Do genes respond to climate change?
On a global scale, altered precipitation patterns and warming trends bring large shifts in species distribution. And we can see that plant species respond differently to varied environments. But is there any evidence that individuals of the same species respond differently to different environments? Aimée Classen and co-team leader Nathan Sanders study goldenrod from two different climates to look for answers. Full Story
Those ever-so discriminating genes
Nobel Laureate Frederick Sanger developed the basic technique used for DNA sequencing in 1975. Some 35-plus years the number of sequenced genomes stands at 3000 and climbing. Michael Gilchrist mines this wealth of data for information extending well beyond the basic codes that living cells use to make proteins. Full Story
High-tech water witching
A dowser scans the ground with a fresh-cut, y-shaped twig held taut in closed, upturned palms. When the stick turns down, water is said to lie below. What the twig is alleged to do for the dowser, neutrons do scientifically for soil hydrologist, Ed Perfect. Full Story
Identifying chemical processes in living organisms
Scientists have been investigating the cells that make and store fats, to see if they might be harvested for biodiesel fuels. Algae are particularly attractive because they do not make cellulose but only fats and need only water, sunlight, and a few minerals to survive. But researchers need to understand the details of the metabolism of these fats if they are to select the algae with the highest productivity and the most favorable conditions for their culture. Full Story
Robust computational tools for nuclear power
Nuclear power has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the recent earthquake and damage to Fukushima power plant in Japan. If the U.S. is to continue growth of its own nuclear industry—while keeping efficiency and safety concerns at the forefront—it must address the critical need for a new generation of robust computational tools capable of predicting and tracking the status and performance of every single nuclear fuel pin in the core of a reactor—before, during, and after operation. Full Story