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Scientists discover hidden weaknesses in microtubules stabilized by a cancer drug
· Confirmed
In Short: Planetary scientists are optimistic about the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life after two recent studies highlighted the existence of suitable conditions in our solar system.
In a separate development, researchers in China have discovered a giant fungus species in Yunnan forests, which could be up to 65 million years old, emerging shortly after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
The newly found fungus, officially named Dianjunus rex and nicknamed 'D-rex,' can grow up to 20 inches tall and weigh nearly five pounds, making it the largest known fruiting body among ascomycetes.
Scientists believe the fungus may have evolved around 65 million years ago, shortly after the mass extinction event that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.
The fungus was found growing near the roots of trees and is believed to live hidden inside healthy trees before feeding on the wood after they die.
In another study, NASA-supported scientists observed an amoeba in California's Lassen Volcanic National Park that can reproduce at an astonishing 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius), setting a new record for the upper temperature limit for all known eukaryotes.
This discovery helps scientists understand the limits of life as we know it and could provide insights into the potential for life in extreme environments.
Meanwhile, researchers in Bolivia have identified a new species of wild cat, the first living feline species discovered in over a century.
The leopardus tilcayo, or 'tilcayo tiger cat,' is a small, slender, and spotted feline that lives in the Bolivian Yungas.
Scientists estimate that this species evolved from a common ancestor of 'tiger cats' around 1.4 million years ago.
Background
Scientists warn that exposure to deep-space radiation could cause lasting damage to the human heart, raising concerns about the health risks of sending people to Mars.
What's confirmed
- “The discovery illustrates how much fungus biodiversity remains to be discovered in East Asian forests,” Senanayake said.
- “After the mass extinction, forests experienced dramatic changes, including the sudden availability of large amounts of dead plant material,” Senanayake said.
- Leopardus tilcayo, known as the tilcayo tiger cat, is a small, slender and spotted feline that lives in the Bolivian Yungas Researchers say they have identified a new species of wild cat previously unknown to science, marking the first such discovery in about 100 years.
What's still developing
- Two new studies are giving planetary scientists hope While we still don’t know if there’s extraterrestrial life out there, we do know the conditions for it exist, even in our own solar system.
- Now two studies published over the weekend are giving planetary scientists even more hope that we may find it.
- A remarkably preserved fossil from northeastern Spain is giving scientists a rare look at the skin, soft tissues, and possible coloration of an ancient crocodile relative that lived about 125 million years ago.
- Scientists have discovered a distinct subtype of cell in the prostate, and it could help solve the mystery of why the gland enlarges with age.
- Scientists found a human genetic element in a poxvirus and discovered it was both an important gene for brain function and a jumping gene capable of moving and inserting itself in genomes.
- Researchers have discovered a novel way of making light, sound, and other kinds of waves self-organize into stable patterns under conditions where they would ordinarily behave chaotically.
- Berkeley researchers found two compact CRISPR systems, CasX and CasY, nearly doubling the potential tools like CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing UC Berkeley scientists have discovered simple CRISPR systems similar to CRISPR-Cas9 — a gene-editing tool that has revolutionized biology — in previously unexplored bacteria that have eluded efforts to grow them in the laboratory.
- Both Doudna and Banfield are faculty scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
- And its evolutionary history may stretch back to the age of the dinosaurs.
- Its towering size immediately set it apart from other known fungi in the group, whose tallest fruiting bodies previously measured about 8-12 inches.
- In the context above, and more to be discovered, this work is vital to disentangle the potential health risks of populations with diverse ancestries and genetic profiles as it relates to screening guidelines, like those of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), to facilitate precise and equitable healthcare for all.
- "Hawaii is the only Polynesian island in the Northern Hemisphere, so it's a long way from everything." A long way is an understatement.