How Plants Grow Towards Light

It is very important for plants to grow towards the direction of light early in their life. Plants first start to grow in the dark getting their nutrients from starch and lipids, but once they reach the surface of the ground they grown against gravity. Plants are very light sensitive and are able to find the fastest path towards it by elongating their cells to bend towards the light. The substance that scientists thought helps the plant elongate is called auxin once it reaches the target site, and the protein called PIN helps it do so. Scientists are were still unsure if auxin really is involved in the process. Charles Darwin was the first to describe plants and their ability to grow towards light. Scientists ran tests on the plants and found that without auxin in the plants would not grow towards the light.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/05/28/how_do_plants_grow_toward_the_light.html

Nos Themes

Science is based on evidence because the scientists did an experiment on the plant

Stem Cells Control Production of Eggs?

It has been questioned for a while now if stem cells are used or not for adult mammals to make eggs. These germ-line stem cells may lead to treatment of infertility and other diseases (biologynews). Recently, scientists have discovered that mice do not use the stem cells to make eggs. In mice and humans, there are many germ cells in babies before birth. Many form into eggs and it is believed that you are born with a set number of eggs. The female goes into menopause when she runs out. This is why it was believed that germ-line stem cells were being used to produce more eggs, and sustain ovulation. These claims have now been proven wrong.

A New and Easy Way to Burn Loose Extra Weight?

There are different kinds of fat cells including white fat cells and brown fat cells. Excess weight comes from white fat cells which store extra food, but brown fat cells burn the extra energy, resulting in losing more weight. Now, Professor Dr. Alexander Pfeifer and other scientists working with him are developing new ways of turning the white cells into brown cells. They discovered a way to "switch" microRNA in mice to turn the white cells into brown cells. MicroRNA is very important because it controls gene activity. The specific gene if microRNA 155 that controls brown fat function (biology news). When microRNA is controlling the production of brown white cells, it is limiting the amount being made, but they found a way to to make the transcription produce brown fat faster to make themice burn fat quicker. When the proportions are off, the cell will read it, and they will keep making more brown fat cells. The scientists are now looking toward the future, and they want to start developing drugs to lower the obesity rate. They are confident that it will work in humans, just as it did with the mice, but it will be a while until they develop a suitable drugs.

NOS Themes:
Role of motivation and curiosity because scientists want to combat obesity by trying to make it easer to lose weight.
Science is collaborative because Pfeifer and other scientists are working together to solve the problem.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/04/23/love_handles_melt_away_at_the_push_of_a_button.html