Today we are seeing climate change in action, increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases have led to a rise in sea levels, temperatures, and extreme weather patterns. Researchers have acknowledged the pivotal role microorganisms in producing sustainable biofuels, increasing carbon sequestration via soil microbes and reducing methane emissions in landfill sites. Microbial innovation will be vital in moving towards a low carbon economy.
Inspired by the concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, a new concept, biogenic construction, for civil engineering is proposed in a new paper.
Read storyAn optimal combination of genetic “recipe” in a yeast strain achieves high yields of D-lactic acid production from methanol, advancing eco-friendly and sustainable biomanufacturing.
Scientists have tapped into a methane-consuming bacterium, Methylocystis suflitae, to produce biodegradable plastics called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), offering a dual win for climate and sustainability.
Researchers identified and analysed the structure and predicted functions of potential plastic-degrading enzymes in collected landfills sample from around the world, in an effort to reduce plastic pollution.
Scientists decode the fundamental mechanisms of a cell respiratory enzyme in ancient bacterial cells, with potential applications in removing greenhouse gases and drug development against pathogens.
A group of interantional researchers identified the cause of sargassum blooms in the tropical Atlantic Ocean using computer modelling. They have modelled the ocean currents, wind pattern and the growth conditions that help them thrive in the region.
Proper pasture management in the Amazon, aimed at maintaining soil vegetation cover, can reduce methane emissions from livestock farming, according to a new study analyzing emissions and microorganisms in Amazonian soil.
Scientists have developed an innovative solar-powered method to transform sewage sludge — a by-product of wastewater treatment — into green hydrogen for clean energy and single-cell protein for animal feed.
A recent review delves into the complex relationships among food systems, climate change, and air pollution, highlighting the need for sustainable strategies to address these interconnected global challenges.
Bacteria and other microbes in the seas around Antarctica are strongly influenced by water temperature and the amount of sea ice. This is shown by coordinated measurements taken off the coast of the west Antarctic Peninsula, scientists say.
Researchers have decoded the molecular strategies employed by the underappreciated sulfate-reducing bacteria, <i>Desulfobacteraceae</i>, which is capable of breaking down organic carbon in the oxygen-limited seabed.
Mild, proactive exposure to environmental stress can help biological communities resist severe disturbances and maintain genetic diversity, a recent study has found.
Jake A Smallbone reveals how a industry collaboration as part of his PhD led to work on a real world oil spill to uncover the fascinating ways that bacterial communities respond to pollution and can be deployed as biomarkers and in bioremediation.
A new ecological research is underway to investigate the impact of microplastics on aquatic microbial communities in the Virginia Tech Duck Pond.
Scientists used a species of lichen (Parmelia sulcata) and a species of moss (Hypnum cupressiforme) from Irati Forest as sentinels or biomonitors to determine the organic pollution in the atmosphere.
New research uses advanced robotics to track the hyper-efficient supply chains formed between plants and mycorrhizal fungi as they trade carbon and nutrients across the complex, living networks that help regulate the Earth’s atmosphere and ecosystems.
Halorhodospira halophila, a purple sulfur bacterium, is believed to perform photosynthesis efficiently by integrating light harvesting protein complexes LH2 and LH1-RC. Researchers employed cryo-electron microscopy to investigate.
A new study provides the first evidence that alpine pioneer community degradation led to declines of 27% in fungal richness, 8% in bacterial richness and about 50% of endemic microorganisms.
A species of branching coral is able to recover from heat stress and wounds due to its mutualistic relationship with crabs in the Great Barrier Reef Corals, a new study shows. This evolutionary partnership will inspire coral reef restoration strategies in the future.
Researchers have shown that bacteria attached to marine snow particles can fix N2 over a wide range of temperatures in the global oceans, from the tropics to the poles, and from the surface to the abyss, accounting for about 10% of the overall N2 fixation in oceans.
Microscopic algae darken glacier surfaces and can accelerate melting. A new study investigating where the small algae get the necessary nutrients to survive in this hostile environment reveals how they absorb and store nutrients.
Researchers have developed a new system for turning coffee grounds into a paste, which is inoculated with Reishi mushroom spores to form a mycelial skin. The skin turns the coffee grounds into a resilient, fully compostable 3D printable alternative to plastics.
With climate change affecting algal blooms, researchers have discovered that the combined nutrient and meteorological factors have significant influence on bloom frequency in large lakes across the world.