses from modern Sweden or Finland traveled up to 1,500 km across the Baltic Sea. The findings also show that the sex of the horse was not necessarily a factor in them being chosen for sacrifice, with genetic analysis showing one in three were mares.
Published Zombie cells in the sea: Viruses keep the most common marine bacteria in check
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marine microbes control the flux of matter and energy essential for life in the oceans. Among them, the bacterial group SAR11 accounts for about a third of all the bacteria found in surface ocean waters. A study now reveals that at times nearly 20% of SAR11 cells are infected by viruses, significantly reducing total cell numbers. The viruses can also transform these once thriving bacteria into zombies, a phenomenon observed for the first time and widespread in the oceans.
Published Plants restrict use of 'Tipp-Ex proteins'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants have special corrective molecules at their disposal that can make retrospective modifications to copies of genes. However, it would appear that these 'Tipp-Ex proteins' do not have permission to work in all areas of the cell, only being used in chloroplasts and mitochondria. A study has now explained why this is the case. It suggests that the correction mechanism would otherwise modify copies that have nothing wrong with them, with fatal consequences for the cell.
Published Fruit fly wing research offers window into birth defects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source If fruit fly wings do not develop into the right shape, the flies will die. Researchers have learned how fly embryo cells develop as they need to, opening a window into human development and possible treatments for birth defects.
Published Ancient arachnid from coal forests of America stands out for its spiny legs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The spiny legged 308-million-year-old arachnid Douglassarachne acanthopoda was discovered the famous Mazon Creek locality.
Published A trial HIV vaccine triggered elusive and essential antibodies in humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An HIV vaccine candidate triggered low levels of an elusive type of broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies among a small group of people enrolled in a 2019 clinical trial.
Published Early arrival and expansion of palaeolithic people on Cyprus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The patterns of dispersal of early humans across continents and islands are hotly debated, but researchers have found that Pleistocene hunter-gatherers settled in Cyprus thousands of years earlier than previously thought. In examining the timing of the first human occupation of Cyprus, research found that large islands in the Mediterranean Sea were attractive and favorable destinations for palaeolithic peoples. These findings refute previous studies that suggested Mediterranean islands would have been unreachable and inhospitable for Pleistocene hunter-gatherer societies.
Published A new 'rule of biology' may have come to light, expanding insight into evolution and aging
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A molecular biologist may have found a new 'rule of biology.' The rule challenges long-held notions that most living organisms prefer stability over instability because stability requires less energy and fewer resources.
Published New sensor gives unprecedented look at changes in cell's energy 'currency'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new sensor is giving researchers the best look yet at ATP levels inside living cells, enabling scientists to study in greater detail than ever before how fluctuations in this cellular currency affect the cell and contribute to disease.
Published Spider silk sound system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have investigated how spiders listen to their environments through webs and found that the webs match the acoustic particle velocity for a wide range of sound frequencies. Playing sound ranging from 1 Hz to 50 kHz for the spiders and measuring the spider silk motion with a laser vibrometer, they found the sound-induced velocity of the silk was the same as the particles in the air surrounding it. This confirmed the mechanism that these spiders use to detect their prey.
Published Natural toxins in food: Many people are not aware of the health risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many people are concerned about residues of chemicals, contaminants or microplastics in their food. However, it is less well known that many foods also contain toxins of completely natural origin. These are often chemical compounds that plants use to ward off predators such as insects or microorganisms. These substances are found in beans and potatoes, for example, and can pose potential health risks.
Published More efficient bioethanol production might be possible using persimmon tannin to help yeast thrive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that persimmon tannin, known for its antioxidant properties, improves the growth of yeast in the presence of ethanol.
Published Bioengineered enzyme creates natural vanillin from plants in one step
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Vanilla, the most widely used flavoring compound in confectionaries and cosmetics, gets its sweet flavor and aroma from the chemical compound -- 'vanillin'. However, the large-scale production of natural vanillin is impeded by the lack of microbial processes and enzymes which can commercially generate vanillin. Now, researchers have genetically engineered a novel enzyme which can convert ferulic acid from plant waste into vanillin in a one-step sustainable process.
Published Regenerating worms have genetic control over their algal partners
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found a genetic pathway that facilitates inter-species communication between a marine worm, acoel, and its symbiotic algae.
Published Jet-propelled sea creatures could improve ocean robotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that colonies of gelatinous sea animals swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.
Published From roots to resilience: investigating the vital role of microbes in coastal plant health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.
Published Temperature, time and blueberry wine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nutrient-rich blueberries -- a common breakfast smoothie ingredient -- can also create wine. But does the heat and time required to ferment this mighty berry strip out any of those potential health-promoting compounds? Researchers examine fermentation's effects on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in blueberry wine. The results suggest blueberry wine maintains some of the fruit's nutrients and the team identifies ways to optimize components in this superfood tipple.
Published What fire ants can teach us about making better, self-healing materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fire ants form rafts to survive flooding, but how do those bonds work? And what can we learn from them? A professor is researching those questions to expand our knowledge of materials science.
Published Access to gardens and citizen science helps encourage conservation among children, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Access to gardens and citizen science projects at school can help promote pro-conservation behaviour among pupils, a new study shows.
Published H5N1 virus from 2022 mink outbreak capable of inefficient airborne transmission
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle for the first time in the United States in March, with nine states reporting outbreaks by May. While the method of transmission among cattle is currently unknown, new research demonstrates that a related strain of H5N1, subtype clade 2.3.4.4b, which caused an outbreak in farmed mink in 2022, transmitted through the air to a limited number of ferrets. This is the first time that a member of the group of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses has been shown to exhibit this ability. According to the researchers, the findings suggest these viruses are evolving to infect mammals and with potentially increased risk to humans.