News for Sushi Lovers Everywhere

During the First World War, Dr. Frederick Griffith, a young British medical officer, made an important discovery: the phenomenon known as "transformation." The transfer of DNA from one organism to another -- in Griffith's case, strains of Streptococcus -- could "transform" the original organism into a slightly different version of itself. (For more on this, see Visionlearning's DNA I module.) Now, scientists have discovered that something like this may have happened over time in the intestines of the Japanese population.

The human gut contains enzymes that break down polysaccharides -- one of the principle sources of energy for the brain. But these enzymes are not created by us, they're generated by the intestinal flora that live within us. Without a wide variety of intestinal flora, we simply wouldn't be able to acquire the energy needed to survive. Scientists all over the world study these different flora, and the enzymes they produce, in order to better understand how they function.

Two teams of researchers working at the Station Biologique de Roscoff, in France, have been studying the enzyme porphyranase, found in marine bacteria, in hopes of learning more about what, specifically, it does. It turns out that the enzyme digests the polysaccharide Porphyran,which is present in the cell walls of the red algae popularly used in sushi.

Further research showed that, while this enzyme is present in the gut of the Japanese test subjects, it is not present in those of the American subjects. They have presumed that the presence of this enzyme in the gut microbiota of the Japanese subjects is a direct result of diet. Further, they have 'explained this discovery by a transfer of genes between the bacteria, that allows the gut microbiota of the Japanese to acquire all the 'machinery' it needs to consume the algae that surround sushi." It's the first time to be shown that food bacteria can transfer genes to our own gut bacteria.

This doesn't mean that Americans' microbiota don't digest sushi well enough. Most of the seaweeds found in US supermarkets have been roasted in order to sterilize them, and in so doing have destroyed these microbiota. This project could lead to further research to see if there are added benefits to having specialized organisms living in our tummys.

More Than One Way to Run a Solar System

For years, science class has taught us that planets are formed when a vast cloud of cold gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star is compressed. Using the mass's original momentum and gravitational force, these planets orbit the star in the same direction as the star's spin. Seems simple enough. And there hasn't been any evidence that would suggest otherwise. (The first multi-planet system other than our own wasn't discovered  until 1999, and that one behaves much like our own.)

There hasn't been any reason to question this -- until now. Researchers in Europe announced yesterday that they have observed extrasolar exoplanets revolving around their stars in the opposite direction to the stars' spin. Some of these planets, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, have highly tilted, eccentric orbits that would destroy any smaller, rocky planets that could harbor life.

Astronomer Alan Boss at Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington explained how such "close encounters between planets orbiting the star would result in some planets getting sling-shotted into highly eccentric orbits, in some cases even backward (or retrograde) ones." The cause of the change in orbit direction could be due to a variety of causes, including pull from distant massive planets.

The discovery, announced at a meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society in Glasgow, Scotland, suggests that our solar system is unique not only in the presence of Earth, but possibly in the stability of planetary orbits.

Image copyright of the Royal Astronomical Society

Lightning Myth is Proven Reality

If you have ever lived in rural farming areas, especially where large quantities of corn are grown, you've likely heard the old farmer's myth that lightning storms will make the corn grow. One layman's theory suggests that the nitrogen given off by lightning will be used up by the plants in an overnight growth spurt. Others suggest lightning fixes nitrogen in the soil, making it available for plant uptake. It seems, now, that these myths may actually have some basis in fact.


Researchers in Japan have shown that lightning strikes can more than double the yield of certain types of mushrooms. By applying gentle, high-voltage pulses of electricity to logs, researchers simulate the charge that would naturally be found in the ground near a strike zone. According to the findings, the mushrooms respond to the increased level of electricity in the soil by reducing "the proteins and enzymes secreted by their hyphae, followed by a sudden increase."

The hyphae act like roots for the mushrooms, taking in nutrients and providing stabilization on surfaces like rotting logs. These hyphae also act as the basis for new fruiting bodies (the actual mushrooms we eat). According to Yuichi Sakamoto, chief researcher at the Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, who has been working with the research team, "it's possible the mushrooms are giving themselves a reproductive boost in response to danger."

Early research by the team also suggests that exposure to lightning causes Daikon radishes to bud early.

For more on the Nitrogen Cycle, click here.

Science Pick of the Week? You Decide.

It's been a very exciting week in the realm of scientific discovery. On Wednesday, the journal Biology Letters announced the discovery of a new species of monitor lizard in the Philippines. (See Wednesday's blog entry below.)

Thursday brought about the announcement of a new element, number 117 (still nameless), by a team of American and Russian scientists. By smashing together isotopes of calcium and berkelium, a radioactive element, in a particle accelerator, they have managed to create a new element, and possibly provided supportive evidence toward an "island of stability" theory. (That periodic table may need updating soon.)

And today, the journal Science is publishing a report on the discovery of a new species of Hominid in South Africa: Australopithecus sediba! According to the research team responsible for the find, the young male and adult female fossils "were a surprising and distinctive mixture of primitive and advanced anatomy and thus qualified as a new species of hominid, the ancestors and other close relatives of humans." you can view amazing pictures at National Geographic.

So which of these fascinating and exciting discoveries gets our science pick of the week? All of them! Each holds important implications for further research in biology, chemistry and anthropology (and likely other disciplines). Each also shows the importance of creativity, determination, and a keen eye for observation in the process of science.

Have you been talking about these events, or similar, in your classes? Share with us here!

A. sediba photograph copyright National Geographic.

New Species Found in Phillipines

In the last century, advancements in technology and science have allowed for a thorough exploration of our planet and the rapid sharing of information. So, it is a peculiar condition of our modern times that many young people feel that there is nothing left to discover -- everything has already been done and found (especially the big stuff). But as those who work in the various scientific disciplines know, there is always something new to uncover. You just have to look in the right place!

In the latest volume of Biology Letters, scientists working in the Philippines discuss their discovery of a new species of monitor lizard (genus Varanus). The giant, golden-spotted lizard, a relative of the Komodo dragon, is approximate 6 1/2 feet long, lives in the northern forests of the Sierra Madre mountains in Luzon, and feeds solely on fruits and snails. Apparently, the scientists learned about the species for the first time in 2004, when they spotted local tribesmen carrying one of the dead creatures.

As the article notes, the researchers used "data from morphology and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, [to] demonstrate the taxonomic distinctiveness" of the species. This information provided insight into the biogeographical history of the organism; a phylogenetic analysis shows that, though the lizard differs in "characteristics of scalation, colour pattern, body size, anatomy of the reproductive organs and genetic divergence," it is still closely related to lizards on other, nearby islands.

The discovery is noteworthy for many reasons, but particularly because the organism in question is so large. Finding new species of large vertebrates is not nearly as common as finding new types of frogs, insects, or small fishes. Even more, this discovery comes about on an island under significant threat from development and deforestation. Rafe Brown, a member of the team that discovered the monitor lizard, said in a statement to the Associated Press, that they "hope that by focusing on protection of this new monitor, conservation biologists and policy makers can work together to protect the remaining highly imperiled forests of northern Luzon."

Images copyright of Associate Press and Google.com

Using Current Events in the Classroom -- Earthquakes

In the last few months we have seen earthquakes cause devastation all over the world -- Haiti, Chile, and today Baja, Mexico. It can be difficult as an educator to incorporate events like these into the curriculum. The sensitive nature can make students uncomfortable and upset, and as an educator you risk appearing callus or cold. But, if handled with careful thought and sensitivity, using events like these can open students' minds to new ways of relating science to their everyday lives.

Massive geologic events like earthquakes can be dealt with in the classroom by sticking to the science. Rather than spending too much time talking about the human consequences of a specific earthquake, you might consider discussing the factors involved (such as plate tectonics or the structure of earth). Discussions in class can revolve around why we have seen so many significant earthquakes in a short period of time. Independent research assignments might include finding out whether these events fit into the known pattern of earthquake occurrence, or if there is a connection geographically to these three in particular (e.g. Are they all occurring along the same plate?).

However the subject is approached, just be sure that nothing you do has the potential of alienating students. By playing up the scientific inquiry and objective thinking, and playing down the emotional energy, you can push students to engage with science outside of the classroom and light a spark where there otherwise may only have been a dying ember. 

For learning and teaching modules on earth science, including explorations of earthquakes and boundary forms, visit Visionlearning.com. Have suggestions on how to teach sensitive topics in the classroom? Share them with us here!

Eastern US Gets Rare Opportunity to See Space Shuttle

Those folks living along the eastern United States will have a rare opportunity on Monday morning. Should the weather cooperate, folks from Florida to southern Maine will be able to see the space shuttle Discovery as it makes its way into orbit.

Appearing as a bright star on the low horizon (about the same luminosity as Sirius), those with an unobstructed view should see the shuttle moving quickly along a path parallel to the eastern seaboard. Those with binoculars or a spotting scope will be able to see the 'V' of the contrails in the sky, and maybe even the orange of the external fuel tank!

Making its second-to-last voyage, Discovery will be launched from Cape Canaveral at 6:21 am EST and begin its journey to the International Space Station. Click here for a viewing map. Since the shuttle program's inception in 1981, there have only ever been five launches that took place at twilight, the rest occurring wither during darkness or the middle of the afternoon. Because of the time of day, this means that both the engine's rockets and the light from the sun should make the shuttle clearly identifiable in the morning sky.

The table shown here on the left, courtesy of Space.com, provides directions on where to look to see the Discovery on its journey out of earth's atmosphere.

NASA has scheduled only three more flights for shuttles after this launch. the shuttle program officially comes to a close at the end of this year, making way for the new space rogram that will focus on designing state-of-the-art vehicles for taking Americans into space.

For some help on spotting spaceships from earth, visit here. If you manage to see the shuttle -- or get photos -- please let us know!


(Discovery crew image courtesy of NASA)