Climate action
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.
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Biogenic construction: The new era of civil engineering
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.
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NewsGreen recipe: Engineered yeast boosts D-lactic acid production
An 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.
NewsFrom pollution to polymer: Methane-munching microbe brews biodegradable plastic at high speed
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.
NewsPlastic-degrading enzymes from landfills
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.
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Without oxygen: How primordial microbes breathed
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.
NewsA study identifies ‘surprising’ cause of sargassum blooms in the Caribbean
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.
NewsRestoring vegetation cover in Amazon's pasture areas can reduce methane emissions, study reveals
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.
NewsBacteria key to solar-powered method to convert sewage sludge into green hydrogen and animal feed
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.
NewsFood systems, climate change, and air pollution: Unveiling the interactions and solutions
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.
NewsClimate affects microbial life around Antarctica
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.
NewsSulfur-reducing bacteria team-up to break down organic substances in the seabed
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.
NewsProactively exposing ecosystems to mild environmental stressors appears to offer protection
Mild, proactive exposure to environmental stress can help biological communities resist severe disturbances and maintain genetic diversity, a recent study has found.
CareersMy PhD Experience: Collaborations between academia and industry in the microbial bioremediation of marine oil pollution
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.
NewsResearcher measures microplastics’ massive changes in microbes
A new ecological research is underway to investigate the impact of microplastics on aquatic microbial communities in the Virginia Tech Duck Pond.
NewsToxic chemical pollutants detected in lichens and mosses in the Irati forest
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.
NewsScientists build robot to track plant-fungal trade networks, revealing nature’s underground supply chains
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.
NewsStudy probes light-harvesting proteins of purple sulfur bacteria in high-salt, high-alkaline environments
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.
NewsFungi more vulnerable than bacteria in degrading alpine ecosystems
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.
NewsHeat-stressed reefs may benefit from coral-dwelling crabs
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.
NewsNitrogen fixation on marine snow particles is widespread in the world's oceans
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.
NewsResilient algae may speed up Greenland ice melt
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.
NewsCoffee grounds and Reishi mushroom spores can be 3D printed into a compostable alternative to plastics
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.
NewsAlgal blooms intensify in global large lakes over the past two decades
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.