In conflicts between predators and prey, speed is a decided advantage, and evolution has given the trap-jaw ant a distinct advantage with spring-loaded jaws that […]

The post Locked and loaded: unique trigger design fires this ant’s snapping jaws appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

When a natural disaster strikes, it devastates lives and homes, and can even destroy a culture’s identity and history. After a disaster, humanitarian response is […]

The post Protecting Puerto Rico’s heritage from another disaster appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The biological processes related to protein homeostasis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of tuberculosis, have recently been established as critical pathways for therapeutic intervention. Proteins of particular interest are ClpC1 and the ClpC1–ClpP1–ClpP2 proteasome complex. The structure of the potent antituberculosis macrocyclic depsipeptide ecumicin complexed with the N-terminal domain of ClpC1 (ClpC1-NTD) is presented here. Crystals of the ClpC1-NTD–ecumicin complex were monoclinic (unit-cell parameters a = 80.0, b = 130.0, c = 112.0 Å, β = 90.07°; space group P21; 12 complexes per asymmetric unit) and diffracted to 2.5 Å resolution. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using the self-rotation function to resolve space-group ambiguities. The new structure of the ecumicin complex showed a unique 1:2 (target:ligand) stoichiometry exploiting the intramolecular dyad in the α-helical fold of the target N-terminal domain. The structure of the ecumicin complex unveiled extensive interactions in the uniquely extended N-terminus, a critical binding site for the known cyclopeptide complexes. This structure, in comparison with the previously reported rufomycin I complex, revealed unique features that could be relevant for understanding the mechanism of action of these potential antituberculosis drug leads. Comparison of the ecumicin complex and the ClpC1-NTD-L92S/L96P double-mutant structure with the available structures of rufomycin I and cyclomarin A complexes revealed a range of conformational changes available to this small N-terminal helical domain and the minor helical alterations involved in the antibiotic-resistance mechanism. The different modes of binding and structural alterations could be related to distinct modes of action.

Only the Wing is a new book by Russell Lee that recounts Horten's epic quest to stabalize and control the all-wing aircraft.

The post New Book: “Only the Wing: Reimar Horten’s Epic Quest to Stabilize and Control the All-Wing Aircraft” appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Hope Diamond’s red glow has long been considered a unique property of that stone. Most blue diamonds produce a bluish-white phosphorescence if exposed to ultraviolet light. The few other diamonds known to emit red phosphorescence were commonly assumed to have been from the even larger original stone from which the Hope was cut.

The post Bombarded with ultraviolet light, the blue Hope diamond glows red appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace, featuring a bow motif with nine sparkling and extremely rare blue diamonds, recently joined the National Gem Collection in the […]

The post Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Richard Wunderman is managing editor of the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network and a geologist in the Division of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian’s […]

The post Q&A: Smithsonian volcanologist Richard Wunderman answers questions about the Aug. 23, East Coast earthquake appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

We’ve seen a serious series of super moons this summer and the show’s not over yet. Mark your calendars: the next one will light up […]

The post Cutting through the dust: Radar shows moon’s true face for first time appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

What was happening (geologically speaking) on Earth way back when it was a mere babe and being showered with meteorites? Until a time machine is […]

The post Beautiful meteorites hold clues to solar system’s violent start appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

As average annual temperatures increase, mosquitoes have also been on the move—up the mountains of the Hawaiian islands. Once a refuge for native birds susceptible […]

The post Scientists race to find genetic clues as malaria decimates rare Hawaiian honeycreepers appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

To get a better idea of just what is going on with the current volcanic eruption of Kilauea on the island of Hawaii, take a […]

The post Kilauea’s activity is nothing new, says a Smithsonian volcano expert appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post After a bulldozer unearthed five statues in Ain Ghazal, Jordan in 1984, Smithsonian conservators carefully restore these otherworldy figures appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Museum Conservation Institute research scientist Ed Vicenzi discusses his work analyzing daguerreotypes appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Speeding Up Science from Facebook Stories on Vimeo. In January 2011, Oregon State University ichthyologist Brian Sidlauskas led a research expedition into the little-known Cuyuni […]

The post Facebook comes to rescue of ichythyologists struggling to describe specimens appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Samuel P. Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his development of the ill-fated Aerodrome A appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Marine biologist Tuck Hines and a local Chesapeake crabber narrate the fall of the blue crab, and what may be the start of a recovery. […]

The post Blue crabs: Top predator in peril appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are working together as part of the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project have […]

The post New Amphibian Rescue Lab in Panama appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Food is an important element of Basque life. In the Ostatua Kitchen tent at the Smithsonian’s 2016 Folklife Festival, chefs from two Basque culinary schools […]

The post Basque Country & Cheese appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Elastic has created some of the most intriguing title sequences in recent television history. Directed by Patrick Clair (Australian b. 1982), the opening credits for […]

The post Elastic – Opening Credits: True Detective appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Aukeran is a professional dance troupe from Basque country founded in 1997 by Edu Muruamendiaraz. The beautiful and graceful professional dancers have backgrounds in both […]

The post Basque Dance Troupe “Aukeran” at Smithsonian Folklife Festival appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Ohkay Owingeh from Adventure Pictures on Vimeo. Currently featured in the exhibition “By the People” at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City […]

The post Restoration of the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe’s historic pueblo appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Jeopardy’s Clue Crew visits the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

The post Jeopardy’s Clue Crew visits the National Zoo appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

For more than twenty years, Vaquero, a monumental sculpture by Luis Jiménez, has greeted visitors as they enter the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Art conservator […]

The post Vaquero Returns! appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A peek inside the gates at the Goodman Games late summer 2017. Held in the heart of Anacostia’s historic Barry Farm, the Goodman League hosts […]

The post Anacostia’s Goodman League games appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Recent analysis using DNA sequencing of ancient Roman pills found aboard a ship that sank in Italy’s Gulf of Baratti between 140 -120 B.C, has revealed that the medicines consist of material from simple garden plants, namely carrot, radish, parsley, celery, wild onion and cabbage.

The post DNA sequencing reveals simple vegetables in ancient Roman medicines appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

For the first time researchers from the Smithsonian, South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska described the immature stages of the switchgrass moth, first collected in Denver in 1910.

The post Potential biofuel pest, the switchgrass moth, under renewed scrutiny of entomologists appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Recent botanical exploration efforts in the rugged Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) have increased the known flora of the archipelago by an impressive 20 percent. Field research and collecting in conjunction with the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands and Flore de la Polynesie française projects have yielded 62 new species of ferns and flowering plants bringing the total native species to 360, of which 18 are newly described and illustrated in a special issue of PhytoKeys.

The post Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia yield 18 new species of rare ferns and flowering plants appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Fulcaldea stuessyi is a newly discovered member of the Barnadesioideae, a subfamily of the Compositae, or sunflower family of flowering plants. It was found in northeastern […]

The post Fulcaldea stuessyi is newly discovered member of the Barnadesioideae, a subfamily of the Compositae, or sunflower family of flowering plants, appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A joint research initiative carried out by scientists from the Smithsonian Institution, Saint Louis University and the Universidad de Los Andes in Venezuela, has resulted in […]

The post New daisy species discovered in Venezuela appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Ubiquitous as they may be today, the origin of the Christmas tree is unknown to most. The tradition of decorating a tree, usually an evergreen […]

The post Agustín Stahl: Scientist Who Introduced the “Arbol de Navidad” (Christmas Tree) to Puerto Rico appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Visitors to the tropics are amazed by the huge variety of colorful, complex and sometimes ferocious creatures living near the equator. Smithsonian scientists and colleagues […]

The post Is This the Long-Sought Answer to the Question of Tropical Biodiversity? appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

An elementary method is described for finding the coordination sequences for a tiling, based on coloring the underlying graph. The first application is to the two kinds of vertices (tetravalent and trivalent) in the Cairo (or dual-32.4.3.4) tiling. The coordination sequence for a tetravalent vertex turns out, surprisingly, to be 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, …, the same as for a vertex in the familiar square (or 44) tiling. The authors thought that such a simple fact should have a simple proof, and this article is the result. The method is also used to obtain coordination sequences for the 32.4.3.4, 3.4.6.4, 4.82, 3.122 and 34.6 uniform tilings, and the snub-632 tiling. In several cases the results provide proofs for previously conjectured formulas.