Scientists
Report First Complete DNA Sequence of Plant Chromosomes
Scientists involved
in an international effort to sequence the entire
genome of Arabidopsis thaliana reported the
first complete DNA sequence of a plant chromosome
in the December 16, 1999, issue of the journal Nature.
The results provide new information about chromosome
structure, evolution, intracellular signaling and
disease resistance in plants. The research conducted
by U.S. participants was funded in large part by the
National Science Foundation (NSF), as well as the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department
of Energy. More...
Earthquake Network Intended to Help Save Lives and
Money
A computer network
linking experimentation facilities at universities
across the country promises to change the face of
earthquake research. The National Science Foundation
(NSF) will make available to the entire earthquake
engineering community monitoring and testing equipment,
modeling capabilities and an integrated data repository
by bringing multiple facilities under one "virtual
roof." The Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation
will help meet the national need of reducing and mitigating
the effects of earthquakes and make more efficient
use of the government's investment in earthquake science
and engineering. More...
Microscopic Images of Bacteria
from Lake Vostok.
Bacteria
May Thrive in Antarctic Lake Two separate
investigations of ice drilled at Lake Vostok, a suspected
body of subglacial water deep in the Antarctic interior,
indicate that bacteria may live thousands of meters
below the ice sheet. The findings by two National
Science Foundation-funded researchers were published
in the Dec. 10 issue of Science. Two
research teams, led by David M. Karl from the University
of Hawaii and John C. Priscu of Montana
taken from roughly 3,600
meters (11,700 feet) below the surface -- about 120
meters (393 feet) above the interface of ice and suspected
water. Both teams found bacteria in "accreted" ice,
or ice believed to be refrozen lake water.
More...
Tiny Sensors Could
Detect Patients' Signs NSF-supported
researchers at the University of Kentucky have created
tiny, thin-film sensors that can help measure conditions
such as pressure, temperature and viscosity inside
the human body, holding promise for minimally invasive
medical diagnostic techniques. The sensors can even
analyze chemical information such as pH and carbon
dioxide concentrations in the stomach.
More...