Male Turkey Keith Weller/USDA

According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans surveyed eat turkey during Thanksgiving. About 45 million turkeys are consumed during this time, which translates to about 675 million pounds of turkey. Before sitting down to enjoy that holiday meal, I believe it is appropriate to pay tribute to this splendid bird by discovering some interesting turkey facts.

Turkeys have interesting features that stand out upon first glance. One of the first things people notice about turkeys are the red, fleshy stretches of skin and bulbous growths located around the head and neck region. These structures are the:

• Caruncle-fleshy bumps on the head and neck
  
• Snood-long flap of flesh that hangs over the beak
  
• Wattle-red skin that hangs from the neck

The wild turkey is the only type of poultry native to North America and is the ancestor of the domesticated turkey. Although wild and domesticated turkeys are related, there are some differences between two. While wild turkeys are capable of flight, domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys typically have dark colored feathers, while domesticated turkeys are commonly bred to have white feathers.

More About Turkeys:

• Science and Turkey
  
• Turkey Test
  
• Baby Animal Name Game

Bacteriophage Structure © Gary E. Kaiser

Viruses are unique organisms that can infect humans, plants and even bacteria. Texas A&M University researchers are exploring the possibility of using knowledge gained from bacteriophages (bacteria infecting viruses) to help fight bacterial infections in humans.

A single virus particle (virion) is in and of itself essentially inert. It lacks needed components that cells have to reproduce. Once a virus has infected a cell, it will "marshal" the cell's ribosomes, enzymes and much of the cellular machinery to reproduce. Viral reproduction produces many progeny, that when complete, leave the host cell to infect other cells in the organism. In order for the newly formed bacteriophages to be able to leave the host cell, they must penetrate the bacterial cell wall.

The researchers in this study have determined the specific enzyme that is responsible for the destruction of the cell wall. Researcher Sun Qingan states, "This finding enables us to better understand the release process and provides us with a possible target when we want to control the destruction of bacteria cell walls or prohibit this action in some infectious diseases." The enzyme, R12, breaks down the bacterial cell wall from inside the cell causing the bacterium to split open.

Learn more about this discovery:

• How Viruses Destroy Bacteria Science Daily

Photo courtesy Photos8.com

According to a study to be published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers have discovered that cigarettes contain hundreds of different types of bacteria. This is another in a long line of reasons to avoid cigarette and other tobacco use. Cigarette smoking is known to cause various health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease.

In the study, four different cigarette brands were tested and found to contain hundreds of bacteria species ranging from those found in the soil to bacteria that cause disease in humans. Lead researcher Amy Sapkota states, "If these organisms can survive the smoking process, and we believe they can, then they could possibly go on to contribute to both infectious and chronic illnesses in both smokers and individuals who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke." The next step in the research process is to determine if these bacteria can in fact survive the smoking process and cause or contribute to human diseases.

Learn more about this discovery:

• Cigarettes Harbor Many Pathogenic Bacteria Science Daily

Microscopic view of ropes built in culture by cyanobacteria. Arizona State University

Researchers have discovered that some bacteria, known as cyanobacteria, have acquired the ability to build rope-like structures to prevent soil erosion. Cyanobacteria are typically found in areas such as sandy desert soils, coastal sand flats and various marine and fresh water environments. They often grow in large colonies and produce nitrogen in the soil that is important for plant growth.

Cyanobacteria found in the sandy desert soils of the Colorado Plateau have evolved to develop the ability to grow in thick cords that extend to a few inches in length. This size enables the cyanobacteria to hold onto sand grains that would otherwise be blown or washed away. While this ability may reduce the microbe's access to light or nutrients, it also stabilizes the soil and promotes colonization by various other microbes.

Learn more about this discovery:

• Bacterial Ropes Tie Down Shifting Southwest Science Daily