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Sea Cucumbers: Dissolving Coral Reefs?

By Guest PostDecember 27, 2011Environmentacidification, australia, biodiversity, caco3, calcium carbonate, carbon dioxide, coral reefs, digestive process, dissolution, dk13, ecosystem, emissions, erika woolsey, great barrier reef, jacob silverman, ken caldeira, kenneth schneider, maria byrne, marine environment, marine organisms, ocean acidification, one tree island, one tree reef, recycling of nutrients, reef environment, sea cucumbers, sea life

Washington, D.C. — Coral reefs are extremely diverse ecosystems that support enormous biodiversity. But they are at risk. Carbon dioxide emissions are acidifying the ocean, threatening reefs and other marine organisms. New research led by Carnegie’s Kenneth Schneider analyzed the role of sea cucumbers in portions of the Great Barrier Reef and determined that their dietary process of dissolving calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from the surrounding reef accounts for about half of at the total nighttime dissolution for the reef. The work is published December 23 by the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Reefs are formed through the biological deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Many of the marine organisms living on and around a reef contribute to either its destruction or construction. Therefore it is crucial that the amount of calcium carbonate remain in balance. When this delicate balance is disrupted, the reef ceases to grow and its foundations can be weakened. (more…)

Flipping an Egg Carton of Light Traps Giant Atoms

By Guest PostDecember 27, 2011Scienceoptical lattice, rydberg atoms, trapping efficiency, trapping rydberg atoms

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— In an egg carton of laser light, University of Michigan physicists can trap giant Rydberg atoms with up to 90 percent efficiency, an achievement that could advance quantum computing and terahertz imaging, among other applications. (more…)

CAD for RNA

By Guest PostDecember 27, 2011Scienceaptazyme, biodegradable plastics, biofuels, biological systems, cad, cad platforms, cad type models, cells, computer assisted design, control systems, darmawi juminaga, diabetes, e coli, escherichia coli bacterium, genetic circuits, genetic expression, james carothers, jay keasling, jbei, jonathan goler, lignocellulosic biomass, microbes, microbial fuel production, molecules, parkinson, petrochemicals, ribozyme, rna devices, rna functions, rna molecules, simulations, synberc, synthetic biology, tools, university of california

*Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Develop CAD-Type Tools for Engineering RNA Control Systems*

The computer assisted design (CAD) tools that made it possible to fabricate integrated circuits with millions of transistors may soon be coming to the biological sciences. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have developed CAD-type models and simulations for RNA molecules that make it possible to engineer biological components or “RNA devices” for controlling genetic expression in microbes. This holds enormous potential for microbial-based sustainable production of advanced biofuels, biodegradable plastics, therapeutic drugs and a host of other goods now derived from petrochemicals. (more…)

WISE Presents a Cosmic Wreath

By Guest PostDecember 26, 2011Sciencecosmic wreath, infrared survey, red cloud, wise

Just in time for the holidays, astronomers have come across a new image from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, that some say resembles a wreath. You might even think of the red dust cloud as a cheery red bow, and the bluish-white stars as silver bells. This star-forming nebula is named Barnard 3. Baby stars are being born throughout the dusty region, while the “silver bell” stars are located both in front of, and behind, the nebula. (more…)

Altered Gene Tracks RNA Editing in Neurons

By Guest PostDecember 26, 2011Sciencealtered gene, gene expression, rna editing, rna repair, tracking adar

RNA editing is a key step in gene expression. Scientists at Brown University report in Nature Methods that they have engineered a gene capable of visually displaying the activity of the key enzyme ADAR in living fruit flies.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — To track what they can’t see, pilots look to the green glow of the radar screen. Now biologists monitoring gene expression, individual variation, and disease have a glowing green indicator of their own: Brown University biologists have developed a “radar” for tracking ADAR, a crucial enzyme for editing RNA in the nervous system. (more…)

Study Shows Persistence Pays Off in The Mating Game

By Guest PostDecember 25, 2011Healthattractiveness, mating game, quick hook up, self deception, sexual encounter

AUSTIN, Texas — A new study co-authored by a University of Texas at Austin psychology professor suggests that self-deception may help men succeed in the mating game, while women will benefit more from effective communication. (more…)

New Dye Will Lead To More Efficient Solar Energy Technology

By Guest PostDecember 25, 20111 commentScienceahmed el shafei, cellular phones, dsscs, dye sensitized solar cells, dyes, electrolyte, energy from light, facades, free electrons, laptop computers, mp3 players, nanoporous semiconductors, ncsu 10, north carolina state university, sensitizer, skylights, solar cells, solar light, Technology, tio2, titanium dioxide, windows

A North Carolina State University invention has significant potential to improve the efficiency of solar cells and other technologies that derive energy from light.

Dr. Ahmed El-Shafei’s research group invented a new “sensitizer,” or dye, that harvests more ambient and solar light than any dyes currently on the market for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). (more…)

United States Ranks 20th in Holiday Spending

By Guest PostDecember 25, 2011Economydecember spending, gift giving, holiday spending

Americans typically spend $70 billion more in December than in November and January

Americans typically spend $70 billion more in December than in the average of November and January (the months around December). In a recent National Science Foundation-sponsored interview, Joel Waldfogel, the Carlson School’s Frederick R. Kappel Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota uses that increase to measure the amount of holiday gift-giving. This level of spending is lower than in other countries. “We’re about the 20th largest in terms of countries in the world,” said Waldfogel, referencing how much U.S. December spending increases. (more…)

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