Biontes
Science Communication Journal
Publication:
October-December 2025
Vol. 4
This issue makes us want to visit the forests and biosphere reserves. We present information on the functions of trees and their responses to stress, discuss the production of bioplastics by unique bacteria, and explore the poetic language our immune system uses to protect us. In addition, our authors analyze methods to help solve hearing problems, the science behind droughts in northern Mexico, specifically in Sinaloa, and invite you to discover the invisible world with 3D-printed microscopes.
With love
Biontes
Content
Vol. 4 October-December 2025
Authors
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Abel Pérez Solache
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Ma. Irene Morelos Martínez
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Juan Manuel Lobato García
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Julieta Benítez Malvido
Trees: function and response to disturbance
Trees are present in various plant formations around the world. In some of them, they form forests that perform important ecosystem functions, such as capturing CO2 from the atmosphere, converting it into nutrients, and storing it in their organs, such as roots, leaves, trunks, flowers, and fruits. Trees also help retain rainwater in the soil and serve as habitats for countless species of plants and animals. However, despite their importance, in recent decades forests have been deforested and fragmented for profit, causing the loss of large areas and generating significant deterioration of biodiversity, as well as multiple stress responses in the remaining trees that affect the functioning and permanence of forest ecosystems.
Author
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Joshua Valencia Gómez
Polyhydroxybutyrate, a non-polluting plastic
Polyhydroxybutyrate, or P(3HB), is a “natural plastic” that certain bacteria, such as Azotobacter vinelandii, produce and store within their cells as an energy reserve. Interestingly, certain strains of this bacterium can store so much P(3HB) that they burst, releasing these compounds and making them easier to collect and potentially use. P(3HB) is biodegradable and can be used in medical prostheses, agriculture, or as a substitute for common plastics, helping to reduce pollution and environmental impact.
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Authors
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Karla Valeria Cabrera Rios
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Jenniffer Andrea Viviescas Mejia
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Braulio Alejandro Martínez Zarco
100 billion BCRs: the poetry of the immune system
The human immune system has the amazing ability to generate around 100 billion B cell receptors (BCRs). This article explains how, from a limited number of genes, the body produces such a diversity of cells through somatic recombination. Using a literary analogy inspired by Raymond Queneau's book 100 Billion Poems, it shows how a few elements can be combined to create an almost infinite number of possibilities, reminding us that, as Aristotle said, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.
Authors
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Monserrath Marquina Salas
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María Cristina Miranda Vergara
Repairing the ear with science
Perforations in the eardrum affect hearing, quality of life, and ear health. Although repair surgeries are usually effective, they do not always result in complete tissue healing. In this article, we present how fibrin and chitosan, two biomaterials, work together to create a patch that promotes eardrum regeneration. We explain what makes it promising, how it is manufactured, and what properties could make it an innovative alternative for improving hearing repair and accelerating healing.
Authors
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Enrique De Jesús Morales-Acuña
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Diana Cecilia Escobedo-Urías
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Andrea Patricia Manrique-Cantillo
The science behind the drought in northern Sinaloa
In this article, we explore the causes of low rainfall in a region of Sinaloa, Mexico. The text contrasts traditional explanations with a more scientific approach. Meteorological and oceanographic factors, such as the localized Hadley Cell and the atmospheric anticyclone, are analyzed to explain why it does not rain in the area, especially in municipalities such as Ahome. Finally, we highlight the importance of understanding these phenomena in order to achieve more effective and resilient water resource management.
