| Tiny 'vampires': Paleobiologist finds evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems Posted: 25 May 2016 01:13 PM PDT A paleobiologist has found evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems dating back more than 740 million years. Using a scanning electron microscope to examine minute fossils, Porter found perfectly circular drill holes that may have been formed by an ancient relation of Vampyrellidae amoebae. These single-celled creatures perforate the walls of their prey and reach inside to consume its cell contents. |
| Why fruit fly sperm are giant Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT The fruit fly Drosophila bifurca is only a few millimeters in size but produces almost six centimeters long sperm. Researchers provide the first explanation for the evolution of such giant sperm. Larger sperm are able to displace their smaller competitors from the female reproductive tract -- a competitive advantage in fertilizing the eggs. Female promiscuity increases the fertilization success by larger males, which can produce more of the longer sperm. |
| Supermassive black holes in 'red geyser' galaxies cause galactic warming Posted: 25 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Scientists are solving one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in galaxy evolution. Scientists have uncovered a new class of galaxies, called "red geysers," with supermassive black hole winds so hot and energetic that stars can't form. Over the last few billion years, a mysterious kind of "galactic warming" has caused many galaxies to change from a lively place where new stars formed every now and then to a quiet place devoid of fresh young stars. But the mechanism that produces this dramatic transformation and keeps galaxies quiet has been one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in galaxy evolution. |
| Is aging inevitable? Not necessarily for sea urchins Posted: 25 May 2016 10:25 AM PDT Scientists are studying the regenerative capacity of sea urchins in hopes that a deeper understanding of the process of regeneration, which governs the regeneration of aging tissues as well as lost or damaged body parts, will lead to a deeper understanding of the aging process in humans, with whom sea urchins share a close genetic relationship. |
| New concept turns battery technology upside-down Posted: 25 May 2016 09:28 AM PDT A new approach to the design of a liquid battery, using a passive, gravity-fed arrangement similar to an old-fashioned hourglass, could offer great advantages due to the system's low cost and the simplicity of its design and operation, says a team of researchers who have made a demonstration version of the new battery. |
| No dessert for you! When it comes to diabetes, 'nagging is caring' Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT For men, an unhappy marriage may actually slow the development of diabetes and promote successful treatment once they do get the disease, finds an American study. |
| Monitoring sun exposure with a portable paper sensor Posted: 25 May 2016 09:11 AM PDT Summer is around the corner -- time for cookouts and sunbathing. But too much sun can result in sunburn, which is the main cause of skin cancer. Because the time it takes to get burned depends on many factors, it is not easy to tell when to seek shade. To help people stay safe, researchers report the development of a paper-based sensor for monitoring sun exposure given different skin tones and sunscreen levels. |
| Self-driving truck acts like an animal Posted: 25 May 2016 05:45 AM PDT Researchers are finding inspiration in evolution's biological counterparts in the development of a driverless truck. The first public demonstration of the vehicle will take place on a Dutch motorway on 28 May. |
| Transplanting healthy stool might be an answer to ulcerative colitis Posted: 23 May 2016 01:04 PM PDT Fecal microbiota transplantation -- a treatment currently used to address recurring Clostridium difficile infection -- is also an effective approach to helping individuals who suffer from ulcerative colitis, according to a new study. |
