Rotifers, Nematodes and Tardigrades Stock Microscopic Photography

 Rotifers (Philodina sp.), Light Micrograph

The bdelloid rotifer, found in freshwater habitats all over the world, is able to withstand extreme cold. According to a recent discovery in northeastern Siberia, these multicellular organisms can be frozen for up to 24,000 years and live to tell the tale!

The average life span of us humans, 78 years, is not much compared to other creatures. Some birds live up to 100 years, eels have been recorded at 106, tortoises 150, and Koi fish over 200. The slow moving Greenland shark has been recorded at 512 years.

Still these are just flashes in the pan compared to rotifers. Scientists recently restored rotifers that had been frozen in the Siberian permafrost for over 24,000 years, meaning these creatures were alive during the Late Pleistocene Era - when Wooly Mammoths roamed the earth.

Stock Images and Video of Rotifers and Other Long-lived Animals

A rotifer is part of a group of seemingly invincible creatures, such as nematodes and tardigrades. Tardigrades have even been sent to outer space and survived.

Rotifers are a type of microscopic animal that is often found in zooplankton in either freshwater or saltwater. Rev. John Harris, in 1696, was the first to mention these creatures. They are commonly referred to as wheel animals due to the motion of the cilia surrounding their mouths, which looks like a spinning wheel.

Rotifers are filter feeders that eat dead bacteria and other decaying organic matter. When they move around, they compress their bodies into round shapes and extend out into a long thin shape. In terms of size they can range from 50 micrometers to over 2 millimeters.

Neurigenetics

 Neurogenetics is the study of the nervous system as it pertains to genetics. Using phenotypes, or observable characteristics and traits, neurogenetics attempts to reach conclusions about individuals of one or more species on the basis of hereditary.

Seymour Benzer, considered by many as the father of neurogenetics, made his first discovery in the field of neurogenetics when he pinpointed a link between the circadian rhythm and genes. He found that animals go through cycles of sleeping and waking naturally and not by anything learned or developed. This led him to further investigations in the traits and behaviors of individuals as they relate to genetics. Benzer went on to make groundbreaking discoveries in neurodegeneration when he discovered similarities between fruit fly and human genes. This helped him isolate neurological diseases in humans.

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Advances in molecular biology and the species-wide genome project have made it possible to map an individual's entire genome. While this information is key to understanding neurobiology, a comprehensive picture of an individual’s traits and behaviors can only be achieved by taking into account additional factors.

The classic debate of nature vs. nurture clarifies that one’s genes are not the only determinant of a given biological outcome. Science reveals that traits and behaviors are due to a confluence of many genes, as well as regulatory factors like neurotransmitter levels and one’s environmental influences.

New developments in genetic engineering are being used to alter genetic material to potentially negate or suppress the effects of genetically linked diseases. Innovations in technologies, such as CRISPR, allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome.

 It is possible that one day genetic editing could be used to cure neurogenic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's. Research on this front, however, is still ongoing.

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The History of Christmas

As people put up Christmas trees and decorate their homes, it’s easy to believe these traditions have been around since the year one, but Christmas and the holidays surrounding December 25th have taken many forms.

The origin of Christmas comes from three sources: it is the date of the winter solstice on the Roman calendar, it is about nine months from the vernal equinox (March 25th) and it is the date set for the birth of Christ.

Before Christendom the Roman Empire celebrated Saturnalia, a holiday honoring the Roman god, Saturn, the farther of Jupiter. During Saturnalia social customs were flipped upside down. Slaves ate at their master’s tables, women flirted with men and gambling was permitted. Saturnalia also involved public banquets and gift giving, which may have influenced later Christian traditions. There were even reports of naked caroling!

Origins of Christmas stock Image Gallery

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The Christmas tree has its origins in 16th century Germany. While writing a sermon at night in a starry evergreen forest, the Protestant Christian reformer, Martin Luther, is said to have added lighted candles to a tree and put it into his house. Other Protestant Germans brought similar trees into their homes and the tradition spread. By the second half of the 19th century, the tradition had moved beyond Germany, first among the upper classes and eventually into lower areas of society.

While you are making your shopping rounds this holiday season, attending religious services or making time to be with family, reflect on the long history behind the season. Be sure to also check out great holiday gifts below and click the links above to see more historical images of the origins of Christmas.

From all of us from Science Source Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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Immunotherapy: Your Immune System is Cancer's Biggest Enemy

There’s no doubt about it - our immune systems are powerful. We’ve all had moments where we don’t pay much attention to our immune systems because of lack of sleep or high stress and had to endure bouts of sneezing, coughing, or fever in the coming days. Some of us have taken extra steps to make sure our immune systems are as strong as possible and noticed how invincible it feels to go months without getting sick. Everyday function, brain power, and physical ability depend strongly on our body’s ability to fight off viruses and disease.

The power that our immune system provides in determining our health can even be utilized to fight cancer. Immunotherapy is a method of cancer treatment that helps to strengthen the immune system to be able to fight cancer cells better, as well as direct the immune system towards specific cancer cells.

RF and RM Images and Video of Immunotherapy

A large number of cells in our body aid in the immune system. White blood cells (lymphocytes) recognize foreign bodies such as viruses and fight them with antibodies, which are proteins that are sent out to bind to these foreign bodies. T cells are a specific type of white blood cell that search for, capture and destroys foreign bodies and infected cells.

Immunotherapy works with these cell types to focus in on cancer cells and kill as many as possible. There are many different methods of immunotherapy that enhance the immune system in a variety of ways.

Proteins called monoclonal antibodies (therapeutic antibodies) can be created in a laboratory and used for immunotherapy. These antibodies are introduced into the body to flag cancer cells so the immune system can more easily detect them.

Checkpoint inhibitors can be put into a patient’s bloodstream to disable proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells. These proteins attach to T cells, and can activate or deactivate the immune system when needed. Because cancer cells can pose as normal cells and pass a T cell checkpoint without any activation of the immune system, checkpoint inhibitors are used to make sure that T cells will be activated to help destroy cancer cells with each encounter.

Adoptive cell transfer is a form of therapy that can also help boost the function of T cells. In this method, T cells are taken from the body, and the cells that are most defensive are grown and multiplied in a lab and put back into the body intravenously.

Prints of Cancer and the Immune System

Through the technology that scientists now have available in labs, immunotherapy provides another option for cancer treatment which can give many patients more hope. Although this type of therapy has its own side effects, and sometimes has the potential to damage the body, it has been known to successfully treat some cancers when radiation or chemotherapy failed, and can also enhance the effectiveness of other methods of treatment when used in combination.

Overall, it has the potential to provide hope to many of millions of people around the world affected by cancer.

• livescience.com
• cancer.gov
• immunology.org
• pacificimmunology.com
• tcells.org

NASA and the Space Age

In 1957, an amazing spectacle appeared in the North American night sky – Sputnik, the first satellite to enter Earth’s orbit. The USSR had successfully sent a rocket into outer space, thus beginning the space race, an event which would last a decade and challenge the best and brightest of two nations.

In response to Sputnik, President Dwight D. Eisenhower created NASA, the first American administration for space exploration in 1958. With Project Mercury, NASA attempted to make the first manned mission into space but failed to beat the Russians, who sent Yuri Gagarin into orbit in 1961. A month later Alan Shepard became the first American in space and John Glenn followed soon after, orbiting the Earth three times in 1962.

Gallery of NASA Stock Images and Videos

In the Sixties, NASA entered a new era. With the cold war raging and the threat of nuclear armament on the horizon, President John F Kennedy vowed to redouble NASA’s efforts and put an American on the moon by the end of the decade. In 1965, NASA began the Spacelab project, sending the first space station into Earth’s orbit. Despite sustaining damage during take off, the station was repaired in space and orbited the Earth until 1979.

The success of Spacelab led to NASA’s famous Apollo missions to the moon. After many failed attempts, Apollo 8 became the first shuttle to circle the moon in 1968. The following year, the USSR accomplished its first moon tour, leaving the space race at a stalemate.

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With the cold war raging in the east, astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong of Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon in 1969. The mission effectively ended the space race and cemented America’s place as the world leader in space exploration. Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became national heroes and were awarded the Presidential Metal of Freedom later that year.

Since then, NASA has continued its exploration of space sending probes to every planet in our solar system, including the dwarf planet, Pluto. It also landed four rovers on Mars, the last of which, Curiosity, is still collecting data from its craters today.

The recent image of a black hole in the M87 galaxy is more proof of human potential in space exploration. For the Space Age to advance, we must continue NASA’s legacy into the future. For more astronomy images check out the gallery above, and for unique astronomy gifts check out our store front below.

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nasa.com

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