Новости за 14.09.2021

In their roughly 3.5 billion years on Earth, bacteria have fine-tuned the art of colonizing all kinds of habitats, from the inner lining of digestive tracts to the blistering hot waters of geysers. But in their quest for world domination, bacteria face a critical snag when moving across diverse environments—preserving their navigational apparatus.

A computer software package widely used in the Midwest to strategically position riparian buffers and other structures aimed at protecting water quality on agricultural land can be used effectively in the eastern United States, with some limitations, Penn State researchers report in a new study.

In future, agricultural crop production will have to manage with less and less nitrogen fertilization. The goal must therefore be to increase nitrogen use efficiency so that yield levels can be kept stable. Plants respond to mild nitrogen deficiency by elongating their lateral roots. In this way, more nitrogen can be absorbed than before. Researchers at the IPK Leibniz Institute have now discovered a hormonal regulatory module that mediates the molecular processes of this adaptation. Brassinosteroids and auxins play a central role in this. Читать дальше...

The government of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous Danish territory, faced an outcry on Tuesday over the culling of more than 1,400 white-sided dolphins in a day in what was said to be the single biggest hunt in the northern archipelago.

A Russian Soyuz rocket has blasted into space carrying 34 new satellites from British operator Oneweb, which aims to provide broadband internet everywhere in the world.

The health and diversity of Australian ecosystems are in decline. The environment is under mounting pressure from land clearing, altered fire regimes and invasive species. Australian ecosystems are also extremely vulnerable to climate impacts with extreme temperatures and fires expected to become more frequent and more severe.

Global light pollution has increased by at least 49% over 25 years, new research shows.

The natural world served as the inspiration for the Ohio State University scientists whose microscope images were announced Monday (Sept. 13) among the top 20 winners in the 2021 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.

Chronic infected wounds are often highly problematic for diabetic patients. However, a team of Chinese researchers has now developed a targeted approach to wound healing that makes use of nanomedicine, and their research has been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. The researchers were able to deactivate wound-infecting bacteria using a solution of nanocapsules that alter the wound environment and unleash reactive oxygen species.

Magnets formed from a single molecule are of particular interest in data storage, since the ability to store a bit on every molecule could vastly increase the storage capacity of computers. Researchers have now developed a new molecular system with a particular magnetic hardness. The ingredients in this special recipe are rare earth metals and an unusual nitrogen-based molecular bridge, as shown in the study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Predicting where anthropogenic debris accumulates in aquatic ecosystems is necessary for its control and environmental remediation, but plastic and fiber pollution in lakes is not well studied. A study published in PLOS Biology by Andrew Tanentzap at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom and colleagues suggests that microparticle concentrations in lakes are higher than previously reported, and that human activity and surrounding land use may be a strong predictor of microplastics and anthropogenic fiber pollution.

An unplanned discovery could lead to future pivotal discoveries in batteries, fuel cells, devices for converting heat to electricity and more.

At a time when many municipalities are seeking to control urban stormwater by investing heavily in green infrastructure—such as water-quality ponds, infiltration basins, porous pavement and riparian plantings—a new study suggests that these expensive efforts may not have much of an impact.

A new report on the value and vulnerability of juvenile salmon habitat in northern BC's Skeena River reveals how climate change and development are critically impacting the region—and provides a historical assessment to help inform the region's future planning. Collaborators from the Lax Kw'alaams Fisheries Program, the Skeena Fisheries Commission and Simon Fraser University say proactive stewardship will be key.

An international collaboration has identified what may be the oldest work of art, a sequence of hand and footprints discovered on the Tibetan Plateau. The prints date back to the middle of the Pleistocene era, between 169,000 and 226,000 years ago – three to four times older than the famed cave paintings in Indonesia, France and Spain.

The green crab, Carcinus maenas, is considered a globally distributed invasive species, an organism introduced by humans that eventually becomes overpopulated, with increased potential to negatively alter its new environment. Traditionally, it's been assumed that successful populations contain high genetic diversity, or a variety of characteristics allowing them to adapt and thrive. On the contrary, the green crab—like many successful invasive populations—has low genetic diversity, while still spreading rapidly in a new part of the world.

All cells need ribosomes to make the proteins necessary for life. These multi-component molecular machines build complex proteins by stitching building blocks together according to instructions encoded in the cell's messenger RNAs. But ribosomes are themselves composed of small and large subunits, each of which is made up of ribosomal proteins and RNA. Before they can manufacture proteins, these subunits must be manufactured themselves.

Lettuce drop is a lettuce disease that results in browning or wilting of leaves, plant collapse, and death. The disease has not been well-researched, but a new study shows that a stronger stem increases resistance to lettuce drop.

Studying the role genes play on basic biology and disease is now easier, faster and more efficient, say researchers at Baylor College of Medicine. They have developed a drug-based genetic platform that enables scientists to track genetic manipulations in the laboratory fruit fly without having to screen thousands of individual flies.

In a new paper, a group of leading researchers and policy experts argue that improving and enriching existing policy analysis methods – including costs and benefits among multiple other factors such as uncertainty, resilience and a better understanding of innovation – would lead to better decisions.

Flared or skinny, distressed or acid-washed—we all love our blue jeans. But those coveted pieces of denim are wreaking havoc on the environment.

A new study provides exciting insights into the life of marine viruses in the North Sea during the spring bloom. Off the offshore island of Helgoland, researchers led by Nina Bartlau from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology found a dynamic viral community that can strongly influence the mortality of North Sea bacteria and thereby the carbon cycle of this habitat. They also discovered and isolated numerous new virus species.

Phononic crystals are an innovative resonant platform for sensing and understanding the volumetric properties of liquids, attracting a growing interest from researchers.

African countries must put climate change at the heart of post-pandemic recovery efforts, a report by advocacy and environmental groups said Tuesday, adding green policy investment would boost the economy and society.

Since the spread of virus causing COVID-19 continues, experts recommended wearing homemade facemasks when surgical or N95 masks are not available to prevent the spread of the pandemic. While such makeshift masks are more economical and accessible in low-capita countries, the effectiveness of cloth masks has not been studied in depth.