Fabulous Fat: Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Combat Malnutrition
Malnutrition affects hundreds of millions of children around the world. Scientists think lipid-based nutrient supplements might help.
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Spinach and Siderophores: The Bacterial Battle for Iron
Human cells need iron, and so does bacteria. Bacteria make siderophores, scavenger molecules that leave the cell to poach iron from hosts.
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Amazonian Frog Uses Mimicry to Ward Off Ants
Amazonian frogs prevent ant attacks by releasing chemicals mimicking those of leaf-cutter ants.
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Life Cycle of a Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
The pipevine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor, is a relatively small black swallowtail with gorgeous, iridescent blue scaling.
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Pathogenic Triggers of Bacterial DNA Discovered
By Shayna Keyles @shaynakeyles Bacteria, those mysterious, microscopic creatures living in, on, and around us, are very often our benign neighbors with whom we quietly cohabitate and occasionally exchange mutual support. However, as anyone who has ever gotten pneumonia or strep throat knows, bacteria are not always looking out for our best interests. Occasionally, bacteria become pathogenic and infect their hosts, and if we are their hosts, we get sick. In a groundbreaking study published on July 29 in Science Access, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory uncovered the molecular…
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Bumblebee Hairs Detect Floral Electric Fields
It is well known that bees dance to tell each other where to find the best flowers, but have you ever wondered how bees find the flowers in the first place? A new study suggests that each bumblebee has tiny hairs that vibrate in response to electrical signals transmitted by flowers. It’s been known for a while that flowers communicate with pollinators, such as bumblebees, by sending out electric signals. However, scientists have been wondering how the bees detect those floral messages. The Hair of the Bumblebee Researchers at the University…
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Ivy League Climber
By Mark Lasbury, MS, MSEd, PhD @Biologuy1 Wrigley Field is the venerable 1914 baseball stadium on Chicago’s north side. One of its most characteristic features is the ivy-covered outfield wall that occasionally swallows a hit ball, never to be seen again—a ground rule double. [tweetthis twitter_handles=”@Biologuy1″]Does ivy stick to a wall or grab it, and will it destroy the wall?[/tweetthis] The vines on the outfield wall at Wrigley Field are actually Boston ivy and Japanese bittersweet. English Ivy would have a tough time with Chicago winters, just like everyone else.…
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Why Do We Laugh?
Laugh hard, laugh often. Why do we do it? Laughing is a universal human behavior that transcends language and culture, but why? VIDEO
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What Is a Biobank?
What is a biobank? And why do scientists collect human tissue for research? Dr. Cathy Seiler, who manages a biobank, explains.
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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: A Dynamic View of Life
By Florian Celli Florian Celli is a PhD student of biophysics in the Center for Atomic Energy (CEA of Saclay) and the Synchrotron SOLEIL in Paris. He uses nuclear magnetic resonance to study protein dynamics in order to understand their biological role. He co-writes 2 Steps From Science, a website of general science in French and English for students and science fans. Follow on Twitter and Facebook. I am going to talk about architecture, but I am not an architect. I am going to talk about movement, but I am not a dancer. As a…
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