The largest bacteria?
A new species of bacteria, Magnificent Thiomargariteit is an average of 1 centimeter long and can be seen with the naked eye, making it the largest bacterium discovered so far. Erin Garcia de Jesus reported in “Newly discovered bacteria make quite a stir” (SN: 7/16/22 and 7/30/22, pg. 17).
Reader J C Smith noted that another article in the journal appears to contradict the findings in this story. In “live wires,” Nikk Ogasa reported that bacteria on the cable, which channel electricity, can grow up to 5 centimeters long (SN: 7/16/22 and 7/30/22, pg. 24).
This is not a contradiction Garcia de Jesus He says. T magnify it is a species of unicellular bacteria, which means that all the cellular functions necessary for the survival of the organism occur within its single cell. Cable bacteria, on the other hand, are multicellular, with different cells performing different functions. “T magnify It is the largest unicellular bacterium ever found. Garcia de Jesus He says.
Since bacteria are typically defined as single-celled organisms, the reader barry maletzky he wondered how the multicellular cable bacteria can be considered part of the group.
Most bacteria are unicellular ogasa says, but there are several multicellular species. “For example, some cyanobacteria, sometimes called blue-green algae, are also multicellular. That allows organisms to divide the jobs of photosynthesis and nitrogen uptake between cells.”
mapping the space
Massive objects that warp space-time can redirect gravitational waves. Researchers could one day harness those waves as a kind of gravity “radar” to peer inside stars and find globs of dark matter. asa stahl reported in “Gravitational-wave ‘radar’ could map the universe” (SN: 7/16/22 and 7/30/22, pg. 12).
Reader neil kaminar he wondered if changes in the frequency of light coming from massive objects could be used to detect the warping of space-time.
In theory, yes, it says glenn starkmann, a physicist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. When light travels through space-time to or from a massive object, gravity changes the frequency of the light, he says. Scientists have witnessed one form of this process, called gravitational redshift, in action on Earth.
But this effect probably wouldn’t be very useful when it comes to gravity radar, starman He says. After light moves towards a massive object, changing its frequency, it would move away from the object. That process would change the frequency of the light back to what it was before the encounter, mostly canceling the effect. starman He says.
science and society
In “We will not avoid covering politicized science,” chief editor Nancy Shute reflected in science news‘ history of reporting on the science of politically controversial topics and we affirm our commitment to continue that coverage (SN: 7/16/22 and 7/30/22, p. two).
brigitte dempsey I was glad to read by Shute editor’s note after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that had protected a person’s right to an abortion. Since then, debates about abortion and the biology of pregnancy have become more heated and precise science is often missing from discussions (SN: 7/16/22 and 7/30/22, p. 6). “Bravo for addressing the problem directly”, Dempsey wrote. “Our only hope of asserting reason… is to let science do the talking.”