Animals keep eating precious plants—we used "smell misinformation" to keep them away
In places where we need to protect valuable plants—whether for ecological or economic reasons—local herbivores can cause significant damage......»»
Researchers identify two fungal enzymes that hijack the immune system of plants to colonize roots
In nature, plant roots are always colonized by fungi. This interaction can be either mutualistic, benefiting both the plant and the fungus, or pathogenic, where the fungus harms the host plant. A research group led by Professor Dr. Alga Zuccaro at th.....»»
Fossilized dung reveals clues to dinosaur success story
In an international collaboration, researchers at Uppsala University have been able to identify undigested food remains, plants and prey in the fossilized feces of dinosaurs. These analyses of hundreds of samples provide clues about the role dinosaur.....»»
Same plant, different tactic: Habitat determines response to climate, thale cress study finds
Plants need light to grow, but too much light can induce damage to the photosynthetic complex known as photosystem II. It is known that plants adapted to growing under full sun repair this light-induced damage more. But this repair activity slows dow.....»»
Smart agriculture technology attaches directly to underside of leaves for monitoring plants
With growing concerns over climate change and overpopulation, we urgently need to boost agricultural productivity. With the goal of creating a way to easily tell whether a plant is thriving or dying, a leaf-mounted sensor was created by researchers a.....»»
Tick tubes help reduce the parasites on mice, but time and frequency matter
Ticks are a nuisance across many areas of the U.S., capable of spreading harmful pathogens to both animals and humans. A new study led by researchers at Penn State has analyzed the effectiveness of a simple, inexpensive strategy for controlling ticks.....»»
First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year
Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England said encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding......»»
Researchers pioneer method to detect dehydration in plants
Have you ever wondered if your plants were dry and dehydrated, or if you're not watering them enough? Farmers and green-fingered enthusiasts alike may soon have a way to find this out in real time. Over the past decade, researchers have been working.....»»
Bats employ instant compensation strategy when they can"t hear, study shows
When bats can't hear, new research finds that these hearing-dependent animals employ a remarkable compensation strategy. They adapt immediately and robustly, suggesting for the first time that bats' brains are hard-wired with an ability to launch a P.....»»
After Russian ship docks to space station, astronauts report a foul smell
Cosmonauts aboard the Russian segment of the station donned protective equipment. It should have been a routine mission to ferry about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies to th.....»»
Gabon forest elephant forays into villages spark ire
In heavily forested Gabon, elephants are increasingly wandering into villages and destroying crops, angering the local population who demand the power to stop the critically endangered animals in their tracks......»»
Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answers
An unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals' food, said scientists hoping to curb the strandings......»»
Oldies but goodies: Study shows why elderly animals offer crucial scientific insights
A new study on aging in the animal kingdom has highlighted how urgently Earth's oldest and wisest creatures must be protected, with knowledge and environmental stability lost due to human intervention......»»
Scientists uncover cross-species neural mechanism for early detection of life motion in visual processing
Visual systems of both humans and animals can detect life motion from the environment at the earliest stage of visual processing, research by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) uncovered......»»
Engineering nature"s blueprint: Dendron-based assemblies for chlorophyll"s materials
Researchers often look to photosynthesis—a process that turns sunlight into chemical energy in plants and bacteria—as a model for innovation. Photosynthesis is in turn linked to chlorophyll pigments, tiny green molecules that play a key role in h.....»»
Light-altering paint for greenhouses could help lengthen the fruit growing season in less sunny countries
Researchers in the UK have developed a new spray coating for greenhouses that optimizes the wavelength of light shining onto the plants, improving their growth and yield. The technology could in the future help extend the growing seasons in less sunn.....»»
Cas9-PE system achieves precise editing and site-specific random mutation in rice
Achieving the aggregation of different mutation types at multiple genomic loci and generating transgene-free plants in the T0 generation is an important goal in crop breeding. Although prime editing (PE), as the latest precise gene editing technology.....»»
River microbes near wastewater treatment plants express high levels of antibiotic resistance genes, study shows
Rivers and streams serve as critical connectors across vast geographical landscapes, trickling out of tucked-away headwaters and snaking thousands of miles toward oceans and deep seas. These waterways directly impact human and environmental health, a.....»»
Superior photosynthesis abilities of some plants could hold key to climate-resilient crops
More than 3 billion years ago, on an Earth entirely covered with water, photosynthesis first evolved in ancient bacteria. In the following millions of years, those bacteria evolved into plants, optimizing themselves along the way for various environm.....»»
Gel coatings could make it easier to eat fiber-rich foods
Fiber is something that most of us get far too little of. To change that, we need to actually enjoy eating it. Food researchers from the University of Copenhagen have now invented a "disguise" that solves the problem of the dry and gritty mouth feel.....»»
Dramatic decline in Tongariro"s native plants as invasive heather spreads
Native plants in the Tongariro National Park are being hit hard by the spread of invasive heather with a 40% to 50% drop in native species in some areas, a new study published in Oecologia has found......»»