Cellular Toggle Switch Could Herald An Anti-Aging Breakthrough

Scientists at the Salk Institute have discovered a toggle switch for aging cells. By controlling the production of telomeres, it may be possible to keep healthy cells dividing and regenerating in old age. Most human cells can’t divide forever. Each time a cell divides, a cellular "timekeeper" at the ends of the chromosomes, known as a telomere, shortens. When the telomeres are shortened enough, cells are no longer able to divide, resulting in aging-related organ and tissue degeneration.

Aquatilis Expedition

Aquatilis Expedition is a 3-year underwater journey utilizing the best in modern technology and digital imaging. Using a custom-made remotely-operated underwater robot with a built-in 4K camera, scientists are exploring the oceans. Focusing on zooplankton, they are refocusing many technologies used to explore Mars back to exploring our own unknown frontier, the oceans’ depths.

Second MERS virus case in US

On May 11, 2014, the second US imported case of MERS was confirmed in Florida with a traveler from Saudi Arabia. The first US case was May 2, 2014 in Indiana with another traveler from Saudi Arabia. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a zoonotic viral respiratory disease first reported in 2012, with a likely reservoir in camels. MERS is a coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory illness with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The mortality rate for MERS is >30% and the virus is known to be spread through close contact, such as caring for or living with an infected person. There is currently no evidence of community spreading. 

University of Akron researchers trace bat killer’s path

Bats provide critical ecological services to humans. They are critical in food plant pollinators and in controlling bugs that threaten agriculture and forestry. A single bat can eat thousands of insects in a single night. Their pest-control value to the US economy is estimated in the billions of dollars. Unfortunately, they are dying in massive numbers. White Nose Syndrome (WNS) has killed about 7 million North American bats with no end in site. This trend will probably worsen, since the recent UA discovery indicates that the deadly WNS fungus can survive in caves with or without the presence of bats. The regional extinction of North American bats is possible. 

Engineers design ‘living materials’

MIT researchers design hybrid materials by combining living bacterial cells with nonliving elements such as gold nanoparticles and quantum dots. These “living materials” could potentially combine the advantages of living cells (responses to the environment and production of complex biological molecules) with the benefits of nonliving materials, such as conducting electricity or emitting light. The new materials could be used to design more complex devices such as solar cells, self-healing materials, or diagnostic sensors.

Nanomotors are controlled, for the first time, inside living cells

For the first time, chemists and engineers at Penn State University have placed synthetic nanomotors inside live human cells and using those motors to steer as they moved by acoustic vibrations.

Ancient European Hunter-Gatherer was a Blue-Eyed Boy

Analysis of the entire genome of a 7,000 year old hunter-gatherer has revealed interesting facts about the evolution of human genes. DNA extracted from the teeth of remains found in a cave in Spain were completely sequenced. This marks the first pre-agricultural genome to be sequenced and analyzed. While previous sequence data have shown changes in genes associated with early agriculture, such as adaptations to lactose, grain, livestock diseases, the new data raises interesting questions about when some of these genes evolved.