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CUMULATIVE IMPACT. "In some cases, small genetic changes controlling floral traits not only generate a shift in the principal pollinators that visit the flowers, but also in the unwanted visitors, such as nectar-thieving ants." https://lnkd.in/dHD-ddW View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE continues from last weekend and concludes this weekend on plant-pollinator relationships. The unforeseen consequences, metaphorically, of the methods of plant reproduction, particularly not choosing the sexual partner directly, and the consequence of a sessile lifestyle, have forced plants to have intimate relationships with vector species who are reproductive intermediaries, and to find clever ways to reward them without being preyed on by them. Despite the challenges, plants have successfully achieved sexual reproduction and vegetative reproduction together. A complicated dance. View in LinkedIn

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABS. "On the electrical end, LLNL’s new wafer technology will use fairly high electrode counts, perhaps 500-1000 spots. While higher density 11,000-electrode chips have been par for the course in single neuron analysis, these chips will have more sparsely distributed electrode locations. Integrated light guides will provide conduits for optogenetic manipulations, and as an added bonus bi-directional fluid channels for any number of chemical exchanges are also etched in. To wire everything up, new standardized multiplexed connectors are also in the works.” https://lnkd.in/duuv7mx View in LinkedIn

BLACK BOX. “Until now the only serious effort to build an implantable memory device was that of Ted Berger’s lab at USC. As we have seen, with just a limited set of electrodes in hippocampal regions and no real clue as to what kinds of codes are involved (hint: the code is there are no codes), they have their work cut out for them." (2014). https://lnkd.in/duuv7mx View in LinkedIn

MEMORY IMPLANT TRAILS START 2015. "Two studies funded by the U.S. military's research wing suggest that implanted electrodes could improve memory.” http://europe.newsweek.com/human-trials-begin-memory-improving-brain-implants-335978 View in LinkedIn

PHYLOGENY OF LEAVES. "The evolutionary origin of leaves within the land plants is heavily debated. Some theories separate all vascular plant leaves into two groups based on their morphology: megaphylls (comprising leaves from seed plants and ferns) and microphylls (comprising leaves from lycophytes)." https://lnkd.in/dFqE_Ne View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE for this and the next next weekend focuses on the evolution of the leaf. We see them everyday. We have many of them in our houses. They are the emblem of our green planet. But how often have we stopped to contemplate the leaf? Like so many common objects, we become habituated to loosing curiosity about these extraordinary objects. View in LinkedIn

POLYPLOIDY PLUS HYBRIDIZATION. "An analysis of chromosome counts across multiple genera led Wood et al. to predict that polyploidy accounts for 15% of angiosperm speciation events. Furthermore, many polyploids form in association with interspecific hybridization (allopolyploidy)." https://lnkd.in/dHD-ddW View in LinkedIn