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......»»
Global study reveals phenological divergence between plants and animals under climate change
A collaborative study reveals the distinct mechanisms by which plants and animals respond to climate change in their life-cycle phenology. This research, led by Piao Shilong's team and Zhang Yao's team from the Institute of Carbon Neutrality at Pekin.....»»
Research reveals an inexpensive fix for California"s struggling wildflowers
California's native wildflowers are being smothered by layers of dead, invasive grasses. A new UC Riverside study shows that simply raking these layers can boost biodiversity and reduce fire danger......»»
Discovery of egg"s immune-like attack on sperm mitochondria may aid fertility
Within minutes of fertilization, the egg of a fruit fly becomes a scene from the battle of the sexes. The egg attacks and destroys the cellular "power plants" (mitochondria) from the sperm that had fertilized it, so that only its own mitochondria rem.....»»
Newly identified mysterious fossil seed reveals Ice Age climate patterns
La Brea Tar Pits scientists have identified a previously unknown juniper species as Juniperus scopulorum, commonly known as the Rocky Mountain Juniper. The successful identification, along with the first-ever radiocarbon dating of these fossil plants.....»»
Solving renewable energy’s sticky storage problem
When the Sun doesn't shine and the wind is calm, humankind still needs power. When the Sun is blazing and the wind is blowing, Germany’s solar and wind power plants swing into h.....»»
Bleached reefs could sink fishing yields, study warns
What does a decline in healthy coral reefs mean for fisheries? A new study published in Marine Resource Economics, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), examines the correlation between fish yield and live coral habitats. Researcher.....»»
Online program helps siblings fight less, bond more, study finds
Siblings between the ages of 4 and 8 can have up to eight fights an hour, Northeastern University psychology professor Laurie Kramer says. If you don't live with children this age, that stat may seem a tad dramatic; if you do, you're probably nodding.....»»
Top 10 plant and fungal species named new to science in 2024
Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and their partners reveal their pick of the top 10 plants and fungi named new to science in 2024......»»
Researchers address material challenges to make commercial fusion power a reality
Imagine if we could take the energy of the sun, put it in a container, and use it to provide green, sustainable power for the world. Creating commercial fusion power plants would essentially make this idea a reality. However, there are several scient.....»»
Scientists provide insights into photosystem II under low-light conditions
In higher plants and green algae, photosystem II (PSII) usually combines with light harvesting complex II (LHCII) to form the PSII-LHCII supercomplex. Under low-light conditions, the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes are organized laterally into higher-order.....»»
How bad will it get? Political scientists have a pessimism bias, study finds
The past decade has seen historic challenges for U.S. democracy and an intense focus by scholars on events that seem to signal democratic decline. But new research released Dec. 17 finds that a bias toward pessimism among U.S. political scientists of.....»»
“Unprecedented” decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts
Kids who were in 8th grade at pandemic's start have ushered in an era of abstaining. Teen drug use continued to fall in 2024, extending a dramatic decline spurred by the COVID-19.....»»
The kids are… maybe alright: Teen drug use hits new lows in ongoing decline
Kids who were in 8th grade at pandemic's start have ushered in an era of abstaining. Teen drug use continued to fall in 2024, extending a dramatic decline spurred by the COVID-19.....»»
A history of bacteria domestication: Researchers investigate genetic and phenotypic characteristics of Swiss cheeses
The domestication of livestock and plants marked an important stage in the settlement of human populations in the Neolithic period, as they moved from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a subsistence model based on animal husbandry and agriculture. Becau.....»»
Solar-powered plasma technology offers a sustainable solution for seed germination challenges
Seed aging is a critical challenge for seed banks and agricultural industries, significantly reducing germination rates and seedling vigor. This decline not only leads to economic losses but also undermines efforts to preserve genetic diversity......»»
Climate change and land use practices threaten traditional food sources in Russia"s Far East
Climate change and land-use practices could significantly alter the make-up and availability of wild traditional foods in the vast Russian Far East, a region that is home to many Indigenous Peoples who depend on those native foods......»»
Satellites capture dramatic increase in HFC-125, a potent greenhouse gas
HFC-125 is a greenhouse gas becoming a major contributor to global warming, and in the first study to use satellites to measure its concentration in the atmosphere, researchers found it has increased exponentially in the past 20 years......»»
Infrared quantum ghost imaging illuminates—but doesn"t disturb—living plants
A study published in the journal Optica demonstrates live plant imaging of several representative plant samples, including the biofuel crop sorghum. By employing a novel detector, researchers obtained clear images of living sorghum plants with a ligh.....»»
Enzymes evolved mix-and-match characteristics to shape nitrogen metabolism diversity across the planet
To boost crops more efficiently in the future, the evolutionary past may hold key insights. The way that plants process nutrients has a rich back story—they rely on enzymes that have been evolving for billions of years. However, these enzymes are o.....»»
Single heat wave wiped out millions of Alaska"s dominant seabird
The common murre, a large black-and-white seabird native to northern waters, has become far less common in Alaska over the past decade due to the impacts of climate change......»»