All articles tagged with #moss
A study of the feather moss Brachythecium rutabulum records long-term electrical activity in dense mats, uncovering fast, intermediate, and slow spike regimes and evidence of directional signal propagation. While not a human brain, the moss shows a rich electrophysiological repertoire that could underpin information processing and inspire biohybrid sensing applications, challenging the view of moss as a simple organism.
DNA analysis shows the same Cordyceps fungus infecting both ants and surrounding mosses, suggesting a moss-based life stage that could help the pathogen endure host scarcity and explain why infected ants bite mosses at death; the study from the Brazilian Amazon found the fungus inside mosses as well, indicating a closer plant–fungus link in its lifecycle and a broader ecological role than previously understood.
DNA analysis from the Amazon shows the zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps) can live inside mosses as an endophyte, not just in ants. Metabarcoding of moss samples revealed the same fungus in mosses near infected ants and even more than 10 meters away, suggesting a hidden plant-associated life stage and a more complex ecological cycle that connects plants, fungi and insect hosts.
Researchers led by computer scientist Andy Adamatzky measured electrical activity in mats of the common moss Brachythecium rutabulum, recording fast spikes, slower rhythms, and neuron-like spike trains that propagate across the cushion over days. The patterns imply moss cushions function as a dynamic, interconnected excitable system rather than a collection of unrelated cells, raising the possibility that moss could be used as a low-power substrate for biohybrid sensing and unconventional computation. However, the study has limitations—no inert-control recordings and natural variability in wild-collected moss—and more work is needed to determine whether these signals meaningfully encode information; the work was published in Royal Society Open Science.
Valentine recalls Moss’s emotional VR moment at E3 2017—being the Reader and guiding Quill with tactile, in-world interactions that forged a deep bond—before noting the newer Moss: The Forgotten Relic on PC and consoles preserves the story and puzzles but loses the VR intimacy; healing Quill is now a button press rather than a personal gesture. While expanding Moss to more platforms is welcome for accessibility, the console version cannot fully recapture the original magic, leaving the experience more as a traditional game than a unique VR relationship.
Researchers found mycorrhizal fungi inside desert moss, with branching structures in the moss leaves suggesting a potential moss–fungi symbiosis. The fungal communities inside moss differed from surrounding soil, implying a deliberate association rather than contamination. If confirmed, this could reshape moss biology and illuminate how plants first moved from sea to land.
UC Riverside researchers found fungi inside desert moss tissues, including arbuscule-like structures, suggesting a potential mycorrhizal relationship not previously documented in mosses; if confirmed, it could reshape ideas about moss biology and the early evolution of land plants, with implications for dryland restoration—though a true symbiosis has not yet been proven.
Polyarc announces Moss: The Forgotten Relic, a definitive, enhanced collection that bundles Moss and Moss: Book 2 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, featuring improved visuals, new cutscenes, a Smart Follow camera, and a Skip Combat accessibility option, arriving this summer.
Polyarc is bundling Moss and Moss: Book II into Moss: The Forgotten Relic, a VR-free package arriving on Switch 1 and Switch 2 this summer (debuting on PC first). The collection combines both adventures into one enhanced experience with improved visuals, new cutscenes, all Twilight Garden DLC, and a new accessibility option to skip combat.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic combines Moss and Moss: Book II into a single, enhanced adventure launching this summer on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam, with upgraded visuals, new cutscenes, a Smart Follow camera, Twilight Garden DLC, and an optional Skip Combat accessibility option.
The moss Physcomitrium patens’ sporophyte was mounted on the ISS exterior for about 283–286 days, enduring vacuum, radiation and extreme temperatures. Returned via SpaceX Dragon in Jan 2023, ~86% of exposed spores germinated versus 97% of Earth controls, with a ~20% drop in chlorophyll a, but growth still occurred. The results suggest hardy pioneer organisms could help seed space ecosystems for Moon/Mars missions, potentially aiding oxygen production and soil formation; models even estimate survival up to about 5,600 days in similar conditions.
A 2009 Burr Oak Cemetery scandal over desecrated graves led investigators to rely on tiny moss fragments found with the remains to time the reburials; a 2015 conviction followed, and a 2026 paper in Forensic Sciences Research explains how moss metabolism and chlorophyll degradation showed the moss was buried for less than six months, placing the crime within the workers’ timeframe and strengthening the evidence against them.
A fingertip-sized clump of common pocket moss (Fissidens taxifolius) found with exhumed remains at Burr Oak cemetery helped determine the crime occurred within 12 months. By comparing moss metabolism and museum specimens, researchers showed the burial was far more recent than the defendants claimed, a key factor in convicting four workers who exhumed more than 100 remains to resell plots. The study, from the Field Museum and FBI, highlights moss as a practical tool in forensic investigations.
Researchers exposed moss spores (Physcomitrella patens) to space-like conditions and left them on the exterior of the International Space Station for 9 months; upon return and rehydration, 86% germinated and reproduced (versus 97% on Earth), suggesting moss could help seed future space ecosystems and inform life-support concepts.
Scientists have discovered that mosses and bryophytes can serve as unique forensic clues, acting like fingerprints to help solve crimes, with documented cases dating back to 1929, including a notable case in Michigan where moss helped locate a buried body.