The first ecosystem with only a single biological species has been discovered and its genome analyzed by a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary team. Living 2.8 km beneath the surface of the earth in the Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, the rod-shaped bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator exists in complete isolation, total darkness, a lack of oxygen, [...]
About two-thirds of children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) — snoring or obstructive sleep apnea — have some degree of cognitive deficit, but the severity of the cognitive deficit has been notoriously difficult to correlate to the severity of the SDB, suggesting that other important issues may be at play, or that the right factors were [...]
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As the southern pine beetle moves through the forest boring tunnels inside the bark of trees, it brings with it both a helper and a competitor. The helper is a fungus that the insect plants inside the tunnels as food for its young. But also riding along is a tiny, hitchhiking mite, which likewise carries [...]
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Several new studies highlight the safety and efficacy of probiotics in improving symptoms and normalizing bowel movement frequency in patients suffering from constipation or diarrhea related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
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Researchers have developed a technique for measuring a key thermal property of fire-resistive materials at high temperatures. The measurement technique has already been adopted commercially and incorporated into a national standard.
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New research argues in favor of a “sick earth” mechanism for most extinctions, rather than external event like an asteroid strike.
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With gasoline at high prices, it’s disheartening to know that up to three-quarters of the potential energy you are paying for is wasted. Now researchers have identified a promising new material that could transform a technology that currently cools and heats car seats — thermoelectrics — into one that also efficiently converts waste heat into [...]
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Fatty foods may not be the healthiest diet choice, but those rich in unsaturated fats — such as avocados, nuts and olive oil — have been found to play a pivotal role in sending this important message to your brain: stop eating, you’re full.
A report scheduled to be published this week in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that maintaining the proper balance of herbivorous fishes may be critical to restoring coral reefs, which are declining dramatically worldwide.
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Two new studies highlight new technologies with the potential to improve the detection of colorectal polyps and flat lesions during colonoscopy.
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