Last Week In Science: 11th May 2020
Select science stories from the last seven days.
Another weekly dose of science news. This week: weed, flies and black holes.
Life on the Rocks
“Does it mean there is life on Mars? We cannot say, but it gives us an idea of how crafty microorganisms can be.” — Professor Jocelyne DiRuggiero
Life finds a way. At least according to Jeff Goldblum’s character in Jurassic Park. But understanding how life finds a way can teach us a lot about how to survive in the harshest of environments. Research funded by the US military has shown how some microbes are able to survive in extreme conditions. By observing how Chroococcidiopsis bacteria survive in their dessert habitat, researchers were able to piece together the lifestyle of this unusual organism. Chroococcidiopsis bores into rocky surfaces using acid where they can form a biofilm beneath the rock. This gives them protection from extreme temperatures and potentially fatal UV light from the sun, however surprisingly, it can also give them access to a water supply. The study showed that, when growing on gypsum, the bacteria were able to extract water that is usually trapped as part of the mineral’s crystalline structure, converting it to anhydrite. This is the first time such a survival strategy has been observed and it is believed that the results may aid future military biomanufacturing projects.
A Breathalyzer for Marijuana
“We want a simple breathalyzer that doesn’t require specialized training because a police officer is not a trained synthetic organic chemist.” — Dr. Evan Darzi
In the United States alone, fourteen million people smoke marijuana and drive. Yet, just like drinking alcohol, smoking leads to impaired driving skills and increased risk of an accident. As such, there is need for rapid and portable detection of marijuana use. Fortunately, chemists at UCLA may have discovered the chemistry required for such technology. The technology detects the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the active component of cannabis. By applying electricity, THC is converted from its natural form of a phenol to a quinone form. These two compounds have slightly different colours, i.e. they absorb light at different wavelengths. By measuring the change in absorption the presence of THC in a sample can be easily detected.
Backyard Black Hole
“This system contains the nearest black hole to Earth that we know of.” — Dr. Thomas Rivinius
Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) have discovered a new black hole — Earth’s closest. Its location was given away by its two companion stars, which orbit it to create a triple system. At only one thousand light years away, the system can be seen with the naked eye. Unlike other black holes, the new discovery does not interact violently with its surroundings meaning it was much more difficult to spot. This discovery should facilitate the discovery of even more black holes in our galaxy.
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