Improving Photosynthesis in Crops To Boost Yields
In order to feed a projected 9 billion people by 2050, farmers need to grow 50% more food on a limited amount of arable land….
Cyanobacteria
Microbiologists Modify Bacteria to Produce Climate-Neutral and Rapidly Degradable Bioplastics
Cyanobacteria Could Revolutionize the Plastic Industry Microbiologists at the University of Tübingen modify bacteria to produce climate-neutral and rapidly degradable bioplastics. Cyanobacteria produce plastic naturally…
Scientists Solve Structure Enabling Cyanobacteria to Convert Weak Sunlight Into Usable Energy
Scientists have determined the structure of the protein complex that gives cyanobacteria their unique ability to convert weak, filtered sunlight into usable energy. Their findings…
Scientists Copy Nature’s Tricks to Sustainably Make Chemicals and Fuel
Researchers have copied the way organisms produce toxic chemicals without harming themselves, paving the way for greener chemical and fuel production. The new technique, pioneered…
In Search for Alien Life, Scientists Develop New Method to Detect Oxygen on Exoplanets
New Technique Could Speed Search for Life in Outer Space Scientists have developed a new method for detecting oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres that may accelerate…
Revealing the Structure of Bacterial Hitchhikers on Plastic Trash in the Ocean
Millions of tons of plastic trash are fouling the world’s ocean, most of it tiny pieces of microplastic less than a quarter-inch in size. Even…
300-Million-Year-Old Atmospheric Dust Analyzed by Geoscientists – Here’s What They Found
University of Oklahoma geoscientists document the role of atmospheric dust on marine ecosystems 300 million years ago. Dust plays a crucial role in the life…
Swirling Green Algae Blooms in Baltic Sea Viewed From Space [Video]
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over the green algae blooms swirling around the Baltic Sea. ‘Algae bloom’ is the term used to describe the…
Study Finds One Cause for Several Mysteries Linked to Breathable Oxygen 2.5 Billion Years Ago
Breathing? Thank Volcanoes, Tectonics and Bacteria Earth’s breathable atmosphere is key for life, and a new study suggests that the first burst of oxygen was…
When Reefs Die, Parrotfish Thrive, Paving the Way for Coral Regrowth
Researchers find familiar species pave the way for coral regrowth. In contrast to most other species, reef-dwelling parrotfish populations boom in the wake of severe…
Lichens Are Way Younger Than Scientists Thought – Likely Evolved Millions of Years After Plants
You’ve probably seen a lichen, even if you didn’t realize it. If you’ve ever meandered through the forest and wondered what the crusty stuff on…
Elusive Photosynthesis Details Unlocked With Rapid X-Ray Pulses
The ability to transform sunlight into energy is one of nature’s more remarkable feats. Scientists understand the basic process of photosynthesis, but many crucial details…
Researcher Devises Fantastic Plan to Colonize Space With Microbes First
Any permanent human space settlement will require beneficial microbes. With the recent celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo program’s first landing of humans…
Microbial Continental Ecosystems Helped Seed Ancient Seas
Like our oceans, today’s continents are brimming with life. Yet billions of years ago, before the advent of plants, continents would have appeared barren. These…
Scientists Discover a New Type of Photosynthesis
The discovery changes our understanding of the basic mechanism of photosynthesis and should rewrite the textbooks. It will also tailor the way we hunt for…
How Genetic Diversity Helps Protect Against Disease
So much for survival of the fittest – diversity is the key: a team of researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries…
New Experiment Recreates Prehistoric Ocean Conditions
A new experiment by Elizabeth Swanner evaluating the reduction of iron in prehistoric oceans may reinterpret the conditions under which iron-rich sedimentary rock is formed….
Photosynthesis Began a Billion Years Earlier Than Originally Believed
Ancient microbes may have been producing oxygen through photosynthesis a billion years earlier than we thought, which means oxygen was available for living organisms very…