Ancient creature fossilized by the bacteria that ate it
...d fossils were actually composed of clumps of even tinier bacteria fossils. The scientists suspect that the bacteria feasted on the dead arthropods, then absorbed minerals from their surroundings and turned to quartz, preserving perfectly the shape and texture of the arthropods. In essence, the bac...Virus-host interactions at sea effect global photosynthesis
...s presence in nutrient-depleted ocean waters. Even tinier agents - the viruses that infect these bacteria, called cyanophages - appear capable of wielding surprising influence on global cycles by affecting the population dynamics and evolutionary path of Prochlorococcus . An investigation of the genetic m...Purdue scientists see biochemistry's future - with quantum physics
...theless gargantuan entities in comparison with the tinier subatomic particles such as protons and electrons that physicists study. "Despite these differences, there is one point of overlap between chemistry and physics that has interested me, and that is in the elementary particles that whirl about these mo...Fossilized liquid assembly: Nanomaterials research tool
...opic hairs, each hair tipped with hundreds of even tinier projections. Beads of water roll off the lotus's leaf because its surface is streaked with microscopic peaks, each with a finer structure, that makes the surface "super hydrophobic." These enhanced properties--other possibilities include super adhesi......les like long DNA, the MIT team succeeded with the tinier proteins. "This is the first time physiologically relevant molecules like proteins have been separated in such a manner," said Han. "We can separate the molecules in about a minute with the current device versus hours for gels." Another advantage o...