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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published A promising new method uses light to clean up forever chemicals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A room-temperature method to decompose perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) using visible LED light offers a promising solution for sustainable fluorine recycling and PFAS treatment.
Published Converting captured carbon to fuel: Study assesses what's practical and what's not
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis sheds light on major shortfalls of a recently proposed approach to capture CO2 from air and directly convert it to fuel using electricity. The authors also provide a new, more sustainable, alternative.
Published Exposing dengue's invasion strategies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mosquito-borne viral infections once confined to tropical regions are spreading. Dengue virus infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year according to World Health Organization estimates, and no available treatments exist for this disease. Now, research uncovered surprising strategies for how dengue and hundreds of other viruses replicate in their hosts, with the potential to aid in developing novel antiviral treatments and vaccines.
Published Not everything that tastes bitter is potentially harmful: But why? Study provides an explanation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A bitter taste is traditionally considered a warning sign of potentially toxic substances. But not all bitter substances are harmful. For example, some peptides and free amino acids taste bitter, even though they are non-toxic, nutritious and sometimes even vital for humans. A new study now offers an explanation for this seemingly paradoxical phenomenon.
Published Transient structure in fly leg holds clue to insect shape formation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A little leg may reveal something big about how closely related insect species can drastically differ in body shape, according to a new study. The team imaged live cells of fruit flies in the last stages of development over several days and found a new structure that appears to help guide a section of the leg into its final shape.
Published Genome study informs restoration of American chestnut tree
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers use genomes to help restore the American chestnut population and adjust species breeding to the changing climate.
Published Deep-ocean floor produces its own oxygen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of researchers has discovered that metallic minerals on the deep-ocean floor produce oxygen -- 13,000 feet below the surface. Discovery challenges long-held assumptions that only photosynthetic organisms generate Earth's oxygen. Minerals at the abyssal seafloor appear to act like geobatteries to produce oxygen in a process that does not require sunlight.
Published Waste Styrofoam can now be converted into polymers for electronics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study describes a chemical reaction that can convert Styrofoam into a high-value conducting polymer known as PEDOT:PSS. Researchers also noted that the upgraded plastic waste can be successfully incorporated into functional electronic devices, including silicon-based hybrid solar cells and organic electrochemical transistors.
Published Chemists design novel method for generating sustainable fuel
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemists have been working to synthesize high-value materials from waste molecules for years.
Published New humidity-driven membrane to remove carbon dioxide from the air
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new ambient-energy-driven membrane that pumps carbon dioxide out of the air has been developed by researchers.
Published Converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Creating fertilizers from organic waste can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and promote sustainable production. One way of doing this is through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temperature, high-pressure process. Two studies explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert the leftover wastewater into fertilizer for agricultural crops.
Published Small animals acquire genes from bacteria that can produce antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A group of small, freshwater animals (bdelloid rotifers) protect themselves from infections using antibiotic recipes 'stolen' from bacteria, according to new research. This raises the potential that rotifers are producing novel antimicrobials that may be less toxic to animals, including humans, than those we develop from bacteria and fungi.
Published Minerals play newly discovered role in Earth's phosphorus cycle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants and microbes are known to secrete enzymes to transform organic phosphorus into bioavailable inorganic phosphorus. Now, researchers found that iron oxide in soil performs the same transformation. Discovery is important for food security, which requires phosphorus as a crop fertilizer.
Published Secrets behind viral precision
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research is shedding light on how viruses ensure their survival by precisely timing the release of new viruses. The discovery offers a new theoretical framework for understanding these dynamic biological phenomena.
Published Although tiny, peatland microorganisms have a big impact on climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Polyphenols are generally toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an oxygen-dependent enzyme, and thus that low-oxygen conditions inhibit microbes' carbon cycling. However, a new study found that Arctic peatland microorganisms used alternative enzymes, with and without oxygen, to break down polyphenols. This suggests carbon stored in these ecosystems is more at risk than previously thought.
Published Microbes found to destroy certain 'forever chemicals'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An environmental engineering team has discovered that specific bacterial species can cleave the strong fluorine-to-carbon bond certain kinds of 'forever chemical' water pollutants, offering promise for low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water.
Published Reef pest feasts on 'sea sawdust'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have uncovered an under the sea phenomenon where coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish larvae have been feasting on blue-green algae bacteria known as 'sea sawdust'.
Published Diatom surprise could rewrite the global carbon cycle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to diatoms that live in the ocean, new research suggests that photosynthesis is not the only strategy for accumulating carbon. Instead, these single-celled plankton are also building biomass by feeding directly on organic carbon in wide swaths of the ocean. These new findings could lead to reduced estimates regarding how much carbon dioxide diatoms pull out of the air via photosynthesis, which in turn, could alter our understanding of the global carbon cycle, which is especially relevant given the changing climate.
Published Research tracks 66 million years of mammalian diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has examined the fossil record going back 66 million years and tracked changes to mammalian ecosystems and species diversity on the North American continent.
Published Paleolithic diets are not without risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-protein diets, known as 'Paleolithic diets', are popular. Using mouse models, scientists have studied their impact. While effective in regulating weight and stabilizing diabetes, these diets are not without risks. Excess protein greatly increases ammonium production, overwhelming the liver. Excess ammonium can cause neurological disorders and, in severe cases, lead to coma. These results suggest caution when following these diets.