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Hot Topic
Origins
Origin & Evolution of Life
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Short RNAs Have a Long History
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
10/04/08 |
| MicroRNAs are tiny molecules used to fine-tune how genes are expressed. Now scientists are beginning to understand the early evolution of these important molecules and how they have affected the evolution of life on our planet. |
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Breathing Like a Bird
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
10/03/08 |
| The remains of a unique dinosaur discovered in Argentina are helping scientists understand the connections between dinosaurs and birds. The study sheds light on an important moment in the evolution of life on our planet. |
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Digging up Ancient Microbes
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
10/02/08 |
| Limestone from Namibia has biomarkers that indicate a community of microbes oxidized methane at least 300 million years ago. Such biomarkers can provide clues to the history of life on Earth, and could help scientists search for signs of life on other worlds. |
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Luck Gave Dinosaurs an Edge
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
09/14/08 |
| A new study shows that early dinosaurs survived two mass extinctions before they became dominant on Earth. Interestingly, it appears that their survival may have been based on luck alone. |
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Ratio is All in the Timing
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
09/13/08 |
| A new study of carbon in seafloor sediments is helping scientists better understand the timing of life's origin on Earth. The findings may also change our assumptions about the history of Earth's carbon cycle. |
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What Came First: Viruses or Cells?
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
09/05/08 |
| A new computational method for tracing the evolution of proteins may help scientists determine how life on Earth began…and solve the question of whether or not viruses developed before living cells. |
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Primitive Pancake
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
08/30/08 |
| In sequencing the genome of a primitive animal, scientists are gaining new insights into the tree of life. Even though it´s a simple animal, Trichoplax adhaerens has a complex set of genes and may signify a branching point in animal evolution. |
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Water Ideas are All Wet
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
08/12/08 |
| Scientists have discovered that water, a molecule essential for life as we know it, is not as well understood as we thought. The study adds to our understanding of water's role in the origin and survival of life on Earth. |
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Life in a Bubble
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
08/05/08 |
| Scientists have discovered how insects can use a bubble of air as an 'external lung' to breathe underwater. The study highlights a unique way in which organisms on Earth have evolved in response to their environment. |
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From Dinosaurs to Slime
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| Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life |
08/02/08 |
| In 2005, researchers thought they had discovered the remains of dinosaur blood vessels and cells protected inside the bones of a T-Rex. A new study shows that the soft tissue may be biofilms formed by bacteria. |
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