Lava tubes contain unknown “microbial dark matter”
Researchers discovered lava tubes on Mauna Loa containing previously unknown microorganisms with metabolisms and communities that could…
Category: Biology
This ant queen gives birth to a different species
Researchers found that the queen of one ant species can produce both her own species and another by cloning the males of the other species…
How molecules copy themselves with fewer errors
Researchers found a new way molecules self-replicate with fewer errors, by selecting similar ingredients. This “selective binding”…
Do microbes prefer biodegradable plastic?
Researchers found that microbes living on biodegradable plastics have more genes for plastic degradation than those living on traditional…
3D-printed spinal cord organoids aid spinal recovery in rats
Scientists grew miniature spinal cords from stem cells and implanted them into rats with spinal cord injuries. The cells formed functional…
Could cells form in Venus’s clouds?
Astrobiologists demonstrated that cell membrane structures can form in high concentrations of sulfuric acid similar to the clouds of Venus.
Poor sleep can cause illness
New research examining sleep data suggests poor sleep in terms of length, depth, and waking in the night is associated with illnesses like…
Can 300-year-old Antarctic microbes help us understand climate change?
Researchers demonstrated that microbial DNA from a 300-year-old ice core can help track how microbes respond to global change.
Cancer cells exploit an immune protein to evade treatment
Scientists tested several immunotherapy-resistant tumors and found that an evolutionary change in an immune protein makes humans more…
Hot spring rocks could help find life on Mars
NASA researchers found that the shape of rocks near hot springs influences the preservation of chemical fossils that could be detectable on…