Scientists discover that bacteria has 'memories' that pass on to future generations
Scientists have made an astonishing discovery that suggests bacteria contain memories to be passed on to future generations. Researchers at the University of Texas and the University of Delaware found that despite having no brain or nervous system, certain bacteria may be able to form memories and remember certain behaviours depending on the available cellular iron. When iron levels are low, bacteria can hunt for local iron in their environment, prompting scientists to believe its memory has evolved, according to Science Alert. "Bacteria don’t have brains, but they can gather information from their environment, and if they have encountered that environment frequently, they can store that information and quickly access it later for their benefit," Souvik Bhattacharyya, the lead author of the recent study said. "We show [...] that a prior experience of swarming is remembered when Escherichia coli encounters a new surface, improving its future swarming efficiency," Souvik explained. "An iron-based memory might offer the advantage of providing a hub connecting various stress responses such as antibiotic survival and biofilms." The 'memories' lasted for around four generations, before generally coming to an end by the seventh. "Before there was oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, early cellular life was utilizing iron for a lot of cellular processes. Iron is not only critical in the origin of life on Earth, but also in the evolution of life,” the study author went on to explain. "It makes sense that cells would utilize it in this way." How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-11-24 22:21
Science has determined what the optimum length of time we should spend in a bath
There's nothing better than a hot bath to warm up and unwind on a chilly winter evening - but water bills don’t come cheap, so it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re making the most of your time in the tub. So how long should we be spending in the bath? Well, a recent study has uncovered that 22 minutes is the optimum length of time to spend in the bath. The study conducted by Victorian Plumbing sought to discover ULTIMATE bath time for relaxation, hydration and a good night’s sleep. There were 20 participants involved in the experiment - half male and half female - who took baths of varying lengths and rated how they felt afterward based on a number of factors. The study concluded that 22 minutes is the optimum amount of time to spend in the tub - to feel relaxed, hydrated, and sleep well after. Soaking should stop at 27 minutes if you don’t want to stay feeling hydrated post-bath, according to the study. This supports the advice of some professionals, who suggest that baths should be no longer than 30 minutes. It was also uncovered that baths impact men and women slightly differently. Women have a better night’s sleep after a longer bath, ideally, 30 minutes long, whereas men sleep better after 19 minutes. Those who felt more relaxed after the baths had scrolled on their phone during their time in the tub, whereas those who watched TV were found to be the least. Sorry to burst your bubble bath lovers, but the findings also suggest that people who take more baths are generally more stressed - although they find them more relaxing than shower- on the whole. “When the nights start getting colder in the UK, we tend to see an increase in Brits looking to buy a bath. And who can blame them? There are a number of benefits of a bath; they’re soothing, and cleansing and studies have even suggested that there are similar benefits to exercise," Brenna Ryan from Victorian Plumbing said about the study's findings. “To help you get the most out of your bath, we conducted a study which found that the optimum time to spend in the tub is 22 minutes - to leave you feeling relaxed, hydrated and sleep like a baby.” How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-11-24 19:59
UAE’s Flagship Renewables Firm Isn’t The Giant It Claims
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2023-11-24 19:22
Amazon hit by strikes, protests across Europe during Black Friday trade
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2023-11-24 19:20
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2023-11-24 19:18
Germany Must Be Able to Run Budget Deficits, Ifo’s Fuest Says
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2023-11-24 18:59
Karpowership Wins Approval for Second South African Site
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2023-11-24 18:54
UK Concerned About Japan’s Co-Firing Plans to Curb Emissions
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2023-11-24 17:54
South Africa’s Climate Pact to Channel Money to Coal Belt
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2023-11-24 14:48
COP28 Holds Key to Global Carbon Market That Could Help Improve Offsets
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2023-11-24 13:55
Exclusive-Nvidia delays launch of new China-focused AI chip -sources
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2023-11-24 13:51
There Are Seven Differences Separating These Scenes—Try Spotting Them All
There are seven differences separating these messy scenes—see if you can spot them all in under a minute.
2023-11-24 04:24