How does organic farming benefit honey bees?
Organic farming and flower strips promote the health of honey bees. In their vicinity, colonies grow stronger and are generally healthier. This is most likely because the insects have a diverse and continuous food supply there and are less exposed to.....»»
New surfactant from cashew nut shell liquid boosts industrial reactions
Industries and chemical labs synthesize a wide variety of organic molecules every day. Most of these chemical reactions happen in the liquid phase to allow the substrates to interact easily. However, many substrates and catalysts are sensitive to wat.....»»
Researchers find climate efficiency of farming has been leveling off
An international team of environmental scientists has found evidence that climate efficiency involving farming has been leveling off in recent years. For their study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group studied.....»»
Forest restoration can boost people, nature and climate simultaneously
Forest restoration can benefit humans, boost biodiversity and help tackle climate change simultaneously, new research suggests......»»
Waste into gold: Oyster shells repurposed as magic "Seawool"
Growing up on Taiwan's west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function—a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called "Seawool"......»»
Would you trust an ant to amputate your limb? Science is showing they are skilled surgeons
An insect bites off another insect's leg. Is this predatory behavior, aggression, defense, competition or something else? In the case of carpenter ants, it's for the good of the amputee and to the benefit of the colony......»»
Organic farms certified by peers display higher product diversity
In Brazil, a study compared two systems of organic product certification implemented in São Paulo state. One system involves conventional certification by auditors accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute of Metrology, Qu.....»»
Smooth sailing for eggplant: Breakthrough in understanding prickle formation
Scientists have discovered the gene responsible for prickles in eggplants, a trait that complicates farming. Using advanced genetic techniques, they identified the Prickly Eggplant (PE) gene on chromosome 6 and pinpointed SmLOG1 as the key factor......»»
High nitrogen input promotes the redistribution of new organic carbon to deeper soil layers
Exogenous reactive nitrogen input has a profound effect on the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. Most current research on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in relation to nitrogen input has focused predominantly on the surface soil layers. How.....»»
South Africa"s controversial lion farming industry is fueling the illegal international trade in big cat bones
A paper, "Under the lion's paw: lion farming in South Africa and the illegal international bone trade," published in Nature Conservation has uncovered concerning activities within South Africa's captive lion industry, shedding light on the urgent nee.....»»
Green belts need modernizing—a more "multifunctional" approach can benefit people and planet
Green belts are more than just spaces; for many people, they're places providing a brief escape from the city. Land designated as green belt—and protected from building—can also store carbon and hold water at times of flooding and drought......»»
Data protection is poor for African farmers who use digital services: Kenya and Ghana cases highlight gaps
Across Africa, agricultural producers are turning to digital solutions to get information about farming methods, market access or financial services. By 2022, there were 666 of these solutions operating on the continent, the highest number among all.....»»
Ancient poppy seeds and willow wood offer clues to the Greenland ice sheet"s last meltdown
As we focused our microscope on the soil sample for the first time, bits of organic material came into view: a tiny poppy seed, the compound eye of an insect, broken willow twigs and spikemoss spores. Dark-colored spheres produced by soil fungi domin.....»»
Scientists reveal strategically applied livestock grazing can benefit sagebrush communities
While a cow grazing in a field isn't typically remarkable, United States Department of Agriculture scientists have identified potential ecological benefits of strategically applied livestock grazing in sagebrush communities across U.S. western rangel.....»»
UK beekeepers and scientists tackle sticky problem of honey fraud
Lynne Ingram cuts a peaceful figure as she tends to a row of humming beehives in a leafy corner of Somerset, southwest England......»»
Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine
Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materi.....»»
Breakthrough in Z-alkene synthesis: Scientists develop efficient and sustainable method
Z-alkenes are organic compounds with a double bond between two carbon atoms and two substituents attached to the carbon atoms on the same side of the double bond. They are ubiquitous structural components of organic compounds in chemistry and biology.....»»
Ce-doped yttria transparent ceramic: A new ultraviolet-shielding material for extreme conditions
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can break most of the chemical bonds in organic matter, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light can cause significant harm to humans and objects. In response, UV-shielding materials have been developed to fulfill variou.....»»
Astronomers explain rapid formation of organic macromolecules in protoplanetary disks around young stars
An international team of researchers led by the University of Bern has used observation-based computer modeling to find an explanation for how macromolecules can form in a short time in disks of gas and dust around young stars. These findings could b.....»»
Has NASA found evidence of ancient life of Mars? An expert examines the latest discovery
NASA has announced the first detection of possible biosignatures in a rock on the surface of Mars. The rock contains the first martian organic matter to be detected by the Perseverance rover, as well as curious discolored spots that could indicate th.....»»
Air pollution makes it harder for bees to smell flowers
Contaminants can alter plant odors and warp insects’ senses, disrupting the process of pollination. Scientists are uncovering various ways that air pollution can interfere with the ability of insects to pollinate plants. (credi.....»»