Deciphering the mysteries of enigmatic fungi
Few things alive on Earth occupy as little of our brain space as fungi. The vast majority of these organisms—neither plant nor animal—are invisibly small or perpetually hidden underneath our feet. Only when mushrooms breach the soil can we even s.....»»
Mystery of curling paper solved
Although mankind has been using paper for at least 2,000 years, it still presents us with one or two mysteries. For example, it was previously unknown why paper printed on one side using inkjet printing starts to curl up after a few hours to days, ev.....»»
Scientists reveal molecular mysteries to control silica scaling in water treatment
Collaborative research that combined experiments at Yale University and molecular dynamics simulations at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory provides new insights into solving a major technical obstacle to efficient and sustaina.....»»
Deciphering the fragrance code: High-quality sequencing and analysis of the "XiangQingCai" (XQC) genome
'Vanilla' (XQC, brassica variety chinensis), a Brassica rapa subspecies chinensis, is a vital vegetable crop in the Brassicaceae family, renowned for its intense volatile fragrance. Despite the significant progress that has been made in understanding.....»»
A crown rust fungus could help manage two highly invasive plants in Minnesota
Though some crown rust fungi are known to cause widespread damage to oat and barley crops, new research from the University of Minnesota suggests a close relative of these major pathogens could actually be a valuable asset in managing two highly inva.....»»
Researchers discover a new plant species whose name tells a story
A new species and genus of fairy lantern, tiny glass-like white plants that feed on fungi, has been discovered in Japan. In a country known for its extensive flora research, the discovery of a new plant genus is extremely rare and has not occurred in.....»»
How molecular "handedness" emerged in early biology
Molecules often have a structural asymmetry called chirality, which means they can appear in alternative, mirror-image versions akin to the left and right versions of human hands. One of the great mysteries about the origins of life on Earth is that.....»»
The effects of primer pairs, PCR conditions, and peptide nucleic acid clamps on plant root fungal diversity assessment
Fungi are frequently found both around and within plant tissues (especially in roots) and are involved in both plant nutrient acquisition and resistance to pathogens. Thus, characterizing the diversity and composition of plant-associated fungal commu.....»»
Native animals are easy prey after a fire. Could artificial refuges save them?
Australia is home to some of the most spectacular and enigmatic wildlife on Earth. Much of it, however, is being eaten by two incredibly damaging invasive predators: the feral cat and the red fox......»»
New species of fungi potentially harmful to humans identified in freshwater ecosystems
A study by the Mycology and Environmental Microbiology Unit of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili has identified new species of fungi that may cause infections or diseases in people and animals. Carried out in river ecosystems, the research is part of.....»»
"True Detective: Night Country" finale: Was time travel involved?
Did the finale of "True Detective: Night Country" hint at actual time travel? An explainer. True Detective: Night Country has been a season packed full of mysteries, and the finale finally got to the heart of some of our most burning questions......»»
"True Detective: Night Country": What"s with the polar bears?
Let's track the polar bears in HBO's "True Detective: Night Country": What do they mean? Lost called, it wants its polar bear back.One of the many mysteries of True Detective: Night Country is embodied by one of the cutest and deadliest animals.....»»
"The future is fungal": New research finds that fungi that live in healthy plants are sensitive to climate change
Spruce, pine, fir and other trees tower across the frigid swaths of land that span North America, northern Europe and Russia in a great ring around the world. These boreal forests constitute the largest land ecosystem and the northernmost forests on.....»»
Deciphering quantum enigmas: The role of nonlocal boxes in defining the boundaries of physical feasibility
A team of scientists from the University of Ottawa is offering insights into the mysteries of quantum entanglement. Their recent study, titled "Extending the known region of nonlocal boxes that collapse communication complexity" and published in Phys.....»»
Surprising discovery of pharmaceuticals in Norwegian food waste
New research reveals that recycled food waste may be contaminated with pharmaceutical residues. The good news is that fungi cultivated in biogas digestate show minimal absorption of these contaminants. On February 16, Astrid Solvåg Nesse will defend.....»»
Fungicide resistance: A threat to the health of humans, animals and plants
Fungi can cause disease in humans, animals and plants. Every year, 1.5 million people die from fungal infections, and fungal attacks in food crops threaten food production. To protect ourselves, we have developed chemical agents—in the form of medi.....»»
Like the hit Netflix show Fool Me Once? Then watch these three shows right now
Harlan Coben's Fool Me Once is a hit on Netflix, and if you're looking for more twisty mysteries to dive into, then watch these three shows right now......»»
Friend or foe? Researchers explore ancient partnership between moss and fungi
The next time you walk through the woods in the dead of winter, take a moment to see if you can spot one of nature's most persistent and heartiest survivors......»»
NASA"s Roman telescope to use rare events to calculate expansion rate of universe
Astronomers investigating one of the most pressing mysteries of the cosmos—the rate at which the universe is expanding—are readying themselves to study this puzzle in a new way using NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Once it launches by M.....»»
CyberShake study uses Summit supercomputer to investigate earthquake hazards
Researchers at the Statewide California Earthquake Center, or SCEC, are unraveling the mysteries of earthquakes by using physics-based computational models running on high-performance computing systems at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National.....»»
If plants can pick fungi to help fight pests and diseases, it opens a door to greener farming and ecosystem recovery
Just beneath your feet, an ancient and silent alliance endures. This alliance between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is one of the oldest biological partnerships on Earth......»»