The globally increasing light pollution has negative effects on organisms and entire ecosystems. The consequences are especially hard on nocturnal insects, since their attraction to artificial light sources generally ends fatal. A new study by Swiss zoologists from the Universities of Basel and Zurich now shows that urban moths have learned to avoid light.
Researchers of the University of Basel and Empa have gotten a step closer to engineering artificial muscles: they have developed a method to generate nanometer-thin silicone films.
Natural products from bacteria and fungi are an important source of current and novel drugs, such as antibiotics. They are produced in the microorganisms by giant protein complexes that resemble industrial assembly lines. In the future, engineered assembly line proteins may help to produce a variety of drug candidates.
Spiders are known to be the classic example of insectivorous predators. Zoologists from the University of Basel, the US and UK have now been able to show that their diet is more diverse than expected. Their findings show that spiders like to spice up their menu with the occasional vegetarian meal.
Liposomes are currently used as drug delivery vehicles but recognized by the immune system. Scientists from the universities of Basel and Fribourg have shown that special artificial liposomes do not elicit any reaction in human and porcine sera as well as pigs.
Almost every second woman suffers from a bladder infection at some point in her life. In eighty percent of the cases, it is caused by the intestinal bacterium E. coli. It travels along the urethra to the bladder where it triggers painful infections. In “Nature Communications” researchers from the University of Basel and the ETH Zurich explain how this bacterium attaches to the surface of the urinary tract, which prevents it from being flushed out by the urine flow.
In the past two decades, water frogs have spread rapidly in Central Europe. Using a new statistical model, researchers from the University of Basel were now able to show that local species such as the Yellow-bellied Toad and the Common Midwife Toad are suffering from the more dominant water frogs.
Graphene, a modified form of carbon, offers versatile potential for use in coating machine components and in the field of electronic switches. Since it produces almost no friction at all, it could drastically reduce energy loss in machines when used as a coating.
Archaeologist Dr. Monika Baumanová’s research focuses on the development of urban environments in Africa from the 14th to the 20th century. She is particularly interested in the interplay between spatial and social change. The visiting researcher, currently at the University of Basel’s Centre for African Studies, gives us an insight into her work.
