Research Bits: March 28


Modeling how the nose smells The first 3D molecular-level picture of how an odor molecule binds to and activates an odorant receptor (OR) on olfactory cells in the nose may help us understanding and eventually be used to build a map of all the receptors. Scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which UCSF developed, to take a moving picture of the wiggly r... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 31


Microbial nanowires Microbiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst report that they have discovered a new type of microbial nanowire, the protein filaments that bacteria use to make electrical connections with other microbes or minerals. The team was motivated by the potential for improved "green" conducting materials for electronics. According to Derek Lovley, professor of... » read more