Are sacrificial bacteria altruistic or just unlucky?

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An investigation of the genes that govern spore formation in the bacteria B. subtilis shows that chance plays a significant role in determining which of the microbes sacrifice themselves for the colony and which go on to form spores.


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All News summaries for April 15, 2008

1,700-year old remains unearthed in Peru tomb

4 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
A Canadian-led team of archaeologists has unearthed the 1,700 year-old tomb of a leader of the pre-Columbian Moche culture in northern Peru, the scientists said.

EU ministers 'discover' biofuels not an obligation

7 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
European Union energy ministers announced during an informal meeting Saturday that they had been labouring for 18 months under the false impression that an EU plan to fight global warming included an obligation ...

Study: Orangutan populations declining sharply

Jul 05, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
(AP) -- Orangutan numbers have declined sharply on the only two islands where they still live in the wild and they could become the first great ape species to go extinct if urgent action isn't taken, a new ...

Farmers say salmonella scare has hurt tomato sales

Jul 05, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
(AP) -- Expect fewer slices of red, ripe tomatoes next to the grill this holiday weekend. With a salmonella scare causing many customers to shun what's normally a summertime favorite, tomato farmers nationwide ...

Bangladesh releases 25,000 protected turtles

Jul 04, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
Bangladeshi bio-marine experts have released 25,000 endangered baby turtles into the sea in the past two months as part of a state-run captivity breeding programme, an environmental official said Friday.
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