Written by George Valiakos, DVM, MSc in Public Health and Environmental Hygiene. During the last decade, West Nile virus (WNV) has emerged as one of the most highly-concerning zoonotic pathogens worldwide. In 2012 a total of 237 WNV cases were reported in the EU/EEA countries and 669 more in neighboring countries. In the USA, reported… Read more »
The production of biodiesel from single-celled microalgae has been receiving renewed research attention, as evidenced by a growth spurt in publications on microalgal biofuel this year. Meanwhile, Scottish researchers working on the Biomara project argue that coastal temperate regions should make fuel from macroalgae (seaweed) instead. In a recent article published in Biotechnology for Biofuels,… Read more »
Some cells are huge, some are tiny, and we have remarkably little idea what decides how big a cell should be. Ten experts recruited by BMC Biology explore in a Forum article what proves to be a remarkably rich and varied territory in search of answers to questions each poses of his or her chosen… Read more »
Global oceans provide numerous and varied resources which humans, and other organisms rely on. However, with the growing threat of increasing carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere disrupting the chemical balance of the ocean, these resources are now in danger of being destroyed. This could be both ecologically and economically devastating. The importance of research… Read more »
Eusociality describes a system in which many animals (mostly insects) live, whereby some individuals forego the opportunity to reproduce in order undertake various tasks of benefit to the group, such as helping to raise and care for other (generally related) offspring. From an evolutionary perspective, this represents an interesting paradigm; by investing in related young,… Read more »
Scientists shoot plants into space in an attempt to unearth the mysteries of root growth Gel. Gel is the answer. By growing experimental plants on plates filled with nutrient gel instead of pots of soil, researchers have been able to capture on camera the growth of roots in space, without having to worry about watering… Read more »
2Readers of this blog will, by virtue of being able to read it at all, be familiar with the complex construction of language: sentences can be broken down into words, which can themselves be broken down into syllables or uninterrupted sounds. Many, but perhaps not all, will also be familiar with the concept of “phonemes”,… Read more »
The nomination period is now open for the 2013 M. Jeang Retrovirology Prize. Nominations will be accepted from December 1st, 2012 to January 15th, 2013. The winner of the 2013 Retrovirology Prize will be announced and presented at the 2013 Frontiers in Retrovirology conference to be held September 16-18th at Cambridge University in the UK… Read more »