3-D RNA modeling opens scientific doors
In a paper published today in the journal Nature Methods, a team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrates a simple, cost-effective technique for three-dimensional RNA structure prediction that will help scientists understand the structures, and ultimately the functions, of the RNA molecules that dictate almost every aspect of human cell behavior. When cell behavior goes wrong, diseases – including cancer and metabolic disorders – can be the result. Over the past five decades, scientists have described more than 80,000 protein structures, most of which are now publicly available and provide important information to medical researchers searching for targets for drug therapy. However, a similar effort to catalogue RNA structures has mapped only a few hundred RNA molecules. As a result, the potential of RNA molecules has just barely been developed as targets for new therapeutics.
Chapter 4: The Periodic Table & Bonding
Show a picture of a pencil point and how the carbon atoms look at the molecular level. Project the image Pencil Zoom. Students should be familiar with the parts of the atom from Chapter 3 but reviewing the main points is probably a good idea.
Island of Stability
PBS Airdate: October 3, 2006 NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON: Okay, remember this thing? That mysterious chart of boxes from chemistry class?
TED-Ed Chemistry
TED-Ed LESSONS 110,194 Views There are over one billion cars in the world right now, getting people from point A to point B.... 107,195 Views
Researchers develop new method to detect, analyze DNA and RNA
(Phys.org)—University of Georgia researchers have employed specially designed nanomaterials to develop a new, label-free DNA detection method that promises to reduce the cost and complexity of common genetic tests. Their discovery may be used to help clinicians diagnose certain cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. It can detect the presence of viruses in tissue. And it can be used for a variety of forensic applications, such as paternity testing or crime scene DNA analysis. Led by Yiping Zhao, professor of physics in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and director of the university's Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, and Ralph Tripp, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, the researchers proved the efficacy of their new DNA analysis method by experimenting with short strands of RNA called microRNA. Their research was published recently in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Threshold 2: Stars Light Up
Light travels fast. In one second it races around the Earth seven times. In 1.29 seconds, it reaches the Moon.
Graphing the Periodic Table
The periodic table organizes over 100 known elements into 18 columns and seven rows. The columns are called groups (or families), and rows are called periods. The layout of the table—arranged by increasing atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus)—shows trends and patterns within periods and groups, which can be used to predict the properties of an element given its place in the table. Trends in properties of the elements can be explained by electron configurations.
Stanley Miller and the Quest to Understand Life’s Beginning
Thursday 26th July saw the launch of SciLogs.com, a new English language science blog network. SciLogs.com, the brand-new home for Nature Network bloggers, forms part of the SciLogs international collection of blogs which already exist in German, Spanish and Dutch. To celebrate this addition to the NPG science blogging family, some of the NPG blogs are publishing posts focusing on “Beginnings.” Participating in this cross-network blogging festival is nature.com’s Soapbox Science blog, Scitable’s Student Voices blog and bloggers from SciLogs.com, SciLogs.de, Scitable and Scientific American’s Blog Network. Join us as we explore the diverse interpretations of beginnings – from scientific examples such as stem cells to first time experiences such as publishing your first paper. You can also follow and contribute to the conversations on social media by using the #BeginScights hashtag. – Bora
Threshold 1: The Big Bang
Two scientists with the best equipment available were getting nothing but interference. Maybe the pigeons were to blame. A flock of pigeons had taken to perching atop the big metal “horn” of their radio antenna near Holmdel, New Jersey, in 1964. Shaped like a giant ear canal 20 feet wide and 50 feet deep, the horn's smooth interior was designed to receive extremely faint radio signals from far off. The two scientists figured the droppings had to be what was interfering with their readings.
