A new vertical seed distribution trait for soybean breeding
As the human population increases and protein demand doubles, modern plant breeders must further optimize soybean plant architecture and per plant yield for modern farming systems......»»
Solving the bottleneck of conifer propagation: A molecular approach
Conifers are foundational to ecosystems globally, providing critical environmental and economic value. Yet, their long life cycles slow traditional breeding methods, positioning somatic embryogenesis (SE) as a more effective option for rapid propagat.....»»
Arctic raptors study reveals a new migration pattern, highlighting potential errors in range mapping
Traditionally, migratory birds are thought to arrive at their wintering grounds after fall migration and remain there until the spring migration back to breeding sites. This assumption forms the basis for determining over-wintering ranges and shaping.....»»
Elephant seal numbers drop after avian flu outbreak: First report of transmission between marine mammals
The sounds of barking elephant seals are again in the air along the breeding grounds of Península Valdés, Argentina—but it's quieter. Almost exactly a year after a massive outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza killed more than 17,000.....»»
Brainy bumblebees still succumb to the temptations of caffeine and sugar
A bumblebee's brain is smaller than a sesame seed. But it can still accomplish quite a bit......»»
Scientists calculate predictions for meson measurements
Nuclear physics theorists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated that complex calculations run on supercomputers can accurately predict the distribution of electric charges in mesons, particles made.....»»
The fake election bomb threats caused chaos online—it"s a perfect breeding ground for conspiracies
In the 2020 US elections, Joe Biden's win against Donald Trump prompted the Trump campaign to file more than 60 lawsuits challenging the result, mostly focusing on swing states......»»
Washington coast avian flu outbreak devastated Caspian terns, jumped to seals
An epidemiological study found that 56% of a large breeding colony of Caspian terns died from a 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at Rat Island in Washington state. Since then, no birds have successfully bred on the island, raising c.....»»
To a great degree, Ecuadorian oil profits end up in the Global North
Research by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) reveals an unbalanced distribution of the impacts generated by the exploitation of two blocks in the Amazon......»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Collisions between planes and birds follow seasonal patterns and overlap with breeding and migration—new research
Bird strikes with aircraft pose a serious threat to human safety. The problem dates back to the early days of aviation, with the first death of a pilot recorded in 1912 when an aircraft crashed into the sea after striking a gull......»»
Destructive weed, found in New York state, resists common herbicides
The invasive pigweed Palmer amaranth, first found in New York soybean fields in 2019, has been dubbed the "spotted lanternfly of weeds" for its ability to spread quickly and wreak havoc on crops. Now a new study sheds light on how formidable an oppon.....»»
New study explores adoption of robotic weeding to fight superweeds
Most corn and soybean fields in the U.S. are planted with herbicide-resistant crop varieties. However, the evolution of superweeds that have developed resistance to common herbicides is jeopardizing current weed management strategies. Agricultural ro.....»»
30 years ago, this sci-fi movie became a minor hit — and spawned an even better TV franchise
In 1994, a small sci-fi movie became a minor hit and planted the seed for not one but three successful shows that expanded and explored its universe......»»
Soybean domestication linked to higher mesophyll conductance for increased photosynthesis
In a new study conducted by the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looked back in time at soybean growth and discovered that modern plants have increased mesophyll.....»»
A global imbalance in reference genomes: Research highlights need for sequencing resources in biodiversity-rich areas
Montana State University and Universidad de los Andes researchers have detected a significant imbalance in the distribution of tetrapod reference genomes. They find a disproportionate concentration of studies in high-latitude regions compared to wher.....»»
The Daring Russian Geneticist Whose Experiments on Silver Foxes Explained Domestication Has Died
Lyudmila Trut devoted her life to studying the process of domestication by selectively breeding friendly foxes.....»»
Study reveals the twists and turns of mammal evolution from a sprawling to upright posture
Mammals, including humans, stand out with their distinctively upright posture, a key trait that fueled their spectacular evolutionary success. Yet, the earliest known ancestors of modern mammals more resembled reptiles, with limbs stuck out to their.....»»
Synthetic asexual reproduction system in hybrid rice shows promise for seed production
Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that allows hybrid rice to propagate by seeds. Recently, a collaborative research team led by Professor Li Jiayang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) of the Chinese Academy of Sc.....»»
Why Woolworths workers can"t sleep at night: Inside the supermarket giant"s controversial "Framework"
In early 2024, Woolworths introduced a new worker performance management program across warehouses run by the company's distribution arm, Primary Connect......»»
Molecular insights into the dynamic dance of nanoplastics and natural organic matter
Nanoplastics, emerging as persistent environmental pollutants, pose significant threats due to their durability and wide distribution in water bodies. Their interactions with natural organic matter are critical, influencing pollutant retention, micro.....»»