Spring/summer 2008

Daphnia eat algae, and fish eat daphnia. Big fish eat the little fish, and people eat the big fish. If there are pollutants in the water, they can build up with each successive meal. The process is called bioaccumulation. ASU researchers want to know if nanomaterials are subject to this buildup. --by Melissa Crytzer Fry

Plants need sunlight to produce energy, but too much light can injure or kill them. Plants use a sophisticated process to defend against this damage. ASU scientists designed a molecule that mimics this process in order to understand adaptive self-regulation, a critical feature for advancing nanotechnology. --by Skip Derra

In the world of birds, where fancy can be as fleeting as flight, the color of the bird apparently has a profound effect on more than just its image. A new study of barn swallows reveals it also affects the bird's physiology. --by Skip Derra

Could nanomaterials be toxic to humans? ASU scientists are using a filter membrane system that mimics the small intestine to find out. --by Melissa Crytzer Fry

Lake Tanganyika is an ecological jewel at the heart of desperate human misery. Prohibitions on fishing--designed to protect the fragile ecosystem--have angered local fishermen. These kinds of tensions between conservationists and local people are common. ASU researchers are working to strike a balance. --by Adelheid Fischer

Nanomaterials are in or on the surface of thousands of the products you use every day. They are part of toothpaste, stain-resistant clothing, sunscreens, plastic water bottles, and more. ASU researchers want to know if these microscopic materials are also making their way into the environment, drinking water and, ultimately, your body. --by Melissa Crytzer Fry

The Vortis Insect Suction Sampler vacuums bugs off of plants. Researcher Stan Faeth uses the tool to study what kind of bugs inhabit particular plants, and their relationships to them. --by Margaret Coulombe

Microbial symbionts live in the guts of animals, the interiors of corals, and the roots of plants. They help plants take up nutrients and help cows break down cellulose, but they can also be harmful to their hosts. Stan Faeth wants to understand the relationship between symbionts, their hosts, and their role in everything from conservation to cancer cures. --by Margaret Coulombe

Room for experiments on the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station is hard to come by. Sometimes scientists have to mimic the effects of space right here on Earth. --by Margaret Coulombe

Scientists have learned plenty about how life in outer space affects the human body. But what about germs and other nasty microorganisms? Cheryl Nickerson wants to know how disease-causing pathogens themselves are affected by space travel. --by Margaret Coulombe