Asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs may have led to the invention of "ant agriculture"
The event that wiped out the dinosaurs wasn't all bad. The low-light environment caused by the meteor impact some 66 million years ago favored the spread of fungi that feed on organic matter, which was abundant at the time as plants and animals were.....»»
Finland"s wizards making food out of thin air
At a factory in Finland, the "farmers of the future" are making a new food protein by feeding a microbe air and electricity, proving that protein can be produced without traditional agriculture......»»
Researchers discover hidden step in dinosaur feather evolution
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have discovered that some feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles today, thus shedding new light on the evolutionary transition from scales to feathers......»»
Plastic-greenhouse agriculture: A novel soil profile design for global sustainability and enhanced crop production
A research team has developed a novel conceptual framework for designing plastic-greenhouse soil profiles that cater to the needs of smallholder farmers. The soil profile includes four functional layers: a soil mulch layer for preventing evaporation,.....»»
Low-income groups bear greater health burden in food systems: Study
Across regions where food is produced, emissions from agriculture pose health risks to local populations. Among them, low-income groups are hit the hardest, a study published in Nature Food by researchers at Peking University (PKU) and collaborators.....»»
How the perils of space have affected asteroid Ryugu
Ryugu's parent body appears to have had a fair amount of water present, too. Enlarge / The surface of Ryugu. Image credit: JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Te.....»»
When the first warm-blooded dinosaurs roamed Earth
Scientists once thought of dinosaurs as sluggish, cold-blooded creatures. Then research suggested that some could control their body temperature, but when and how that shift came about remained a mystery......»»
Smashing into an asteroid shows researchers how to better protect Earth
Slowing down an asteroid by just one-tenth of a second makes all the difference. Enlarge / Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid.....»»
Lake Tahoe expected to be full for first time since 2019, thanks to winter storms
Lake Tahoe is expected to fill for the first time since 2019, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture......»»
In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in
Mining asteroids could reduce the burden on Earth’s resources. Will it live up to its promise? Enlarge / An illustration depicts a NASA spacecraft approaching the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. Though there are no plans to mine P.....»»
Outdoing the dinosaurs: What we can do if we spot a threatening asteroid
Someday, an NEO will pose a threat to us. Thankfully, we have options. Enlarge / We'd like to avoid this. (credit: Science Photo Library/Andrzej Wojcicki/Getty Images) In 2005, the United States Congress laid out a clear.....»»
Is it a bird or a dinosaur? Fossils from Teylers Museum in Netherlands secretly visit UK"s synchrotron
The feathered limbs, sharp teeth and claws of the oldest known bird-like dinosaurs, the Archaeopteryx have fascinated naturalists and paleontologists including Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin who propelled the species to fame especially following pu.....»»
Net zero plans show limited climate ambition on "residual" emissions
New research by the University of East Anglia (UEA) reveals what countries think will be their most difficult to decarbonize sectors when they reach net zero, with agriculture expected to be responsible for the largest remaining emissions......»»
Researchers: Heat is coming for our crops—we have to make them ready
Australia's vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already prone to droughts and floods. Climate change is expected to supercharge this, causing sudden flash droughts, changing rainfall patter.....»»
Exploring the asteroid Apophis with small satellites
The author of a disaster novel couldn't have dreamed it up any better: On a Friday, the thirteenth of all days, the potentially dangerous asteroid (99942) Apophis will come extremely close to humanity......»»
Bird flu is bad for poultry and dairy cows: It"s not a dire threat for most of us—yet
Headlines are flying after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows around the country. Tests have detected the virus among cattle in nine states, mainly in Texas and New Mexico, and most recently i.....»»
The Rise of Manual Jobs in the AI Revolution
We’re seeing AI in almost every aspect of our lives. From AI-powered smart homes and hospitals to education and agriculture, machines seem poised to take over. However, there’s a surprising shift underway. There’s been a resurgence o.....»»
Video: Using a hopping robot for asteroid exploration
One day the SpaceHopper will be deployed on space missions to explore relatively small celestial bodies such as asteroids and moons. These are thought to contain valuable mineral resources that could be of use to humankind in the future. The explorat.....»»
We still don’t understand how one human apparently got bird flu from a cow
A genetic analysis and case report reveal new insights and big gaps in our knowledge. Enlarge / Holstein dairy cows in a freestall barn. (credit: Getty | ) The US Department of Agriculture this week posted an unpublished.....»»
Researchers develop near-chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university research partners have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation co.....»»
CDC, FDA, USDA answer big questions about the growing bird flu outbreak
Representatives with multiple agencies including the CDC, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration on May 1 discussed the latest news about bird flu in the U.S......»»