Given that phages are able to destroy bacteria, they are of particular interest to science. Basic researchers are especially interested in the tube used by phages to implant their DNA into bacteria. They have now revealed the 3D structure of this crucial phage component in atomic resolution. With growing antibiotic resistance, phages have increasingly become…

By 2100, sea levels are expected to rise by almost seven feet in the Bay Area. New research shows how traditional approaches to combating sea-level rise can create a domino effect of environmental and economic impacts for nearby communities. Communities trying to fight sea-level rise could inadvertently make flooding worse for their neighbors, according to…

Scientists have found dramatic differences between gut microbiomes from ancient North American peoples and modern microbiomes, offering new evidence on how these microbes may evolve with different diets. The scientists analyzed microbial DNA found in indigenous human paleofeces (desiccated excrement) from unusually dry caves in Utah and northern Mexico with extremely high levels of genomic…

Researchers say that our framework for classifying coral species needs to be expanded to capture ecological diversity and protect reef environments after discovering surprising differences between cryptic coral species. «We know we are greatly underestimating the true number of coral species because of this hidden diversity,» says lead author and Academy Curator Pim Bongaerts. «In…

The team believes that evacuation efforts and media coverage of local wildfires may have helped protect residents from adverse health effects of smoke exposure as well as direct impacts of the fires. Researchers at Colorado State University, curious about the health effects from smoke from large wildfires across the Western United States, analyzed six years…

Volcanic ash shuts down air traffic and can sicken people. But a new study suggests that it may also be more important for Earth’s climate than scientists once thought. A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that such volcanic ash may also have a larger influence on the planet’s climate than…

Biologists found hundreds of virus species traveling on pollen grains. The results carry lessons for agriculture and even backyard beekeepers. In the first study to take a broad look at virus hitchhikers on pollen grains, Pitt biologists show that a variety of viruses travel on pollen — especially in areas close to agriculture and human…

Studying a species of beetle mite, an international research team has demonstrated for the first time that animals can survive over very long periods of time (possibly millions of years) entirely without sex. So far, scientists have seen the great evolutionary advantage of sexual reproduction in the genetic diversity produced in offspring by the encounter…

Geologists gain new insights regarding the Earth’s composition by analyzing meteorites. They conclude that the building blocks that brought volatile elements to Earth have a chemical composition similar to that of primitive carbonaceous chondrites. The study focuses on the distribution and origin of so-called volatile elements such as zinc, lead and sulphur, which have low…

Bumblebees waste no time enjoying the beauty of flowers — instead learning the bare minimum about where to land and find food, new research shows. A team led by the University of Exeter presented bees with artificial flowers — circles of blue or yellow, or half and half, with sugar solution in the centre. The…