Effect of cultivar, cropping on female/male asparagus yields
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a dioecious perennial plant. Male plants have a higher yield than female plants; therefore, all-male cultivars are more commonly produced. In contrast, female plants have a higher spear weight than that of male.....»»
AI-generated college admissions essays tend to sound male and privileged, study finds
In an examination of thousands of human-written college admissions essays and those generated by AI, researchers found that the AI-generated essays are most similar to essays authored by students who are males, with higher socioeconomic status and hi.....»»
Smoke from megafires puts orchard trees at risk: Effects last months, reducing nut yields
Long-term smoke exposure from massive wildfires lowers the energy reserves of orchard trees and can cut their nut production by half, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found. The smoke can affect trees for months after a megafire, d.....»»
To build a giant sheep, man spends 10 years smuggling, cloning, and inseminating
He takes his hobbies seriously. Enlarge / A male argali sheep in the wild. (credit: Getty Images) Readers of a certain age might remember Dolly, a Finn-Dorset sheep born in 1996 to three mothers and some proud Scottish s.....»»
3D structure of key protein could advance development of hormone-free male contraceptive pill
Melbourne-based scientists behind the development of a hormone-free, reversible male contraceptive pill have, for the first time, solved the molecular structure of the discovery program's primary therapeutic target, significantly increasing the chanc.....»»
Ancient Peru throne room points to possible female ruler, archaeologists say
Ancient Peru throne room points to possible female ruler, archaeologists say.....»»
Wall lizards shed light on how animals prevent harm in territorial disputes
A study appearing in Behavioral Ecology shows that in male wall lizards, certain behaviors have a greater influence on the way they resolve territorial disputes than their size and coloration......»»
Scientists create model of holographic dark energy that is no longer unstable
In 1998, scientists discovered that our universe expands with acceleration, and in order to explain this effect, the concept of dark matter was introduced. This is a special type of energy that fills up all of existing space-time but is impossible to.....»»
Cricket study suggests mating filter narrows when males are trying to save energy
A trio of biologists at the University of Minnesota has found that when male crickets need to save energy, they narrow their mating filter, to focus more exclusively on females......»»
Better together: Gut microbiome communities found to have enhanced resilience to drugs
Many human medications can directly inhibit the growth and alter the function of the bacteria that constitute our gut microbiome. EMBL Heidelberg researchers have now discovered that this effect is reduced when bacteria form communities......»»
Graphene at 20: Still no sign of the promised space elevator, but the material is quietly changing the world
Twenty years ago this October, two physicists at the University of Manchester, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, published a groundbreaking paper on the "electric field effect in atomically thin carbon films." Their work described the extraordinar.....»»
High-resolution images of the sun show how flares impact the solar atmosphere
Solar flares are a fascinating thing and have a profound effect on what astronomers refer to as "space weather." These events vary with the sun's 11-year solar cycle, releasing immense amounts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum (from ex.....»»
Study shows artificial light at night changes the behavior of fish, even into the next generation
Scientists have shown that light pollution—especially light in the blue spectrum—can alter the behavior of fish after only a few nights, and have knock-on effects for their offspring. The team from China has studied how female zebrafish responded.....»»
When you call a restaurant, you might be chatting with an AI host
Voice chatbots are increasingly picking up the phone for restaurants. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Juj Winn) A pleasant female voice greets me over the phone. “Hi, I’m an assistant named Jasmine for Bodega,” the.....»»
Citizen science collaboration yields precise data on exoplanet WASP-77 A b
A planet swings in front of its star, dimming the starlight we see. Events like these, called transits, provide us with bounties of information about exoplanets—planets around stars other than the sun. But predicting when these special events occur.....»»
Physicist reveals tailwind has negligible effect on cycling speed
Within the cycling realm, "to Everest" involves riding up and down the same mountain until your ascents total the elevation of Mt. Everest—8,848 meters......»»
Female elephants rumble to say "let"s go!" Namibian study shows males do too, a sign of unexpected social bonds
In elephant family groups made up of related females and their young, it is clear that the animals produce vocal sounds to coordinate action. This happens when it's time to leave a waterhole, for example. The matriarch or dominant female steps away f.....»»
Australian study finds that lead in the environment is reducing
Efforts to reduce the presence of harmful metals like lead in the environment are having an effect, according to the results of an EPA Victoria study......»»
Plant pathogen battle: A tomato protein"s dual role in defense and susceptibility
Tomatoes, a staple crop worldwide, are increasingly threatened by biotic stressors such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria, with the effects worsening under climate change. These challenges lead to reduced yields and compromised nutritional quality, hig.....»»
Scientists seek a balance between crop production and protecting the environment
Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory (NPARL), in Sidney, Montana, completed a study that shows the use of continuous cropping systems can better sustain crop yields while reduc.....»»
Beetles cooperate on tricky dung moves
Dung beetles are among the strongest animals in the world. They also possess an exceptional ability to cooperate. Research shows that female and male spider dung beetles together are able to move large dung balls across difficult obstacles. However,.....»»