Death of bats at wind turbines interrupts natural food chains
The numerous casualties of bats at wind turbines (WT) have a negative impact on the populations of affected species and potentially far-reaching consequences for the biodiversity in rural areas. Until now, it could only be assumed that the death of b.....»»
New polymer design breaks the tradeoff between toughness and recyclability
Plastics underpin much of modern life—areas like medicine, technology, and food safety would be unrecognizable without plastics and their useful properties. However, the toughness of plastics, which is often desirable, also makes them a dangerous p.....»»
Trees" own beneficial microbiome could lead to discovery of new treatments to fight citrus greening disease
Citrus trees showing natural tolerance to citrus greening disease host bacteria that produce novel antimicrobials that can be used to fight off the disease, our recent study shows. We found the trees at an organic farm in Clermont, Florida......»»
Limestone and iron reveal puzzling extreme rain in Western Australia 100,000 years ago
Almost one-sixth of Earth's land surface is covered in otherworldly landscapes with a name that may also be unfamiliar: karst. These landscapes are like natural sculpture parks, with dramatic terrain dotted with caves and towers of bedrock slowly scu.....»»
Food Truck Fridays help forge connections
Staffers at a Subaru dealership in Massachusetts spend some Fridays each summer showcasing new vehicles and interacting with potential customers at a local zoo......»»
Low stream diatom biodiversity potentially decreases stream oxygen production in remote islands
Benthic diatoms are the most important and biodiverse primary producers in streams and comprise the basis for the food webs, fueling animals such as insects and stream fishes including trout......»»
So You Can 3D Print a Steak Now—but Why on Earth Would You?
WIRED tried 3D-printed steaks that you can’t buy anywhere yet. But reducing food to a technological problem leaves a bitter taste, and delivers all the joy of licking a catering catalog......»»
Cellular agriculture research manages to culture pork fat tissue on rye protein scaffolds
National University of Singapore (NUS) food scientists have developed a simple and scalable method for culturing pork fat tissue using protein scaffolds made from secalin, a protein extracted from rye......»»
Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal, study finds
Liquified natural gas leaves a greenhouse gas footprint that is 33% worse than coal, when processing and shipping are taken into account, according to a new Cornell study......»»
Genetic database shows some fungal crops became completely reliant on ants 27 million years ago
When humans began farming crops thousands of years ago, agriculture had already been around for millions of years. In fact, several animal lineages have been growing their own food since long before humans evolved as a species......»»
Study identifies compounds that extend longevity of Japanese morning glory flowers
The longevity of plant flowers is controlled by genetically programmed mechanisms. After a certain amount of time after flowering, the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death is induced and cellular components such as proteins and n.....»»
Unique IDs for individual (digital) specimens from natural history museums streamline and future-proof science
The wealth of data hosted in natural history collections can contribute to finding a response to global challenges ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss to pandemics. However, today's practices of working with collected bio- and geodiversi.....»»
Centuries ago, the Maya storm god Huracán taught that when we damage nature, we damage ourselves
The ancient Maya believed that everything in the universe, from the natural world to everyday experiences, was part of a single, powerful spiritual force. They were not polytheists who worshipped distinct gods but pantheists who believed that various.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
New species of clearwing moth from Guyana discovered in Wales
A new species of moth has been described far away from home following a cross-continent detective journey that included Natural History Museum scientists from separate fields, a budding young ecologist with a knack for community science, a globe-trot.....»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
Ransomware activity shows no signs of slowing down
Ransomware attacks have seen a significant resurgence, disrupting multiple sectors and affecting global supply chains. Despite efforts to disrupt major ransomware groups, incidents continue to rise, signaling an ongoing and growing threat into 2024......»»
New solar wind plasma sensor will help track space weather
The Southwest Research Institute-developed Solar Wind Plasma Sensor (SWiPS) has been delivered and integrated into a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite dedicated to tracking space weather. SWiPS will measure the properti.....»»
Report: Global drought threatens food supplies and energy production
In July 2024, global temperatures reached unprecedented levels, breaking historical records with an average of 17.16°C. This extreme heat has led soil water to evaporate, leaving the vegetation and biodiversity more fragile and under stress in many.....»»
Researchers develop Biodiversity Digital Twins to model our planet"s life
Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth. It provides critical resources such as food and energy, and supports ecosystem health. However, climate change, deforestation, and pollution are destroying habitats, altering.....»»
Plant pathologists spearhead Fusarium head blight research on hemp
Extension faculty at the University of Kentucky (UK) Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment are advancing the fight against Fusarium head blight (FHB) in hemp. This disease, caused by multiple species of the Fusarium fungus, threa.....»»