Giant extrachromosomal element “Inocle” potentially expands the adaptive capacity of the human oral microbiome - Nature Communications

This study identified prevalent giant extrachromosomal elements from the human oral microbiome. The genetic and ecological analysis provides insight on the potential contribution of this element in adaptation against multiple oral environmental stressors.

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Reactivation of retrotransposable elements is associated with environmental stress and ageing - Nature Reviews Genetics

In this Review, Della Valle et al. discuss the role of retrotransposable elements (RTEs) in the onset and progression of ageing and ageing-related disease, including evidence that environmental stressors act through RTEs to shift the trajectory towards unhealthy ageing.

600 million years of shared environmental stress response found in algae and plants

Without plants on land, humans could not live on Earth. From mosses to ferns to grasses to trees, plants are our food, fodder and timber. All this diversity emerged from an algal ancestor that conquered land long ago. The success of land plants is surprising because it is a challenging habitat. On land, rapid shifts in environmental conditions lead to stress, and plants have developed an elaborate molecular machinery for sensing and responding.

Cosmic rays streamed through Earth's atmosphere 41,000 years ago: New findings on the Laschamps excursion

Earth's magnetic field protects us from the dangerous radiation of space, but it is not as permanent as we might believe. Scientists at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly present new information about an 'excursion' 41,000 years ago where our planet's magnetic field waned, and harmful space rays bombarded the planet.