Latest Spore Stories
A new video game called "Spore," the result of a four year collaboration between video game designer Will Wright and a group of scientists, is teaching players evolutionary biology. Wright is the designer of the most successful video game ever, The Sims, a franchise that lets players build the homes and lives of virtual characters. The game became a best seller for Electronic Arts and has a unique appeal to women.However, with Spore, Wright has made a life creation simulator...
One of the things that makes the valley unique is that failure here is viewed as a learning experience, not a mark of shame. Julie Wainwright of Pets.com fame -- remember the sock puppet? -- is the latest to put that mantra to the test. Wainwright, chief executive of one of the more notorious busts of the dot-com era, is back with -- you guessed it -- another dot-com. This time, instead of trying to sell pet food over the Internet, Wainwright has an idea that seems a bit more realistic. Her...
By Staff Report TROY -- This is a log of the questions called in or brought into the Horticulture Helpline run by the Miami County Master Gardeners. The help line operates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through August. Master Gardeners are available on these days to answer questions on the ground floor of the Courthouse in Troy. To ask a question, call (937) 440-3945. Sandy Czajka, Jack Hepler, Alisha Miller, Elaine Richards, Doris Shaver, Ed Smith and Marian Moeckel will staff the...
Genetic study finds chance helps determine fate of B. subtilis bacteriaAn investigation of the genes that govern spore formation in the bacteria B. subtilis shows that chance plays a significant role in determining which of the microbes sacrifice themselves for the colony and which go on to form spores.B. subtilis, a common soil bacteria, is a well-known survivor. When running short of food, it can alternatively band together in colonies or encase itself in a tough, protective spore to wait...
A new study examining social behavior suggests certain individuals are genetically programmed to cheat and often will do"¦providing they can get away with it.The researchers looked at slime molds "“ microscopic single-cell organisms or amoebae that are forced to cooperate with one another when food is in short supply. Studying slime molds at the cellular level provides the scientists with a unique insight into the genes that may also influence human behavior.The international team,...
By Janet GuttsmanNEW ORLEANS -- Take a flooded building in steamy New Orleans, and within days dark mold blooms on every surface, bringing the stench of decay to much of the hurricane-hit city.Authorities encourage residents to wear masks and protective clothing when clearing their homes, especially during dusty work like removing drywall. They say the risk depends on a person's overall health and exposure to mold.But an environmental group, alarmed by readings that show mold spores at...
UPTON, NY -- As part of the search for better ways to track and clean up soil contaminants, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University have developed a new way to "image" the internal chemistry of bacteria. The technique will allow scientists to "see" at the molecular level how soil-dwelling microbes interact with various pollutants. The method might also help scientists better understand and prevent bacterial...
