Topics of Interest: June 10, 2023
So many shiny things; so little time
Looking back at the saved sources over the past week, each of these were interesting enough to me that any of them could have been a full post here.
Instead, I'll just point, and you can write your own story for the one that might make you lean forward and want to know more. You can at least copy a link and save, for later perusal.
► Asgard Cells
A distinct, previously-unknown and very very early twig at the base of the tree of life has been found, identified and with great difficulty, cultured in a few labs around the world. This discovery is the source of much speculation about the parentage of the earliest EUKARYOTIC cells thought to have given rise to modern plants and animals.
Primitive Asgard Cells Show Life on the Brink of Complexity | WIRED
Researchers are working to cultivate primitive Asgard archaea cells from the deep sea floor in order to gain a better understanding of their evolutionary significance. The Asgard group of microbes are believed to be forerunners of complex life, and are important for understanding eukaryote evolution.
Yes, the name ASGARD has also gained a new life in the Marvel Productions universe, as pictured above. What goes around…
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► Ivory Billed Woodpecker
Scientists Say They’ve Seen the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. Did They? | NYT
Scientists say they’ve compiled evidence showing that the ivory-billed woodpecker, a kind of Holy Grail for American birders, still exists. What do you think?
I used to want badly to see them (and also the non-extinct but rare Red-Cockaded Woodpecker endangered since 1970) in Ann’s family land on Biloxi Bay in Mississippi. Never did.
► Mosses: Take a Hand Lens. Give them a Closer Look
The secret world of moss | The Conversation, ancient ancestor of all plants and vital for the health of the planet. They are more important and interesting than you might think! And they are everywhere!
The study of modern mosses’ and other bryophytes’ genetics and physiology has given researchers insights into the adaptations that allowed plants to transition from water to land – for example, the formation of partnerships with fungi to access soil nutrients. Their incredible resistance to environmental stress such as drought and UV radiation was also crucial to their ability to evolve on land.
And keep in mind that equally hardy Moss Piglets (Water Bears, Tardigrades) are common residents of this hardy land plant—a couple of super-hardy survivors that may outlive us on the Third Rock.
► Extinction In the Museum:
Discovered in Collections, Many New Species are Already Gone | UnDark
They are being called DARK EXTINCTIONS. (The name made me shudder.)
Studies of animal and plant specimens in museum and herbaria collections can uncover some of these dark extinctions. This can happen when scientists take a closer look at or conduct DNA analysis on specimens believed to represent known species and realize that these have actually been mislabeled, and instead represent new species that haven’t been seen in the wild in decades.
► New Focus on Appalachia by PBS
PBS Appalachia, which will cover Southwest Virginia, launches Saturday | Cardinal News
This will be housed in Bristol and will cover Southwest Virginia. AND by the way, if you live in SWVA, you should be reading Cardinal News.
PBS Appalachia has been approved for a total of $530,000 from the commission, and most of the money will go toward equipment, said Newman, a familiar face in Southwest Virginia because she was a longtime anchor for WCYB-TV 5 in Bristol. She noted that the station will invest in high-end equipment that will give the content a rich production quality and feel.
How long do you think it will be before the first camera crew comes to Floyd? We really don’t need swarms of new attention, but I’m betting we will get it.
My major professor at U. Tenn. was world known expert on mosses, especially Japan and Mexico. His name was A.J. Sharp. Her is why I became a botany major!
I want to know more about mosses.