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New Antifreeze Molecule Isolated In Alaskan Beetle
Arvisp writes with the news of a recently discovered antifreeze molecule in an Alaskan beetle that departs from most commonly identified natural antifreeze. "'The most exciting part of this discovery is that this molecule is a whole new kind of antifreeze that may work in a different location of the cell and in a different way,' said zoophysiologist Brian Barnes, director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology and one of five scientists who participated in the Alaska Upis ceramboides beetle project. Just as ice crystals form over ice cream left too long in a freezer, ice crystals in an insect or other organism can draw so much water out of the organism's cells that those cells die. Antifreeze molecules function to keep small ice crystals small or to prevent ice crystals from forming at all. They may help freeze-tolerant organisms survive by preventing freezing from penetrating into cells, a lethal condition. Other insects use these molecules to resist freezing by supercooling when they lower their body temperature below the freezing point without becoming solid."
Now they can develop a candy for kids in the wintertime so they can stop sticking their tongues to metal posts!
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. - Peter F. Drucker
For the record, i can't RTFA from where i'm posting.
Well of course not. This is Slashdot, after all.
How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
...the beetles have no protection against boil-over.
I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
Does that mean we'll finally be able to travel to Tau Ceti and give the Race a taste of it's own medicine?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Beetlejuice!
Only after we develop the ginger bomb.
Y3K? COBOL programmers could be very valuable.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
I used to drive a 1963 Beetle. They don't need antifreeze!
Have gnu, will travel.