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Categories: Biology: Botany, Space: General
Published Across oceans and millennia: decoding the origin and history of the bottle gourd
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have uncovered intriguing details about the origins and spread of the bottle gourd, one of the oldest domesticated crops. Their work unveils the genetic diversification and population history of this hard-shelled plant that was used to make bottles, instruments, and containers for over 10,000 years by ancient civilizations.
Published Simulated microgravity effects cause marked changes in gene expression rhythms in humans, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Simulated effects of microgravity, created by 60 days of constant bed rest, severely disrupts rhythmic gene expression in humans, according to a new study.
Published Fairy circles: Plant water stress causes Namibia's gaps in grass
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Namibia's legendary fairy circles are mysterious, circular, bald patches in the dry grasslands on the edge of the Namib Desert. Their formation has been researched for decades and has recently been the subject of much debate. With extensive fieldwork, researchers investigated how freshly germinated grass dies inside the fairy circle. Their results show that the grass withers due to a lack of water inside the fairy circle. The topsoil, comprised of the top 10 to 12 centimeters of the soil, acts as a kind of 'death zone' in which fresh grass cannot survive for long.
Published Largest-ever map of universe's active supermassive black holes released
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have charted the largest-ever volume of the universe with a new map of active supermassive black holes living at the centers of galaxies. Called quasars, the gas-gobbling black holes are, ironically, some of the universe's brightest objects. The new map logs the location of about 1.3 million quasars in space and time, the furthest of which shone bright when the universe was only 1.5 billion years old. The work could help scientists better understand the properties of dark matter.
Published Cacao plants' defense against toxic cadmium unveiled
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers used bright X-rays to unveil how cacao trees protect themselves from toxic metal cadmium.
Published Why do tree frogs lay their eggs on the ground?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A curious aspect of tree frogs is that they often lay their eggs on the ground where the risk of predation by natural enemies is greater than in the trees where they live. A research team suggested that the reason for this behavior is to protect the eggs from low temperatures. Their findings highlight the challenge faced by tree frogs: Should they attempt to maintain an optimal temperature for their eggs or risk predation?
Published New research suggests that our universe has no dark matter
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study challenges the current model of the universe by showing that, in fact, it has no room for dark matter.
Published Protein fragments ID two new 'extremophile' microbes--and may help find alien life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Perfectly adapted microorganisms live in extreme environments from deep-sea trenches to mountaintops. Learning more about how these extremophiles survive in hostile conditions could inform scientists about life on Earth and potential life on other planets.
Published Researchers can reveal illegal timber exports
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new method of timber analysis can confidently identify the location in which the tree was harvested. The method has been developed with the aim of combating illegal timber imports from Russia and Belarus.
Published Surprising insights about debris flows on Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The period that liquid water was present on the surface of Mars may have been shorter than previously thought. Channel landforms called gullies, previously thought to be formed exclusively by liquid water, can also be formed by the action of evaporating CO2 ice, according to a new study.
Published Ancient ice may still exist in distant space objects, researchers find
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new paper presents findings about the Kuiper Belt Object 486958 Arrokoth, shedding new light on the preservation of volatile substances like carbon monoxide in such distant celestial bodies. The research uses Arrokoth as a case study to propose that many Kuiper Belt Objects -- remnants from the dawn of our solar system -- could still retain their original volatile ices, challenging previous notions about the evolutionary path of these ancient entities.
Published AI for astrophysics: Algorithms help chart the origins of heavy elements
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The origin of heavy elements in our universe is theorized to be the result of neutron star collisions, which produce conditions hot and dense enough for free neutrons to merge with atomic nuclei and form new elements in a split-second window of time. Testing this theory and answering other astrophysical questions requires predictions for a vast range of masses of atomic nuclei. Scientists are using machine learning algorithms to successfully model the atomic masses of the entire nuclide chart -- the combination of all possible protons and neutrons that defines elements and their isotopes.
Published Cheers! NASA's Webb finds ethanol, other icy ingredients for worlds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What do margaritas, vinegar, and ant stings have in common? They contain chemical ingredients that NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has identified surrounding two young protostars known as IRAS 2A and IRAS 23385. Although planets are not yet forming around those stars, these and other molecules detected there by Webb represent key ingredients for making potentially habitable worlds.
Published Do astronauts experience 'space headaches'?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Space travel and zero gravity can take a toll on the body. A new study has found that astronauts with no prior history of headaches may experience migraine and tension-type headaches during long-haul space flight, which includes more than 10 days in space.
Published Explaining a supernova's 'string of pearls'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists often turn to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability to explain why fluid structures form in plasmas, but that may not be the full story when it comes to the ring of hydrogen clumps around supernova 1987A, research suggests. It looks like the same mechanism that breaks up airplane contrails might be at play in forming the clumps of hydrogen gas that ring the remnant of supernova 1987A.
Published Giant volcano discovered on Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A deeply eroded giant volcano, active from ancient through recent times and with possible remnants of glacier ice near its base, had been hiding near Mars' equator in plain sight. Its discovery points to an exciting new place to search for life, and a potential destination for future robotic and human exploration.
Published Satellites for quantum communications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Through steady advances in the development of quantum computers and their ever-improving performance, it will be possible in the future to crack our current encryption processes. To address this challenge, researchers are developing encryption methods that will apply physical laws to prevent the interception of messages. To safeguard communications over long distances, the QUICK space mission will deploy satellites.
Published Simple trick could improve accuracy of plant genetics research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have published a simple trick that improves the accuracy of techniques that help us understand how external variables -- such as temperature -- affect gene activity in plants.
Published Summer solstice triggers synchronized beech tree reproduction across Europe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found that the summer solstice acts as a 'starting gun' to synchronize beech tree reproduction across vast distances in Europe, affecting ecosystem functions.
Published Study brings scientists a step closer to successfully growing plants in space
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New, highly stretchable sensors can monitor and transmit plant growth information without human intervention. The polymer sensors are resilient to humidity and temperature, can stretch over 400% while remaining attached to a plant as it grows and send a wireless signal to a remote monitoring location, said a chemical and biomolecular engineering professor.