An evolutionary battleground: Plants vs. microbes
Gazing out on a freshwater pond, you may see tiny green plants with oval-shaped leaves floating in clusters. In overgrown ponds, these plants coat the water's surface. These plants—called duckweed or water lentils—can grow so fast that they can d.....»»
Molecularly imprinted polymers help get the stink out of smoke-tainted wine
Wildfires can damage crops, even if flames come nowhere near the plants. One outcome can be an unpleasant flavor and smell of wine that is made from grapes exposed to smoke. But researchers report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tha.....»»
A chloroplast-mimicking nanoreactor for enhanced CO₂ electrocatalysis
Chloroplast, which is a double-membrane-bounded organelle, is the main site for CO2 fixation via photosynthesis in green plants. The double-membrane configuration can regulate the transport of substances into and out of the chloroplasts with the aid.....»»
New moves for self defense—how plants can inspire future soft robotic design
For plants, cleaning the air, providing food and medicines, and preserving our ecosystem is just another day's work. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, however, plants are being studied in new ways to inspire f.....»»
What"s in the foods we eat? Researchers develop a food microbiome database
Microbes are part of the food we eat and can influence our own microbiome, but we know very little about the microbes in our foods. Now, researchers have developed a database of the "food microbiome" by sequencing the metagenomes of 2,533 different f.....»»
Plant signaling pathways decoded using "optogenetic" tobacco plants
Using newly generated "optogenetic" tobacco plants, research teams from the University of Würzburg's Departments of Plant Physiology and Neurophysiology have investigated how plants process external signals......»»
Wood charcoal reveals the existence of a variety of woody plants around early millet sites
A study led by Hui Shen, Keliang Zhao, Xinying Zhou, Xiaoqiang Li from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Zhenwei Qiu from the National Museum of China has reconstructed how early millet f.....»»
Darwin"s fear was unjustified: Study suggests fossil record gaps not a major issue
Fossils are used to reconstruct evolutionary history, but not all animals and plants become fossils and many fossils are destroyed before we can find them (e.g., the rocks that contain the fossils are destroyed by erosion). As a result, the fossil re.....»»
Researchers investigate cell-free DNA as early sepsis marker in foals
It's hard to be a horse. It's especially hard to be a newborn foal, dropped into a world of microbes and bacteria with your sole initial defense against devastating infections being the antibodies you get from your mother's milk, or colostrum. Resear.....»»
From antiquity to adaptation: Tracing the genetic journey of east Asian chestnut varieties
Uncovering the genetic saga of Castanea trees, a study maps their evolutionary journey and local climate adaptations. This research reveals the genetic markers and molecular mechanisms that have allowed these nut fruit trees to adapt and flourish acr.....»»
Research sheds light on low crop yields and their impact on small farms
Northeastern University professor Gabriela Garcia studies the relationship between people and plants......»»
From leaf to cup: The essential role of magnesium in tea plant metabolism
Magnesium plays a vital role in the growth and quality of tea plants, influencing key processes such as photosynthesis and the synthesis of important metabolites. However, tea plants often suffer from magnesium deficiency due to factors like poor soi.....»»
Hybrid imaging approach reveals microbes in 3D
Caltech researchers have developed a new method to create three-dimensional images of complex communities of bacteria and plant roots. The technology synthesizes two traditional methods of imaging: visualizing microbes with fluorescence and a noninva.....»»
Manganese nanoparticles can more than double availability of world"s potable water, say scientists
Manganese ferrite nanoparticles could lead to a substantial surge in the availability of drinking water globally when used to modify the filtering sheets currently used in water treatment plants, according to scientists......»»
From recycling to food: Can we eat plastic-munching microbes?
Researchers are trying to turn plastic-eating bacteria into food source for humans. Enlarge (credit: Olga Pankova/Moment via Getty Images) In 2019, an agency within the US Department of Defense released a call for resear.....»»
VW scales back plans for battery cell plants in Europe, North America
VW expects to start production next year at a new gigafactory in Germany, but said it may take longer to scale up battery cell capacity at plants in Spain and Canada......»»
Breaking boundaries: The unexpected routes of minerals in crop growth
Imagine plants not just sipping nutrients dissolved in water, but actually munching on tiny mineral particles straight from the soil. A study sheds light on how wheat and lettuce aren't just passive feeders—they actively grab, transport, and utiliz.....»»
Survival tactics: AI-driven insights into chromatin changes for winter dormancy in axillary buds
Evolution has enabled plants to survive under adverse conditions. The winter bud of a plant is a crucial structure that establishes adaptability. Depending on environmental and intrinsic conditions, buds can transition between growth and dormancy. Th.....»»
Ancient microbes linked to evolution of human immune proteins
When you become infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it are those passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, two key e.....»»
Bacteria make thermally stable plastics similar to polystyrene and PET for the first time
Bioengineers around the world have been working to create plastic-producing microbes that could replace the petroleum-based plastics industry. Now, researchers from Korea have overcome a major hurdle: getting bacteria to produce polymers that contain.....»»
Study finds "DNA scavengers" can stop some antibiotic resistance from spreading
For nearly a century, scientists have waged war on antibiotic-resistant microbes. Michigan State University researchers say they've found a new way to prevent it—by unleashing "DNA scavengers" in wastewater treatment plants......»»