Mars may be cold and barren, but it might have supported life! At least, that’s what scientists think, after finding rocks with some very interesting spots. These markings, nicknamed “leopard spots” and “poppyseeds,” are minerals that could have been made by Martian microbes, early in the planet’s history. They were discovered by the Perseverance Rover, which has been exploring Mars since its 2021 landing.
The rover has been focused on Mars’s Jezero Crater, which used to be a huge lake with a river running into it before drying up billions of years ago. Now, Perseverance collects samples to analyze in its onboard lab! Car Bluetooth is cool but c’mon, it’s no analysis lab…
These rocks aren’t exactly the video diary of an alien’s day in the life on Mars, but they could be the clearest sign of life ever found on Mars, which is thought to be one of the most promising places in our Solar System to look for life outside of Earth. The only way to confirm if the minerals were made by microbes is to get them back to Earth, so NASA and the European Space Agency have proposed a mission to collect them. It’ll be expensive, but this could be the answer to if there was life on other planets!
The article "Why Cheese Tastes So Good ... and Smells So Strange!" from BBC's Science Focus explores why cheese is so delicious and sometimes smelly. It explains how bacteria and fungi change milk into cheese and create its unique flavors. The article also looks at why our brains crave cheesy foods and why we enjoy strange smells in cheese.
The article "Mysterious Borg DNA Can Copy Genes From Other Cells!" from BBC's Science Focus explores the discovery of unique DNA entities. Found in wetland soil, these strands merge with archaeal host cells, enhancing their metabolism and gene capacity. Scientists believe Borgs could inspire CRISPR-like gene-editing tools and aid in combating climate change by boosting methane-eating microbes.
The article "Eating Insects Is Good for Your Gut" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the findings of a clinical trial that shows that eating insects can increase beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, offering potential health benefits beyond their nutritional value.
In How Amphibians Have Mastered Both Land and Water, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod explains how frogs’ skin has adapted to help them survive in different environments. Specifically, frogs' skin helps them breathe both on land and in water. Learn how frogs can absorb oxygen through their skin, which is essential for their survival, especially for species like the Titicaca frog that never needs to surface to breathe. See how the structure of a frog's skin serves other functions, such as keeping out harmful microbes, and how different species of frogs have unique adaptations that help them thrive in their habitats. This video is excerpted from Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body’s largest organ.
Mars may be cold and barren, but it might have supported life! At least, that’s what scientists think, after finding rocks with some very interesting spots. These markings, nicknamed “leopard spots” and “poppyseeds,” are minerals that could have been made by Martian microbes, early in the planet’s history. They were discovered by the Perseverance Rover, which has been exploring Mars since its 2021 landing.
The rover has been focused on Mars’s Jezero Crater, which used to be a huge lake with a river running into it before drying up billions of years ago. Now, Perseverance collects samples to analyze in its onboard lab! Car Bluetooth is cool but c’mon, it’s no analysis lab…
These rocks aren’t exactly the video diary of an alien’s day in the life on Mars, but they could be the clearest sign of life ever found on Mars, which is thought to be one of the most promising places in our Solar System to look for life outside of Earth. The only way to confirm if the minerals were made by microbes is to get them back to Earth, so NASA and the European Space Agency have proposed a mission to collect them. It’ll be expensive, but this could be the answer to if there was life on other planets!
The article "Why Cheese Tastes So Good ... and Smells So Strange!" from BBC's Science Focus explores why cheese is so delicious and sometimes smelly. It explains how bacteria and fungi change milk into cheese and create its unique flavors. The article also looks at why our brains crave cheesy foods and why we enjoy strange smells in cheese.
The article "Mysterious Borg DNA Can Copy Genes From Other Cells!" from BBC's Science Focus explores the discovery of unique DNA entities. Found in wetland soil, these strands merge with archaeal host cells, enhancing their metabolism and gene capacity. Scientists believe Borgs could inspire CRISPR-like gene-editing tools and aid in combating climate change by boosting methane-eating microbes.
The article "Eating Insects Is Good for Your Gut" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the findings of a clinical trial that shows that eating insects can increase beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, offering potential health benefits beyond their nutritional value.
In How Amphibians Have Mastered Both Land and Water, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod explains how frogs’ skin has adapted to help them survive in different environments. Specifically, frogs' skin helps them breathe both on land and in water. Learn how frogs can absorb oxygen through their skin, which is essential for their survival, especially for species like the Titicaca frog that never needs to surface to breathe. See how the structure of a frog's skin serves other functions, such as keeping out harmful microbes, and how different species of frogs have unique adaptations that help them thrive in their habitats. This video is excerpted from Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body’s largest organ.