Molecularist

Excellent overview of all the ways we use microbes (useful bugs!) in the production of food. I learned that cacao is fermented and a new term SCOBY, "symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast". A bit cooler than "cooperatives" (my use) or "consortia" (science term).

Animated MRIs of foods. Pretty cool.

A personalized computerized fitness center, with visual guidance, and a hat tip towards quantified self nuts. Haven't found out if anything can be downloaded or what online tools they have to visualize.

"The researchers found 14 that did the trick, but one molecule—named RNPA1000—was especially effective against S. aureus. RNPA1000 killed cells from all 12 major strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)."

Biochemistry and molecular biology informing anti-bacterial targets. Quite cool.

"A natural biorefinery in itself, the Q microbe, Clostridium phytofermentans, is an anaerobic organism with a unique combination of natural characteristics that dramatically streamline the production of cellulosic ethanol."

Though not sure if this is a recombinant organism – no reference to it, but choice use of the word "natural".

Another one.

Cool. I'm starting to find these databases of enzymatic pathways – pick a molecule, find a pathway. Yet, all of these could use a better UI. Networks of stuff always seem better in multi-dimensional graphical interfaces you can manipulate. Just saying.

"Speaking of their discovery, Derek Lovely said, “We placed the microbes under conditions in which they had to work together in order to survive and grow using the alcohol we gave them as an energy source. They’re the ultimate drinking buddies, collaborating to consume ethanol.”"

Finding the mechanism through clever sleuthing.

How do you isolate new cellulolytic genes from microbes in a cow rumen? Easy, poke a hole in the side of the cow (a fistula), throw in some bags of grass, pull out grass later and isolate bugs breaking down the grass. A great example of old-time microbiology and new-fangled metagenomic.

Educators, hobbyists, entrepreneurs, investigators – which are you? [Meant to bookmark this long ago.]

The world is spiky. And science is a northern endeavor.

"A row has broken out in France over whether 15- and 16-year-olds should be allowed to create transgenic Escherichia coli bacteria in the classroom."

Live imaging is the foochur.

"There are several canards about scientists, but one is more pernicious simply because so many scientists themselves repeat it: scientists are not good communicators."

“Our cognitive incapacity to perceive large-scale and long-term changes is a major obstacle to rational environmental policies,”

Finn wins prestigious award.

"Berg too says he expects more routes to be uncovered. "The diversity of life is bigger than we know now," he says. The research may also offer evolutionary insight. In analysing the enzymes that propel the methylaspartate cycle, the authors found striking similarities to enzymes identified in ancient bacteria, an indication that H. marismortui grabbed the genes needed for the cycle by lateral gene transfer."

Cool in so many ways.

"About 500,000–750,000 years before the extinction event, magma swelled up underground and hit a layer of coal."

Incisive commentary on earlier Nature article on scientists, blogs, and tweets.