Ecologists Say Metabolism Accounts For Why Natural Selection Favors Only Some Species:
Why are some species of plants and animals favored by natural selection? And why does natural selection not favor other species similarly? According to a UC Riverside-led research team, the answer lies in the rate of metabolism of a species - how fast a species consumes energy, per unit mass, per unit time.
Genes That Prevent Changes In Physical Traits Due To Environmental Changes Identified:
New York University biologists have identified genes that prevent physical traits from being affected by environmental changes. The research, which studied the genetic makeup of baker's yeast, appears in the latest issue of the Public Library of Science's journal, PloS Biology.
'Junk' DNA Proves Functional; Helps Explain Human Differences From Other Species:
In a paper published in Genome Research on Nov. 4, scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) report that what was previously believed to be "junk" DNA is one of the important ingredients distinguishing humans from other species.
Dried Mushrooms Slow Climate Warming In Northern Forests:
The fight against climate warming has an unexpected ally in mushrooms growing in dry spruce forests covering Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia and other northern regions, a new UC Irvine study finds.
The universe is full of water, mostly in the form of very cold ice films deposited on interstellar dust particles, but until recently little was known about the detailed small scale structure. Now the latest quick freezing techniques coupled with sophisticated scanning electron microscopy techniques, are allowing physicists to create ice films in cold conditions similar to outer space and observe the detailed molecular organisation, yielding clues to fundamental questions including possibly the origin of life.
New Type Of Diesel Fuel Found In Patagonia Fungus:
A team led by a Montana State University professor has found a fungus that produces a new type of diesel fuel, which they say holds great promise. Calling the fungus' output "myco-diesel," Gary Strobel and his collaborators describe their initial observations in the November issue of Microbiology.
Life Science
