Metagenomics 'will transform modern microbiology'

Metagenomics 'will transform modern microbiology'

The emerging field of metagenomics, where the DNA of entire communities of microbes is studied simultaneously, presents the greatest opportunity -- perhaps since the invention of the microscope --…
Study shows metabolic strategy of stressed cell

Study shows metabolic strategy of stressed cell

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have mapped out many of the dynamic genetic and biochemical changes that make up a cell's response to a shortage of a molecule called Coenzyme…
No sex for 40 million years? No problem

No sex for 40 million years? No problem

A group of organisms that has never had sex in over 40 million years of existence has nevertheless managed to evolve into distinct species, says new research published today. The study challenges…
Do you need sex to be a species?

Do you need sex to be a species?

If you own a birdbath, chances are you’re hosting one of evolutionary biology’s most puzzling enigmas: bdelloid rotifers. These microscopic invertebrates—widely distributed in mosses, creeks, ponds…
Highlights from Recent Science Podcasts

Highlights from Recent Science Podcasts

I recently posted a list of some of my favorite science podcasts. Today I want to mention a few recent episodes that I think are worth listening to. First, on March 8th, the BBC 4 podcast In Our…
How long is a child a child?

How long is a child a child?

With an innovative combination of a novel application of synchrotron imaging, high-resolution microtomography, and developmental analysis, the team reconstructed tooth growth and determined the age…