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ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| Why sugary drink taxes aren’t effective -- and how to change that Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:04 PM PDT Several U.S. cities have instituted taxes on drinks with added sugar in order to reduce consumption, but new research suggests these policies currently have one fatal flaw. The study found that sugary drink taxes only reduce purchasing if price tags at stores mention that consumers are paying that tax when they buy the drink. |
| Impaired wild mice survive and thrive as well as unimpaired counterparts Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:04 PM PDT A new study assessed 26 years of monitoring data on wild populations of white-footed mice -- representing more than 27,244 animals -- and found that mice with missing or deformed limbs, tails, or eyes persisted at a rate similar to their unimpaired counterparts. |
| It takes cellular teamwork to heal the intestine Posted: 03 Nov 2021 03:12 PM PDT A meticulous single-cell analytical approach to study the repair process of rotavirus-caused injury in an animal model revealed that the damaged epithelium contains a variety of cell types involved in repairing it through broad coordinated responses that ultimately heal the damaged tissue. |
| History of insect invasions offer insight into the future Posted: 03 Nov 2021 12:51 PM PDT Results from a recently published study suggest that efforts to reduce biological hitchhiking on live plant imports, often referred to as 'biosecurity,' are working. However, more than a century of invasion by Hemiptera insects also suggests that increased trade might offset the effects of improved biosecurity. As many as 25 percent of invading Hemiptera insects may have yet to be detected in the nation's forests and agricultural fields. |
| Mapping annual wildfire probabilities across California Posted: 03 Nov 2021 12:08 PM PDT Researchers have uncovered new insights into the dynamics that underlie the probabilities of wildfire across the state of California. |
| A quick, high-yield synthesis of molnupiravir, an investigational COVID antiviral pill Posted: 03 Nov 2021 11:01 AM PDT Molnupiravir is an investigational oral antiviral being developed for the treatment of COVID-19, and has been submitted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Researchers now report that they have engineered enzymes to help manufacture the pill, resulting in a much shorter and higher-yielding synthesis than current methods. |
| Color-changing indicator predicts algal blooms Posted: 03 Nov 2021 11:01 AM PDT Murky green algal blooms are more than a major eyesore; they reveal that a body of water could be unsafe for swimming or drinking. Currently, however, there isn't an effective warning system for impending blooms. Now, researchers report an indicator that changes color when exposed to rising levels of alkaline phosphatase -- an enzyme that forecasts phytoplankton's exponential growth. This change can be detected by the naked eye or a smartphone. |
| A natural CO2-sink thanks to symbiotic bacteria Posted: 03 Nov 2021 11:01 AM PDT Seagrasses cover large swathes of shallow coastal seas, where they provide a vital habitat. They also remove large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it in the ecosystem. However, seagrasses need nutrients to thrive, particularly nitrogen. Up to now, researchers have assumed that the plants take up the nitrogen primarily from the surrounding seawater and sediment. However, in many of the regions where seagrasses are most successful there is little nitrogen to be found. Researchers now show that seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea lives in symbiosis with bacteria that reside in their roots and provide the nitrogen necessary for growth. Such symbioses were previously only known from land plants. |
| Whales are more important ecosystems engineers than previously thought Posted: 03 Nov 2021 11:01 AM PDT Research on whale feeding highlights how the precipitous decline of large marine mammals has negatively impacted the health and productivity of ocean ecosystems. |
| Spiny mice regenerate damaged kidneys without scarring Posted: 03 Nov 2021 08:54 AM PDT Spiny mice are known for their ability to heal severe skin wounds without so much as a scar. Now, researchers have discovered that they also can regenerate severely damaged internal organs that, in other mice, would lead to fatal organ failure. The findings in spiny mice are the first to show kidney regeneration in an adult mammal. |
| Hand washing and sanitizing not enough: Close that toilet lid after flushing! Posted: 03 Nov 2021 08:54 AM PDT Leaving toilet lids open after flushing can disperse contaminated droplets beyond a metre and remain in the air for 30 minutes. This is one of the findings revealed in a global review of the risks of bacterial and viral transmission in public bathrooms. |
| Worldwide distribution, drivers and trends of sudden droughts Posted: 03 Nov 2021 07:50 AM PDT You may know the risks associated with flash floods, but what about flash droughts? Flash droughts are described as rapidly developing, unexpected periods of drought that can cause severe impacts to agricultural and ecological systems and cause ripple effects that extend even further. |
| New software predicts the movements of large land animals Posted: 03 Nov 2021 07:50 AM PDT New software helps determine the movements of large wild animals thereby minimizing conflicts with people. The software is simpler than measurements obtained using radio transmitters and can be used where conventional methods fail. |
| Using microbes to make carbon-neutral fuel Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:26 AM PDT A team of biologists and engineers modified a microbe so that it can produce a biofuel using only three renewable and naturally abundant source ingredients: carbon dioxide, solar panel-generated electricity and light. The resulting biofuel, n-butanol, is an authentically carbon-neutral fuel alternative that can be used in blends with diesel or gasoline. |
| Harnessing Thor’s Hammer: How forensic science is unlocking the mysteries of fatal lightning strikes Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:26 AM PDT New research could help forensic teams understand whether people or animals were the victims of fatal lightning strikes, based solely upon an analysis of their skeletons. |
| Test determines antibiotic resistance in less than 90 minutes Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:26 AM PDT A technique that measures the metabolic activity of bacteria with an electric probe can identify antibiotic resistance in less than 90 minutes, a dramatic improvement from the one to two days required by current techniques. |
| Hungry caterpillars an underappreciated driver of carbon emissions Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:26 AM PDT A study has found that periodic mass outbreaks of leaf-munching caterpillars can improve the water quality of nearby lakes - but may also increase the lakes' carbon dioxide emissions. |
| Three ways to reduce the carbon footprint of food purchased by US households Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:26 AM PDT Most consumers want to make food purchases that are smart for their wallets, their health and the environment. And while switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet can lower one's impact on greenhouse gas emissions, it may not be realistic or healthful for everyone. Now, researchers report three ways that Americans can reduce the carbon footprint of their food purchases, without requiring drastic dietary changes. |
| Social motivation in voles differs by species and sex Posted: 02 Nov 2021 11:07 AM PDT Being with friends and family may be a positive experience for some voles but it is merely tolerable to others, suggests a new study. |
| A commonly found parasite could treat certain types of cancer, say scientists Posted: 02 Nov 2021 11:06 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that a deadly parasite, known to cause ill health in pregnant women and immunocompromised patients, could potentially be used to treat various types of tumors. |
| Movement of plankton between tropical marine ecosystems drives 'sweet spots' for fishing Posted: 02 Nov 2021 11:06 AM PDT A new analysis suggests that the movement of plankton and plankton-eating fish play a central role in driving local spikes of extreme biological productivity in tropical coral reefs, creating 'sweet spots' of abundant fish. |
| C4 bioenergy grass: Working towards higher productivity under fluctuating light Posted: 02 Nov 2021 09:54 AM PDT Biologists evaluated limitations to photosynthetic efficiency of bioenergy grass species during fluctuating light. |
| Cellular quality-control system identified as a culprit in coronavirus infection Posted: 01 Nov 2021 02:11 PM PDT The unfolded protein response plays a key role in how Middle East Respiratory Syndrome damages the lungs. MERS is much less common but much lethal than COVID-19, which is also caused by a coronavirus. |
| Sperm switch swimming patterns to locate egg Posted: 01 Nov 2021 11:17 AM PDT A new study reveals how sperm change their swimming patterns to navigate to the egg, shifting from a symmetrical motion that moves the sperm in a straight path to an asymmetrical one that promotes more circular swimming. |
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