Gizmorama - September 7, 2015

Good Morning,

Do you think that your ice cream melts too fast? Well, researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Dundee University have discovered a protein that could help ice cream beat the heat. Who wants ice cream?!

Learn about this and more interesting stories from the scientific community in today's issue.

Until Next Time,
Erin

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*-- First evidence of galaxy 'metamorphosis' found by Cardiff University team --*
CARDIFF, Wales - A team of international scientists, led by astronomers from Cardiff University in Wales, have unraveled the history of galaxies -- providing first direct evidence of galaxy "metamorphosis."

For the study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, researchers observed about 10,000 galaxies in the universe. The scientists classified the galaxies into the two main types: flat, rotating, disc-shaped galaxies, such as our own -- the Milky Way -- and large, spherical galaxies with hordes of disordered stars.

"By observing the sky as it is today, and peering back in time using the Hubble and Herschel telescopes, the team have shown that a large proportion of galaxies have undergone a major 'metamorphosis' since they were initially formed after the Big Bang," Cardiff University said in a statement.

The team found that discovered galaxies can change their structure over the course of their lifetime.

The team also discovered that 83 percent of all stars formed since the Big Bang were initially in disc-shaped galaxies, but now there are only 49 percent -- with the rest belonging to spherical-shaped galaxies.

"By providing the first direct evidence of the extent of this transformation, the team hope to shed light on the processes that caused these dramatic changes, and therefore gain a greater understanding of the appearance and properties of the universe as we know it today," Cardiff University added. "The results suggest a massive transformation in which disc-shaped galaxies became spherical-shaped galaxies."

Popular theories suggest that galaxy "metamorphosis" is caused by cosmic catastrophes, where two disk-dominated galaxies that are too close to each other are forced by gravity to merge into a single galaxy -- causing the destruction of disks and the production of a huge accumulation of stars.

Another theory suggests that galaxy "metamorphosis" is a gentler process, where stars formed in a disk gradually move to the center of the disk and create a central compilation of stars.

"Many people have claimed before that this metamorphosis has occurred, but by combining Herschel and Hubble, we have for the first time been able to accurately measure the extent of this transformation," professor Steve Eales, lead author of the study from Cardiff University's School of Physics and Astronomy, said in a statement. "Galaxies are the basic building blocks of the universe, so this metamorphosis really does represent one of the most significant changes in its appearance and properties in the last 8 billion years."


*-- Scientists develop slow-melting ice cream --*
EDINBURGH, Scotland - Eating an ice cream cone on a hot afternoon is a race against time. But soon, scoop lovers may be able to savor their favorite treat, despite the heat.

Researchers have discovered a protein that makes ice cream more resistant to heat, slowing the melting process. The protein, called BslA (Bacterial Surface Layer A), could also enable food scientists to create products with few saturated fats (and fewer calories).

The protein is found naturally in and on colonies of the friendly bacteria Bacillus subtilis. It serves as a raincoat-like film, protecting the bacteria from the elements. BslA is present in foods that naturally contain the bacteria, including a fermented soybean product called natto, which is eaten for breakfast in Japan.

Researchers in Scotland, at the University of Edinburgh and Dundee University, have shown that the bacterial biofilm could also be used to protect and bind the three elements that form ice cream -- air, fat and ice.

"We're excited by the potential this new ingredient has for improving ice cream, both for consumers and for manufacturers," Cait MacPhee, a material scientist at Edinburgh, said in a press release.

Just as the protein protects the bacterial colonies, it binds to the fat droplets and ice bubbles in ice cream, keeping the mixture more stable and less vulnerable to heat.

"It has been fun working on the applied use of a protein that was initially identified due to its practical purpose in bacteria," said Nicola Stanley-Wall, a researcher at the University of Dundee.

Scientists say the technology could be in the freezer aisles of local grocers in three to five years. Until then, grab extra napkins.

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