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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published Exploring the radiative effects of precipitation on Arctic amplification and energy budget
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While, in theory, precipitation impacts the Earth's radiation budget, the radiative effects of precipitation (REP) are poorly understood and excluded from most climate models. Hence, a new study examined the role of REP in the global and regional energy budgets and hydrological cycles, finding that REP significantly contributes to temperature and precipitation variations at different geographical scales, especially in the Arctic warming. This highlights the relevance of including REP in climate modeling for improved accuracy.
Published Not so selfish after all: Viruses use freeloading genes as weapons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Certain pieces of DNA have been labeled as 'selfish genetic elements' due to notions that they don't contribute to a host organism's survival. Instead, researchers have now discovered that these elements have been weaponized and play a crucial role by cutting off a competitor's ability to reproduce.
Published How dust pollution from shrinking Great Salt Lake affects communities disproportionately
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Exposure to wind-blown dust from exposed playa of the Utah lake is worse in Hispanic neighborhoods, according to new research. Findings suggest restoring the lake could ease social inequities associated with air pollution.
Published Never-before-seen view of gene transcription captured
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New tech reveals findings that address long-standing theories about how bacteria begin the process of making RNA from DNA.
Published Do genes-in-pieces code for proteins that fold in pieces?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study offers new insights into the evolution of foldable proteins.
Published Researchers uncover key mechanisms in chromosome structure development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are making strides in understanding how chromosome structures change throughout the cell's life cycle.
Published Early-onset El Niño means warmer winters in East Asia, and vice versa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that the early onset of El Nino around June leads to warm winter climates in Japan, while the late onset of El Nino is associated with colder winters. By analyzing 100-ensemble member climate simulations over the past 61 years, the team found that the warming of the tropical Indian Ocean was a player in warmer Japanese winters.
Published Study explores what motivates people to watch footage of disasters and extreme weather
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The release in July 2024 of the blockbuster film Twisters (centred around a social-media celebrity storm-chaser) demonstrates an ongoing public fascination in hazards and extreme weather. The arrival of camera and streaming technologies have made it easier to collect and share such footage in recent years, resulting in often dramatic footage being live-streamed on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Discord. Now, a new study has analyzed what might be motivating people to watch these streams -- in some instances for up to 12 hours at a time.
Published A new breakthrough in understanding regeneration in a marine worm
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sea worm Platynereis dumerilii is only a few centimeters long but has a remarkable ability: in just a few days, it can regenerate entire parts of its body after an injury or amputation. By focusing more specifically on the mechanisms at play in the regeneration of this worm's tail, a research team has observed that gut cells play a role in the regeneration of the intestine as well as other tissues such as muscle and epidermis.
Published Near chromosome-level genome of the Mojave poppy bee
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation concern.
Published Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The study provides a detailed map of the 3'UTR regions of RNA in C. elegans. 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) are segments of RNA involved in gene regulation.
Published Proteins and fats can drive insulin production for some, paving way for tailored nutrition
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to managing blood sugar levels, most people think about counting carbs. But new research shows that, for some, it may be just as important to consider the proteins and fats in their diet. The study is the first large-scale comparison of how different people produce insulin in response to each of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates (glucose), proteins (amino acids) and fats (fatty acids). The findings reveal that production of the blood sugar-regulating hormone is much more dynamic and individualized than previously thought, while showing for the first time a subset of the population who are hyper-responsive to fatty foods.
Published Genetic patterns of world's farmed, domesticated foxes revealed via historical deep-dive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Domesticated animals play a prominent role in our society, with two-thirds of American families enjoying the companionship of pets and many others relying on animal products for their nutritional needs. But the process of domestication remains a bit of a mystery.
Published Dampening the 'seeds' of hurricanes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Increased atmospheric moisture may alter critical weather patterns over Africa, making it more difficult for the predecessors of many Atlantic hurricanes to form, according to a new study.
Published Degradation of cell wall key in the spread of antibiotic resistance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study provides new clues in the understanding of how antibiotic resistance spreads. The study shows how an enzyme breaks down the bacteria's protective outer layer, the cell wall, and thus facilitates the transfer of genes for resistance to antibiotics.
Published Researchers thwart resistant bacteria's strategy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria are experts at evolving resistance to antibiotics. One resistance strategy is to cover their cell walls in sticky and gooey biofilm that antibiotics cannot penetrate. A new discovery could put a stop to this strategy.
Published Antarctic ice shelves hold twice as much meltwater as previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Slush -- water-soaked snow -- makes up more than half of all meltwater on the Antarctic ice shelves during the height of summer, yet is poorly accounted for in regional climate models. The findings could have profound implications for ice shelf stability and sea level rise.
Published Groundbreaking discovery: Zinc can make crop yields more climate-resilient
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change, drought, increased temperature and other stressors challenge agricultural sustainability. Researchers have now made an unexpected discovery: zinc plays a pivotal role in the plant response to abiotic stress. This groundbreaking discovery not only sheds light on the intricate mechanisms of plant growth but also holds promise for revolutionizing crop resilience, especially in legume-based agriculture.
Published New deep-learning model outperforms Google AI system in predicting peptide structures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a deep-learning model, called PepFlow, that can predict all possible shapes of peptides -- chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins, but perform similar biological functions. Peptides are known to be highly flexible, taking on a wide range of folding patterns, and are thus involved in many biological processes of interest to researchers in the development of therapeutics.
Published Common plastics could passively cool and heat buildings with the seasons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By restricting radiant heat flows between buildings and their environment to specific wavelengths, coatings engineered from common materials can achieve energy savings and thermal comfort that goes beyond what traditional building envelopes can achieve.