Clue to Mysterious Biological Clock Cycle

Humans as well as living organisms have a circadian life rhythm, generated from an internal clock. Researchers have found tiny molecules known as miRNAs are central constituents of the circadian clock. This discovery holds an array of applications for the future such as the sleep deprivation and disorders related to daily life cycle.

Reference: Science Daily

Longevity Gene

Researchers at the University of Missouri have taken a step towards increasing the level and quality of activity in elderly. The "longevity" gene is proven to energize mice during exercise and maybe applicable to humans in the future. It is more important to increase health span than a simple lifespan increase.

Reference:

University of Missouri-Columbia. "Living Longer And Happier." ScienceDaily 21 August 2009. 21 August 2009 .

Insight of Evolution of Higher Life

Human beings may not have existed without the ancient fusing of two prokaryotes - actinobacteria and clostridia - to create 'double-membrane' prokaryotes, life forms without cellular nucleus. According to James Lake, UCLA molecular biologist, discovered the first prokaryote endosymbiosis (all other known endosymbiosis involved cell that contains a nucleus).

The oxygen on Earth is the result of a subgroup of these double-membrane prokaryotes, called cyanobacteria. They harnessed the sun's energy using photosynthesis to produce oxygen. Furthermore, the double-membrane prokaryotic fusion supplied the mitochondria that are present in every human cell.

Reference

University of California - Los Angeles. "Research Reveals Major Insight Into Evolution Of Life On Earth." ScienceDaily 20 August 2009. 21 August 2009 .

First Discovery of Life's Building Block in Comet

NASA scientists have found glycine, a fundamental building block of life, in samples of cornet Wild 2. Glycine is an amino acid that make proteins.

This discovery supports the theory that life's ingredients are formed and delivered to Earth from meteorite and comet impacts.

Further information is published in the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

Reference: http://www.sciencedaily.com/