Photosynthesis possible on Mars says NASA

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In this newsletter

• Sperm and egg are like lock and key 

• Standing desks are no better than sitting all day  …

• Photosynthesis possible on Mars says NASA

• To know soil quality, researchers listen to it

Sperm and egg are like lock and key 

Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna have finally solved the mystery of how the egg and sperm fuse together. Interestingly, the mechanism is quite the same whether in fish or in people. 

Previous studies have found the role of two proteins, Izumo1 and Spaca6, on the sperm that bring it closer to the egg and help in the fertilization process. Now, using Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) AlphaFold, the researchers have discovered the role of a third protein, Tmem81. 

The egg cell expresses a protein called Juno, which is similar to a lock. The trimeric complex of Izumo1, Space6, and Tmem81 forms the key needed to unlock it and enter the cell membrane. 

Interestingly, this process occurs much the same way in all animal species. The lock protein on the egg cells is different in species, but the sperm cells deploy quite the same key every time. 

The research findings were published in the journal Cell.

Standing desks are no better than sitting all day  finds study

A study comprising over 80,000 adults in the UK who use standing desks found that the “ultimate antidote” to sitting at work does nothing to reduce the risk of stroke or heart failure. Rather it could increase risks for circulatory issues for some people. 

Standing desks have been marketed as the perfect antidote to sitting and staring at the screen all day at work. Users can stand and do their work but seem to have only been avoiding the likelihood of being called sedentary. Their risks for cardiovascular disease and stroke remained quite the same. 

Participants' use of health monitors confirmed that spending 30 minutes standing more than two hours every day increased the risk for deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins by 11 percent. 

What should people do then? Researchers suggest scheduling time for structured exercises regularly and adding incidental movement during the day. To reduce the amount of time spent sitting, stand up between work, take a walk, walk during a meeting, use the stairs, do not eat lunch at the table, or go for a walk. 

The research was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

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Photosynthesis possible on Mars says NASA

A new study published by researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA shows that meltwater under Martian ice receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur and support life forms. On Earth, a similar process allows algae, fungi, and cyanobacteria to thrive. 

The researchers looked at Martian water ice which formed from snow received during the planet’s ice ages millions of years ago. The snow mixed with Martian dust and has solidified into ice.  

Since dust absorbs sunlight, it warms the ice, causing it to melt a few feet below the surface. On Earth, such melting of dust-containing ice creates cryoconite holes that melt further into the ice every summer. This generates a pocket of meltwater around them, which serves as an ecosystem for simple lifeforms. 

According to recent research, this phenomenon could occur up to nine feet below Martian ice and support photosynthesis while also protecting organisms from cosmic rays. 

The study was published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment. 

To know soil quality, researchers listen to it

Researchers at Flinders University in Australia have started deploying a new technology called ecoacoustics to determine the quality of soil. Using sophisticated microphones, the researchers listen to the movement of critters under the ground to determine if the soil quality is good, degraded, or being restored. 

Traditionally, farmers have counted the number of earthworms in the soil to determine whether it is good or not. But the soil ecosystem is not made up of earthworms alone, and in some parts of the world, earthworms are a pest. So, counting just one type of organism does not give the entire picture. 

Using ecoacoustics, researchers can differentiate movement of organisms such millipedes, worms and much more, all of which contribute to soil health. Larger number of inverterbrates in the soil, means more activity and more vibrations that they emit and can be recorded from the soil. 

The technology has previously been used to study coral reefs and oyster beds and monitor their health, but it is now being applied to soil as well.

The research findings were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

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Until next time,
Ameya