Phys.org news
Phys.org / Although woodland salamanders have looked the same for millions of years, their physiology has evolved rapidly
For her doctoral dissertation, Yale's Nathalie Alomar decided to study a small amphibian that appeared to have eluded the forces of evolution. She found that there is more to its evolution than meets the eye.
Phys.org / Symbiotic partner-swapping or long-term fidelity? Partnership success between beetles and bacteria revealed
Some insects and microbes develop symbiotic partnerships that become so interdependent they can no longer survive without each other. But how specific are these heritable symbioses? Is it possible for the same species of ...
Phys.org / Unique instruments automate sample preparation, quality control for cryo-electron microscopy
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can help scientists determine the three-dimensional structure of proteins in unprecedented detail. Jacques Dubochet, former group leader at EMBL, shared the 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry ...
Phys.org / DNA loops reveal how immune cells build millions of antibodies from one genome
How does your body produce millions of antibodies from one genome? New research reveals how two closely related proteins help immune cells fold DNA, connecting distant genetic pieces to create diverse antibodies that help ...
Phys.org / Drug peptides defy shape rules, activating receptors without full spiral form
When many of us think about how drugs work in the body, we may first think about how a drug gets into the body, such as a pill versus an injection. In the Gellman Group at the UW–Madison Department of Chemistry, researchers ...
Phys.org / Our ovary blueprint is ancient, according to sea stars
At first glance, bat sea stars, the nubbly, orange, many-footed creatures often found on the seafloor, seem about as far from humans as one can get. Appearances can be deceiving, however. Scientists have found evidence showing ...
Phys.org / Real-time imaging reveals 'RNA hub' driving adaptive immune response
A lot of things need to go right on a molecular level for immune cells to launch an adaptive response to an infection. B cells can produce different classes of antibodies tailored for specific infections through controlled ...
Phys.org / Zebrafish and fruit flies share the same internal compass mechanism in a case of convergent evolution
Even in darkness, many animals retain a sense of orientation because their nervous system sustains a memory of heading encoded by the activity of head-direction (HD) cells. Animals continuously update this internal compass ...
Phys.org / Sawdust, cellulose binders and beeswax combine into eco-friendly foam
Polystyrene—common in packing peanuts and box inserts—is manufactured from fossil fuels. To develop a sustainable alternative, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Polymer Materials tested an unconventional starting material: ...
Phys.org / Horseshoe bats use echolocation to separate background echoes from those of fluttering prey
Many bat species emit echolocation calls and use the returning echoes to find their way, detect the presence of fluttering insects, and locate and catch them. A new study investigated this behavior in greater horseshoe bats ...
Phys.org / Contact lenses can repair themselves with just one hour of UV light exposure
Contact lenses are a great vision correction option for many, but if one of them gets damaged, there is little to do other than throw it away. A team reporting in ACS Applied Polymer Materials has a solution: special polymer ...
Phys.org / Honeybee metamorphosis map uncovers 842 active DNA switches that drive worker bee development
Researchers have identified "DNA switches" that become active as honeybee larvae grow into worker bees, offering new insight into the development of these important pollinators and the ecosystems they support.
