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Deep Biosphere Harbors Active, Growing Communities of Microorganisms

By Guest PostJuly 9, 2013Environmentamino acids, archaea, bacteria, bill orsi, biochemical mechanisms, carbon, cell, cell populations, data analysis, deep biosphere, ecologist, ecosystem, fungi, glenn christman, global biogeochemical cycles, messenger rna, metatranscriptome, microorganisms, model, molecule atp, mrna, nitrogen cycling, ocean drilling program, sulfate reduction, ud, university of delaware, virginia edgcomb, whoi

The deep biosphere—the realm of sediments far below the seafloor—harbors a vast ecosystem of bacteria, archaea, and fungi that are actively metabolizing, proliferating, and moving, according a new study by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the University of Delaware (UD).

“This is the first molecular evidence for active cell division in the deep biosphere,” says WHOI postdoctoral investigator Bill Orsi, who was the lead author on the study. Previous studies and models had suggested cells were alive, but whether the cells were actually dividing or not had remained elusive. (more…)

Star with flare

By Guest PostJune 18, 2013Scienceamerican astronomical society, astronomer, behavior of sun, data, earth, habitable planets, john gizis, jupiter, kepler telescope, l dwarf, light years, magnetic fields, NASA, nasa grant, search for, star with flare, university of delaware

NASA telescope provides insights into unusual dwarf star

Astronomer John Gizis of the University of Delaware, working with data obtained by NASA’s Kepler telescope, is studying a highly unusual dwarf star and its powerful flares that may hold clues to the likelihood of life on other planets as well as to the behavior of our sun.

Gizis, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, discovered the star two years ago using a ground-based telescope and now has conducted additional research using Kepler observations over the past two years. (more…)

Life underground

By Guest PostJune 14, 2013Environmentactive bacteria, beneath, bioinformatician, carbon, deep biosphere, ecosystem, Environment, fungi, genetic material, heavy pressure, jennifer biddle, life underground, messenger rna, metatranscriptome, microbes, microscopic organisms, million year old, mrna, nucleus containing cells, nutrient sources, ocean, ocean drilling program, oxygen, seafloor, sediment, teresa messmore, university of delaware, virginia edgcomb, volcano, whoi, william orsi

Active microbes discovered far beneath seafloor in ancient ocean sediment

Microbes are living more than 500 feet beneath the seafloor in 5 million-year-old sediment, according to new findings by researchers at the University of Delaware and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Genetic material in mud from the bottom of the ocean — called the deep biosphere —revealed an ecosystem of active bacteria, fungi and other microscopic organisms at depths deeper than a skyscraper is high. The findings were published in Nature on June 12. (more…)

Diamond in the rough

By Guest PostMay 28, 2013Scienceatoms, chaoying ni, conductivity for oxygen, conductor of oxygen, costume jewelry, cubic zirconia, Diamond, electrolyte, joshua hertz, jun jiang, oxide fuel cells, university of delaware, weida shen, xiaocao hu, yttria stabilized zirconia

UD researchers manipulate cubic zirconia to improve conductivity in fuel cells

Cubic zirconia has long been favored for its use in costume jewelry.

Known scientifically as yttria-stabilized zirconia, it is also a known conductor of oxygen, making it useful as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells.

Researchers at the University of Delaware recently fabricated the material into very thin films on the surface of sapphire crystals using a technique called sputtering to determine whether the conductivity for oxygen could be improved, enabling solid oxide fuel cells to become a more economical and efficient electrical power source. (more…)

Brick by brick

By Guest PostMay 17, 2013General, Sciencebionicles toy, blue hen, blue ocean, brick by brick, bruce weber, carpenter, chaplin tyler, China, copenhagen, danish toy company, darwin award winner, david robertson, Europe, evolution, Germany, godtfred, greek tragedy, guinness world record, harry potter, innovation, innovation matrix, leg godt, lego, lego education centers, lego like toys, lego story, legoland theme park, milan, newark campus, North America, ole kirk christiansen, plastic bricks, plastic toy production, rebuilding lego, red clay students, ryan maguire, san francisco, star wars, the uk, tokyo, toy, toys, university of delaware, university of pennsylvania, US, video games, wharton school, wild west

Professor, author Robertson discusses innovation evolution at Lego

When you hear Lego, if all you think about are shiny, plastic bricks and toys, think again. From a toy concept brought to life by a carpenter to tales of failed innovation truths that mirrored a Greek tragedy, the Lego story is about innovation and evolution, David Robertson told attendees at last week’s Chaplin Tyler Executive Leadership series lecture.

Robertson, professor of practice at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, presented “Rebuilding Lego” to 80 students, faculty, staff and community members on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus. (more…)

Sturgeon search

By Guest PostMay 11, 2013Scienceatlantic sturgeon, chlorophyll levels, danielle haulsee, delaware bay, delaware river, delaware state university, Europe, maracoos, matt breece, matthew oliver, megan cimino, mid atlantic coast, ocean currents, ocean temperature, oceanographic, otis, otis glider, overfishing, satellite data, shark locations, sturgeon near chincoteague, telemetry identification sensor, tiger sharks, torpedo shaped robot, university of delaware

Scientists use satellites, underwater robot to study Atlantic sturgeon migrations

More than a century ago, an estimated 180,000 female Atlantic sturgeon arrived from the coast in the spring to spawn in the Delaware River and fishermen sought their caviar as a lucrative export to Europe. Overfishing contributed to steep population declines, however, and today numbers have dwindled to fewer than 300 adults.

Researchers at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University are using satellites, acoustic transmitters, an underwater robot and historical records to pinpoint the ocean conditions that the fish prefer during migrations — and potentially help fishermen avoid spots where they might unintentionally catch this endangered species. (more…)

Monitoring concrete

By Guest PostMay 4, 2013Sciencealkali silica reaction, asr, asr affected concrete, asr damage, chemical, concrete, construction material, cracking, deldot, DNA, dry environments, Environment, environmental engineering, environmental stressors, harsh environment, internal chemical reactions, julie maresca, kinds of microbes, microbiology, monitoring concrete, non destructive methodology, nutrient requirements, ph, physical stresses, potassium, project, salt concentrations, silica minerals, sodium, temperature fluctuations, thomas schumacher, university of delaware

UD professors study microbes as potential biomarkers for damaged concrete

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. However, many concrete roadways and bridges crack due to internal chemical reactions, temperature fluctuations or external chemical and physical stresses.

One internal chemical reaction is the Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) that destroys the concrete from within. (more…)

Mapping American life

By Guest PostApril 28, 2013Culture18th century studies, american experience, book prize, county lines magazine, early american culture, early american fascination, handkerchiefs, jigsaw puzzles, louis gottschalk, mapping american life, martin brueckner, university of delaware, winterthur museum

Winterthur exhibit showcases UD professor’s research on maps and culture

A new exhibit at Winterthur Museum highlights the research conducted by University of Delaware faculty member Martin Brückner, focusing on the important part that maps played in everyday American life from the 1750s to the 1870s.

“Common Destinations: Maps in the American Experience” opened Saturday, April 20, and will run through Jan. 5. Brückner, associate professor of English and of material culture studies at UD, was exploring what seemed to be an early American fascination with maps when he discovered that Winterthur’s collections included numerous examples of maps being used in daily life. He developed the idea for an exhibition from that discovery and his additional research. (more…)

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