Massive Proteins Turn Bacteria into Microbe-Eaters
Studies suggest that there is a massive protein, considered the largest known protein to date, that may help deadly aquatic bacteria swallow other microbes. This new giant protein is encoded by a bacterial gene found in sewage. It seems to belong to a family of giant proteins hosted by bacteria that consume other microbes. However, growing these bacteria in the lab is challenging – a necessary step to confirm the existence of these proteins in the real world.
Food Finally on the Agenda of the Global Climate Conference
After three decades of climate summits, 134 countries have signed the first global declaration aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food production at the COP28 meeting on December 1. Food accounts for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, so researchers welcome the move. If people shift to primarily eating plants and reduce meat consumption, it could cut a quarter of food emissions. This would have a similar effect if food loss and waste were cut in half. Understanding what can be politically acceptable is the next big challenge.
Publish or Perish Creates “Non-Stop Authors”
Global analyses of research published by extremely productive authors – those who publish, on average, every five days – indicate that the number of these authors has rapidly increased since 2016. John Ioannidis, one of the study’s authors, says, “I suspect that questionable research practices and fraud may lie behind some of the more extreme behaviors.” Outside of physics (excluded due to unusual writing practices), the number of extremely productive authors in most countries has more than doubled between 2016 and 2022. Some countries have seen faster growth. Saudi Arabia had the highest numbers of “non-stop authors,” while Thailand had the fastest increase.
Wish List of Major Physics Projects in the U.S.
A powerful committee of U.S. funding scientists is urging support for five unprecedented physics projects. Topping the wish list are a set of radio telescope projects to study radiation created in the moments after the Big Bang. Other projects include experiments to study elementary particles called neutrinos, a Higgs boson particle manufacturing device, and a dark matter detector.
Radical Change in the French Science System
France has announced a €1 billion plan to enhance university independence, reduce bureaucratic burdens on researchers, and establish a council to advise the president on science. Some researchers have welcomed the reform, considered the largest in about two decades. Others point out that institutes face immediate issues that won’t be resolved by high-level changes. Biologist Patrick Lemaire says, “Given the current state of the world, the time is not right to divert scientists from their work with unplanned and controversial policies.”
Sexual Harassment Harms Science and Wastes Money
Leading academics and research leaders emphasize that sexual harassment in science wastes taxpayer-funded resources. A 2023 study involving nearly a quarter of a million academics in the U.S. found that women leave research at much higher rates than men. Toxic work environments are cited as the primary reason women give for leaving academia. Writers argue that it is time to reform the systems that reward harassment with public funding and protect perpetrators from discrimination and harassment.
How to Prevent Zombie Projects
Some projects suffer from stagnation, taking up mental space and emotional energy. Here are some tips on how to deal with a “zombie” project:
- Reevaluate
- Revive it by defining its scope, holding a writing retreat, or calling in reinforcements.
- Accept that it won’t happen – or pitch it to someone else.
- Freeze it for a year.
- Be tough and reward yourself when you tackle one project at a time.
Quote of the day: “Some tribes in the Midwest are really struggling, and I thought to myself, if we can launch a solar farm there, we can do it anywhere.” – Cody Two Bears of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota on how Indigenous people are embracing solar farms as a means of sustainable energy generation. (BBC Future | 11 min read)
Source: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03980-w
Did you find the penguin? Here’s the answer.
Thank you for reading,
Sarah Tomlin, Nature Briefing
With contributions from Katharina Kramer
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