DToL

DToL

Thank you for taking part in the Darwin Tree of Life actvity!

It’s the final day of the Darwin Tree of Life activity! Thank you students for taking part, attending live Chats and engaging with the scientists working on the project! Alex Davey has this to say:   “Fascinating range of questions from the students – from the fundamentals of climate change to our favourite species to career options! I hope we were able to provide some interesting answers.”     Quiz Winner! We had over 200 submissions of the final quiz! The winner was……… Lucy  from Winstanley College 🥳 Congratulations Lucy. Your voucher is on it’s way to you! 🥳    Want to win £20? It’s your final chance to fill out the survey. Remember you could be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher if you complete!   From everyone at the Darwin Tree of Life activity and I’m a Scientist thank you for taking part. We hope to … Continue reading →

Posted on July 15, 2022 by modhannah in DToL, Update | Tagged | Comments Off on Thank you for taking part in the Darwin Tree of Life actvity!

Which team is the winner? 🏆

It’s time to announce the final winner for the Darwin Tree of Life activity! We hope you’ve learnt something about the Darwin Tree of Life project, the scientists that are working on it and the scientific processes that are happening in this modern research project! Over 639 students have taken part in the activity with 172 questions being asked and 91 votes made! Here are a few of our favourite questions, follow the link to see the answers: What extraction methods do you use? What is your favourite thing about the Darwin Tree of Life project? How do you ensure that your DNA samples haven’t been contaminated? Throughout the activity students have been voting for their favourite scientist, giving them points for their team! The team with collectively the most votes from students will win a trophy! We are pleased to announce that the winning team is the… 🏆 CODE … Continue reading →

Posted on July 13, 2022 by modhannah in DToL | Tagged | Comments Off on Which team is the winner? 🏆

Surfing the net for fish sustainability! 🐟🦈

We walk, sit and read books by it but how much do we actually know about our seas and the creatures that live in them? 🌊🔍 Luke Lythgoe has been reporting about his colleagues who are building genomic notes and tracers to provide a more detailed picture of what happens in the deep blue of our seas.  Why is this important?  Well, such research and insight provides the tools to better aid conservation efforts. A key species is the Atlantic horse mackeral (Trachurus trachurus).  Once widespread in seas around Europe and Africa, it is now classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List – this document, formed of seven categories, assesses the conservation status of species at a global level.  Why so vulnerable?  Much of its decline is traced to overfishing as it is caught in huge numbers and used in everything from sushi to fish meal. The future of … Continue reading →

Posted on July 5, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Surfing the net for fish sustainability! 🐟🦈

Are you sett for this new discovery? 🦡

Research into the European Badger (Meles meles) and their extraordinary nocturnal behaviours is really rather exciting… have you heard the good news!?  The University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (Wild CRU) and Wellcome Sanger Institute have been looking into how badger biology and behaviour are giving us insights into the impacts of disease and climate change on the UK landscape. They collected some blood samples from an individual badger plus both of its parents (don’t worry, they are all happy and healthy) in Wytham Woods – a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Oxford.  They then extracted DNA from the samples, to sequence and build a genome profile.  The best thing about this?  Well, the badger is an indictor species of climate change.  Because of its widespread habitat – across much of Eastern Europe, Asia and Japan – badgers are a good model species through which to assess … Continue reading →

Posted on June 27, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Are you sett for this new discovery? 🦡

Are we lichen what we see? 🌿

Ever wondered what that scaly stuff is growing on gravestones on churchyards?  Maybe you have noticed it and been amazed at the array of colours and textures but never could quite identify them. Sound familiar? Lichens are remarkable in being very difficult to identify.  They often grow in the most unremarkable and obscure places,  including in churchyards, on trees and even on the side of stone buildings.  Did you know that they are also a good indicator of clean air – as many hate pollution! This week, Rebecca Yahr from the Plant Power team, attempts to uncover fact from fiction. In the process, she explains how the Darwin project is helping scientists discover more about lichens and educate us all about their importance. Read more here    

Posted on June 23, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Are we lichen what we see? 🌿

Darwin Tree of Life was on the news! 📰

Rebecca Morelle, a science editor for the BBC, picked up on the fantastic work being conducted by the scientists as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project.  How fantastic is that! We are delighted that the project is being recognised for its ambition and the ground-breaking research that it is hoping to produce. This project, to sequence over 70,000 species (yes, you heard that right, 70,000!) is ambitious for many reasons.  Not least because the goal is to make history by 2030! 8 years from now. Do you think they can do it? What is the species you would like to see sequenced next? Let us know in the comments. Jamie McGowan, who is part of the Perfect Protists team, has been busy with some pond water.  He is set up in the lab, looking through a microscope at a single drop of water. In this single drop, there … Continue reading →

Posted on June 17, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Darwin Tree of Life was on the news! 📰

All Things Fungal!

Did you know that fungi are more closely related to animals than plants? That they make countless contributions to medical, industrial, agricultural and sustainable applications? That they also recycle nutrients, help plants absorb water and help tackle accelerated climate change? Fungi are some of the least known and mysterious organisms on Earth and in this article, Richard Wright, Elena Arrigoni and Ester Gaya uncover more of the untold secrets about them.  Working with the Plant and Fungal Explorers team, these three scientists are helping to record and describe more and more of these incredible species – over 3.5 million still need to be recorded though, so lets wish them good luck! Read more about the secret lives of fungi here

Posted on June 16, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , | Comments Off on All Things Fungal!

Do Yew know your history? 🌳

How well do you know all the tree species in the UK? Could you identify ash, birch, oak leaves from all the others?  How about Yew? The European Yew (Taxus baccata) is one of Britain’s most mysterious trees.  They are tied up in local and national legend, everything from Robin Hood to symbols of resurrection.  And in amongst all these tales of old, there are some remarkable stories of the restoration of Yew at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh! Max Coleman, part of the Plant Power team, is a big fan. Find out why and read more about this remarkable species of tree here 

Posted on June 9, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Do Yew know your history? 🌳

🐝 Release of full bee genome sequences creates a buzz

Bumblebees play an important role in landscape… but how much do you really know about them?   Did you know that there are 24 different species in the UK, or that their venom could be used to make medicines, or that a healthy hive of bees can travel an equivalent distance from Earth to the moon everyday? Liam Crowley, of the Woodland Wonders team, uncovers all of these fascinating facts and more and explains why, out of all the species he could work with, why bumblebees are so important to life on Earth and to the Darwin Tree of Life project. Read more about bumblebees here    

Posted on May 24, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on 🐝 Release of full bee genome sequences creates a buzz

🍎🍏 Blazing the apple trail in Edinburgh

Ever wondered where apples come from and how we get the DNA we need to grow the juicy, sweet varieties that we enjoy today? No. Well, you are missing out! Max Coleman, of the Plant Power team, takes us on a journey back in time explaining the history of apples, why Scotland is so important and what the Romans taught us about cultivation. Read more about the secret history of apples here  

Posted on May 10, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on 🍎🍏 Blazing the apple trail in Edinburgh

Pearl-bordered fritillary: At risk butterfly lays foundations for her species’ recovery

Butterflies are marvellous.  A single female pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne) is at the heart of a reintroduction project in the Malvern hills, looking to reintroduce this rare species back onto a site where the species has been extinct for the past 30 years. Read more about this incredible project here  

Posted on May 3, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged | Comments Off on Pearl-bordered fritillary: At risk butterfly lays foundations for her species’ recovery

🐸 Warts and all: The differences between frogs and toads

“Croak!” said the Toad, “I’m hungry, I think; To-day I’ve had nothing to eat or to drink” “Ho, ho!” quoth the Frog, “is that what you mean? Then I’ll hop away to the next meadow stream“ Ever wondered what the remarkable differences are between frogs and toads?  What does their skin look like, how do they walk and do their eggs form in clumps or strings?  How can the genomes that are collected help us understand more about these species?     🐸🧬 Read more about the amphibian discoveries here 🧬🐸  

Posted on April 6, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 🐸 Warts and all: The differences between frogs and toads

🐌🌊 Snail hunting in the dark sea caves of Wales

Think the seaside is all about swimming and building sandcastles? Think again! Kesella Scott-Somme and Team Marine at the Marine Biological Association took to the sea caves of Wales, to discover the hidden secrets of Bas’s cave snail (Otina ovata), amongst other species!  These fascinating snails look like limpets but they are actually a type of snail that dwells in marine environments clinging to the smoother walls of caves and rockpools. In her post, Kesella explains the importance of these snails as well as starfish and seaweed that they stumbled upon and how their research is shedding light on these species’ important role in the marine ecosystem. 🐌🌊⭐🌱 Read more here 🐌🌊⭐🌱

Posted on March 30, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on 🐌🌊 Snail hunting in the dark sea caves of Wales

🍄🧬 Chicken of the Woods: Our first fungus genome

Success for the Darwin Tree of Life Project: our first genome of a fungus is live! 🍄🌱🧬 If you go down to the woods today, you are in for a big surprise! 🏆🎉 The first genome has been collected and it is none other than the Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus sulphureus.  This fungus is one of the most unusual located in woods throughout the UK.  It’s bright orange and yellow colouring is one of the most eye-catching, making its home on many of our native broadleaved species, including oak, sweet chestnut and ash! 🍄🌱🧬 The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has been instrumental in helping deliver this genome.  Read more about the fascinating history and work here 🍄🌱🧬

Posted on March 18, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 🍄🧬 Chicken of the Woods: Our first fungus genome

🧬 How bioinformatics can crack the complex case of protist biodiversity

We continue our protist journey by focusing upon the work of Dr Jamie McGowan, a member of our Perfect Protists team, who is collaborating with the Earlham Institute and the University of Oxford to shed some more light on these elusive species.  Jamie is working hard to catalogue the different protist species and to ‘analyse the sequencing data, assemble the genomes, work out how they are evolving and how they’re related to each other’… all on a microscopic scale! 🧬🧫 Read more about how the cutting edge research overcomes a number of challenges here 🧬🧫

Posted on March 14, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 🧬 How bioinformatics can crack the complex case of protist biodiversity

🐝 Parasitoid wasps: Indispensable insects you never think about… or never want to!

Imagine a caterpillar.  Nice and cosy in its chrysalis and then along comes a wasp who lands on the chrysalis shell, injects some eggs into the chamber and flies away.  A couple of months later, what emerges is not what one would expect… instead of a caterpillar, a handful of tiny wasps. Parasites might not be the most cute and cuddly critters but they do have an important role to play in the natural world – they are an essential part of the food chain.  Gavin Broad, of our Invertebrate Investigators team, explains why we should be more interested in this diverse group of insects and highlights why it is important to conserve them and more importantly, fill the parasitoid wasp genome gap! 🐝🦋🐛 Read more about Gavin and his research here 🐝🦋🐛

Posted on March 7, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 🐝 Parasitoid wasps: Indispensable insects you never think about… or never want to!

🔬 Majestic marine worms under the microscope

What do you picture when someone asks you to think of a cute animal?  Chances are your first thought isn’t a marine worm… but think again!  Kesella Scott-Somme takes a light-hearted look into the world of marine worms and helps prove that even those that wiggle can still be awfully cute! 🔬 We love a good microscope image and you cannot beat one where a worm is smiling at you! Check out more of these selfies here 🐛

Posted on March 2, 2022 by modchryssa in DToL, Update | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on 🔬 Majestic marine worms under the microscope

🦠 Priest Pot: A seldom-studied protist paradise

Ever wondered what lurks beneath the surface in water bodies around the UK?  Well, to answer that question is a team of scientists from the University of Oxford who are studying the lesser known protists – single celled organisms – and their important role in developing complex ecosystems. Read more about their fieldwork journey to collect some rare samples from a hidden corner of the Lake District.

Posted on March 1, 2022 by modhannah in DToL, Update | Tagged | Comments Off on 🦠 Priest Pot: A seldom-studied protist paradise

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