Life Sciences and Chemistry

The oily stains accompanying the yellowish rings on the leaves and pods of bean plants are some of the symptoms of the disease known as “Halo blight” – highly important in temperate zones like Spain. The seeds are one of the most important sources of transmission of the pathogen, which means the detection of this bacterium in seeds is one of the most efficient control methods. Nevertheless, agricultural engineer Arantza Rico Martínez has shown, in her PhD thesis, that this blight pathogen cannot be

Nature publishes the first comprehensive overview of the biodiversity patterns of phytoplankton, the tiny plants that float on the surface of the sea, on 24 June.

An international research team, partly funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, found striking similarities between biodiversity patterns on land and in the oceans prompting the conclusion that there is a universal mechanism controlling biodiversity. The oceans, by far the largest ecosystem on the planet, are the least

As the world’s population will grow from 6 to 9 billion over the next 50 years, and fossil resources will diminish, the need for food, “bio-fuels” and “bio-materials” from renewable, plant-based resources will increase. A report presented in Brussels today highlights how advances in plant genomics and biotechnology can help Europe to address these challenges, for instance with stress-resistant plants. Leading representatives from research, the food and biotech industry, the farming community and co

A miniscule marine creature caught during a recent Indian Ocean research voyage is believed to be the first of its kind identified in the Southern Hemisphere

A miniscule marine creature caught during a recent Indian Ocean research voyage is believed to be the first of its kind identified in the Southern Hemisphere.The single celled organism, supporting what looks like 6 legs is a phaeodaria from the family coelodendridae, also known as a radiolarian. Measuring only 1.4 mm, the organi

Tasty new weapon in fight against disease

A few forkfuls of sprouted vegetables could help protect against cancer, new research by Professor Ian Rowland and Chris Gill has shown.

Eating just over 100 grams of tasty sprouted vegetables every day for a fortnight has been shown to have clear protective effects against DNA damage in human blood cells, according to the researchers.

“DNA damage is associated with cancer risk. Sources of DNA damage include diet-rela

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), tiny pieces of genetic material that can serve as stop signs for gene expression and protein synthesis, are thought to be important in the development of cancer. Now, researchers at Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have developed a technique that allows them to find which miRNA genes are expressed – and how – in both cancerous and normal tissue.
Scientists, led by Carlo Croce, M.D., director of Jefferson’s K