Latest News
Bacteria Show Capacity for Rapid, Beneficial Mutations
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- Written by Marc Airhart Marc Airhart
- Published: 08 August 2016 08 August 2016
Austin, Texas - Scientists studying how microbes evolve have long assumed that nearly all new genetic mutations get passed down at a predictable pace and usually without either helping or hurting the microbe in adapting to its environment. In a new study published in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers studying tens of thousands of generations of E. coli bacteria report that most new genetic mutations that were passed down were actually beneficial and occurred at much more variable rates than previously thought. The finding could have implications for treating bacterial infections.
Purdue undergraduates uncover mechanism tied to plant height
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- Written by Brian Wallheimer Brian Wallheimer
- Published: 08 August 2016 08 August 2016
West Lafayette< Indiana - Dwarfed plants add color and a diversity of architectures to landscapes and gardens, and a Purdue University undergraduate class discovered a key mechanism that leads to their small stature.
Living Organisms Take Up Uranium from their Environment
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- Written by YNN YNN
- Published: 06 August 2016 06 August 2016
Washington, DC - USGS scientists found that living organisms can take up uranium into their tissues under a broad variety of water quality conditions. This knowledge may help regulators better safeguard the environment for conservation and resource extraction purposes.
Can Nature Videos Help Improve Prisoner Behavior?
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- Written by Michael Shulman Michael Shulman
- Published: 07 August 2016 07 August 2016
Denver, Colorado - Researchers have identified a simple intervention that may help reduce levels of violence in maximum security prisons. Inmates who viewed nature videos showed reduced levels of aggression and were less likely to be disciplined than those in similar cellblocks, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 124th Annual Convention.
Justice Department Files Suit Against Harris County, Texas, Over Polling Place Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
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- Written by Justice Department Justice Department
- Published: 06 August 2016 06 August 2016
Washington, DC - The Justice Department filed a complaint today in the Southern District of Texas alleging that Harris County, Texas, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide accessible polling places for voters with disabilities. Many polling places in Harris County have architectural barriers – such as steep ramps and narrow doors – that make them inaccessible to voters who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments, or voters who are blind or have vision impairments.