Category Archives: #365papers

When Skeletons Dissolve – #365papers – 2017 – 16

#365papers for January 16, 2017

Walker, Miller, Bowser, Furbish, Gualda, 2013, Dissolution of ophiuroid ossicles on the shallow Antarctic shelf: Implications for the fossil record and ocean acidification: Palaios, v. 28, p. 317-332.

What’s it about?

Ophiuroids are casually known as ‘brittle stars,’ sea stars with long, flexible arms. This paper discusses the skeletal structure of these arms (the ‘ossicles’ which are actually not bone but calcite) and how these structures dissolve on the ocean floor after the animal has died.Continue reading “When Skeletons Dissolve – #365papers – 2017 – 16”

Malts for Gluten-Free Beer – #365papers – 2017 – 15

#365papers for January 15, 2017

De Meo, Freeman, Marconi, Booer, Perretti, and Fantozzi, 2011, Behaviour of Malted Cereals and Pseudo-Cereals for Gluten-Free Beer Production: Journal of the Institute of Brewing, v. 117, p.541-546.

What’s it about?

One of the reasons why other grains aren’t used so much as barley for making beers is that they tend not to yield as much fermentable sugar as does barley. This paper investigated various techniques for malting gluten-free grains to be able to get enough sugar for good fermentation.Continue reading “Malts for Gluten-Free Beer – #365papers – 2017 – 15”

What Controlled the Shape of Fenestrate Bryozoans? – #365papers – 2017 – 14

#365papers for January 14, 2017

Suarez Andres and Wyse Jackson, 2015, Feeding currents: a limiting factor for disparity of Paleozoic fenestrate bryozoans: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 433, p. 219-232

What’s it about?

This paper discusses the various colony shapes available for a group of organisms called ‘fenestrate bryozoans.’ These colonies get their name because the structures are often shaped like window screen with tiny openings called ‘fenestra’ (which comes from the Latin word for window).

All bryozoans are filter feeders, so their colonies must optimize their ability to feed. The shapes of colonies possible are limited by the presence of fenestra in this group of bryozoans. This paper discusses these limitations and the range of shapes available (called ‘disparity’ in biology).Continue reading “What Controlled the Shape of Fenestrate Bryozoans? – #365papers – 2017 – 14”

Lucky Thirteen (Arms) – #365papers – 2017 – 13

#365papers for January 13, 2017 (A Friday, naturally)

Herringshaw, Smith, and Thomas, 2007, Evolutionary and ecological significance of Lepidaster grayi, the earliest multiradiate starfish: Zooliogical Jounal of the Linnean Society, v. 150, p. 743-754.

What’s it about?

This paper discusses a Silurian-aged sea star that had 13 arms, rather than the typical 5 of other sea stars. This is the earliest record of sea stars with more than 5 arms.Continue reading “Lucky Thirteen (Arms) – #365papers – 2017 – 13”

Hot Times in the Eocene – #365papers – 2017 – 12

#365papers for January 12, 2017

Methner, Mulch, Fiebig, Wacker, Gerdes, Graham, and Chamberlain, 2016, Rapid Middle Eocene temperature change in western North America: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 450, p. 132-139.

What’s it about?

This paper discusses the use of multiple geochemical methods to study an episode of extreme warmth in Earth’s history. The authors were able to determine the magnitude of the warming and used multiple methods to assign ages to the rocks involved. Using other chemical and geological methods, the authors were also able to show how this warming and subsequent cooling changed the overall climate in the interior of North America.Continue reading “Hot Times in the Eocene – #365papers – 2017 – 12”

Soft Parts of Trilobites – #365papers – 2017 – 11

#365papers for January 11, 2017

Gutierrez-Marco, Garcia-Bellido, Rabano, and Sa, 2017, Digestive and appendicular soft-parts, with behavioural implications, in a large Ordovician trilobite from the Fezouata Lagerstatte, Morocco: Nature Scientific Reports.

What’s it about?

This paper discusses a the discovery of fossil trilobites that appear to preserve evidence of soft parts, in particular, part of the gut and of the legs.Continue reading “Soft Parts of Trilobites – #365papers – 2017 – 11”

Brewing with Unmalted Sorghum – #365papers – 2017 – 10

#365papers for January 10, 2017

Holmes, Casey, and Cook, 2016, Mashing with unmalted sorghum using a novel low temperature enzymes system: Impacts of sorghum grain composition and microstructure: Food Chemistry, v. 221, p. 324-334.

What’s it about?

Sorghum is a grain that can be used to make gluten-free beer. By using un-malted sorghum, you can save the step of malting, but you need to use high temperatures and add enzymes to get the sugars (which are later fermented) from the starch in the grain. This paper discusses a low temperature alternative to get sugar from the starches in sorghum grain.Continue reading “Brewing with Unmalted Sorghum – #365papers – 2017 – 10”

Vegemite Beer? – #365papers – 2017 – 8

#365papers for January 8, 2017

Kerr and Schulz, 2016, Vegemite Beer: yeast extract spreads as nutrient supplements to promote fermentation: PeerJ, 4:e2271 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2271

What’s it about?

Vegemite is a food spread that is made from brewer’s yeast extract. Apparently, it has been used as a source of yeast for illegal brewing. This paper looks at the use of vegemite for this and any other benefits vegemite may offer to brewing. It turns out that there’s no living yeast in vegemite, but it is a decent nutrient for yeast if it comes from somewhere else.Continue reading “Vegemite Beer? – #365papers – 2017 – 8”

Living Miocene Bryozoans – #365papers – 2017 – 7

#365papers for January 7, 2017

Ziko, Eweda and El-Khawaga, 2016, Extant cheilostomatous bryozoans of teh Middle Miocene from the north Western Desert, Egypt: Journal of African Earth Sciences, v. 124, p. 12-31.

What’s it about?

This is a discussion of several species of bryozoan (tiny colonial animals) in Miocene aged rocks. These same species of bryozoans live today, but in different parts of the Mediterranean region.Continue reading “Living Miocene Bryozoans – #365papers – 2017 – 7”