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A biochemical random number

True random numbers are required in fields as diverse as slot machines and data encryption. These numbers need to be truly random, such that they cannot even be predicted by people with detailed knowledge of the method used to generate them. As a rule, they are generated using physical methods. For instance, thanks to the…

Even Earth’s largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babies

The prehistoric shark Otodus megalodon was an awe-inspiring beast, measuring up to three times the length of the modern great white shark. But even the mightiest of predators were babies once. Carlos Martínez-Pérez at the University of Valencia in Spain, Humberto Ferrón at the University of Bristol, UK, and their colleagues compared megalodon teeth recently collected at…

Genetic code evolution and Darwin’s evolution theory should consider DNA an ‘energy code’

Darwin's theory of evolution should be expanded to include consideration of a DNA stability "energy code" -- so-called "molecular Darwinism" -- to further account for the long-term survival of species' characteristics on Earth, according to Rutgers scientists. The iconic genetic code can be viewed as an "energy code" that evolved by following the laws of…

The Tree With Many Branches: A Collection of Essays in Computational Phylogenetics

Rodriguez, T. (2020). The Tree With Many Branches: A Collection of Essays in Computational Phylogenetics. iUniverse Publishing. Indiana, USA. Audiobook Sample Want to build an evolutionary tree? Here's your chance to learn how. The field of bioinformatics was born out of the need to manage, analyze, and examine raw genomic data in meaningful and exciting…

Water may be naturally occurring on all rocky planets

The emergence of life is a mystery. Nevertheless, researchers agree that water is a precondition for life. The first cell emerged in water and then evolved to form multicellular organism. The oldest known single-cell organism on Earth is about 3.5 billion years old. So far, so good. But if life emerged in water, where did…

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective, according to company data

The Moderna vaccine is 94.5% effective against coronavirus, according to early data released Monday by the company, making it the second vaccine in the United States to have a stunningly high success rate. "These are obviously very exciting results," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor. "It's just as good as it…

Plant viruses hijack the defense system of plants, but there might be a way to strike back

Many diseases caused by common plant viruses reduce the crops of important food plants. In the worst case, potato viruses, among others, can destroy as much as 80% of crops on infected fields. Plants are not entirely defenceless against viruses, although they lack an immune system like the one found in humans. For plant cells,…

Drones that patrol forests could monitor environmental and ecological changes

Sensors for forest monitoring are already used to track changes in temperature, humidity and light, as well as the movements of animals and insects through their habitat. They also help to detect and monitor forest fires and can provide valuable data on how climate change and other human activities are impacting the natural world. However,…

Pinpointing the ‘silent’ mutations that gave the coronavirus an evolutionary edge

We know that the coronavirus behind the COVID-19 crisis lived harmlessly in bats and other wildlife before it jumped the species barrier and spilled over to humans. Now, researchers at Duke University have identified a number of "silent" mutations in the roughly 30,000 letters of the virus's genetic code that helped it thrive once it…

True size of prehistoric mega-shark finally revealed

To date only the length of the legendary giant shark Megalodon had been estimated. But now, a new study led by the University of Bristol and Swansea University has revealed the size of the rest of its body, including fins that are as large as an adult human. There is a grim fascination in determining…

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Recent Posts by Pangaea Biosciences

A biochemical random number

Even Earth’s largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babies

Genetic code evolution and Darwin’s evolution theory should consider DNA an ‘energy code’

The Tree With Many Branches: A Collection of Essays in Computational Phylogenetics

Water may be naturally occurring on all rocky planets

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective, according to company data

Plant viruses hijack the defense system of plants, but there might be a way to strike back

Drones that patrol forests could monitor environmental and ecological changes

Pinpointing the ‘silent’ mutations that gave the coronavirus an evolutionary edge

True size of prehistoric mega-shark finally revealed

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