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More polar ocean turbulence due to planetary warming

New research suggests that ocean turbulence and horizontal stirring will dramatically increase in the Arctic and Southern Oceans due to human-induced Global Warming. The study uses ultra-high-resolution simulations to investigate how mesoscale horizontal stirring (MHS) responds to warming, revealing a pronounced future intensification ...

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Climate Change·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 5, 2025

A new method for successfully measuring electrical conductivity in microorganisms―approaching understanding of microbial ecosystems

A new bioelectronic system has been developed to measure electrical conductivity in microorganisms without requiring biofilm formation on electrodes. This approach has revealed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis possess conductive properties, with potential applications in environmental energy technologies.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateFeb 29, 2024

How marine bristle worms use a special protein to distinguish between sunlight and moonlight

Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz discovered a unique cryptochrome protein in marine bristle worms that distinguishes between sunlight and moonlight. The protein's structure reveals an unusual light-induced change from dimer to monomer arrangements, allowing it to synchronize reproduction with lunar phases.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 13, 2023

Jet lag’s harmful health impacts found to be caused by biological clock misalignment

Research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that circadian disruption from jet lag can harm adult neurogenesis, which supports learning and memory. The study found that the Cryptochrome 1 gene regulates this process and that misalignment can lead to adverse health effects such as dementia and mental illness.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournaleNeuro·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 3, 2023

Fitness needs the right timing

The study found that cryptochromes are conserved across various green organisms, influencing cell structures responsible for photosynthesis. The researchers discovered that a specific cryptochrome can actually lead to increased growth despite appearing darker green due to denser packed cell membranes.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalPLANT PHYSIOLOGY·DateApr 5, 2022

Quantum birds

Researchers discover that cryptochrome 4, found in birds' retinas, is sensitive to magnetic fields and could be the long-sought magnetic sensor. The team deciphered the mechanism behind this sensitivity, which arises from electrons moving within the molecule after blue-light activation.

SourceUniversity of Oldenburg·JournalNature·DateJun 23, 2021

Microelectronics for birds

Scientists have developed a tiny device to study the avian magnetic orientation mechanism, challenging the prevailing photochemical theory. The experiment found that birds with portable devices attached were not disoriented when exposed to local oscillating magnetic fields, suggesting alternative components of the magnetoreception system.

SourceSt. Petersburg State University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 30, 2020

Why do birds migrate at night?

Scientists have found that cryptochromes from migratory birds have evolved a mechanism that enhances their ability to respond to light, allowing them to sense and respond to magnetic fields under nighttime conditions. This discovery sheds light on how vertebrate cryptochromes function in low-light environments.

SourceSouthern Methodist University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 12, 2019

How birds can detect the Earth's magnetic field

Researchers at Lund University discovered that Cry4 protein in birds' eyes is a key magnetoreceptor, providing constant levels throughout the day. This finding supports the idea that other animals have magnetic receptors and may aid in developing new navigation systems.

SourceLund University·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateApr 6, 2018

A microscopic approach to the magnetic sensitivity of animals

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new microscope that can observe magnetic sensitivity in photochemical reactions within sub-cellular structures. The microscope, called TOAD imaging, allows for the detection of radical pairs formed from flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and their response to weak magnetic fields.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateJun 4, 2015

A mammalian clock protein responds directly to light

Researchers discovered that mammalian clock proteins respond directly to light, similar to plant cryptochromes. In humans and animals, this response affects circadian rhythms differently than in mice, where missing cryptochromes lead to complete loss of rhythm behaviors.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateJun 30, 2008

Major Discovery: Scientists Find Eye Pigment Controls Circadian Rhythm

Researchers have discovered a new light-sensitive pigment called cryptochrome, which controls the circadian rhythm in mammals, regulating bodily functions such as body temperature and blood pressure. The discovery may lead to better treatment for depression and reduce accidents during late-night shifts.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 25, 1998