How engineered walnuts combat drought through grafting
Drought is a major threat to walnut production globally, often resulting in lower yields and weaker trees. While grafting has traditionally been used to improve the resilience of fruit and nut trees, the exact mechanisms of signal transfer between ro.....»»
Veterinary epidemiologist works to combat rabies in Uganda
Around the world, someone dies from rabies every nine minutes of every day. Uganda records more than 130 rabies deaths annually, but the number of unreported rabies fatalities there is presumably much higher. Dog bites are the cause of more than 95%.....»»
Examining viruses that can help "dial up" carbon capture in the sea
Armed with a catalog of hundreds of thousands of DNA and RNA virus species in the world's oceans, scientists are now zeroing in on the viruses most likely to combat climate change by helping trap carbon dioxide in seawater or, using similar technique.....»»
All That Rain Is Driving Up Cases of a Deadly Fungal Disease in California
Valley fever is thriving as California swings widely between drought and flooding......»»
Donkeys are unsung heroes in Ethiopia"s humanitarian crisis—and they could do even more with better support
Conflict and drought in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia has triggered a humanitarian crisis. The Ethiopian government says 16 million people across the country are facing food shortages, with almost half of those suffering emergency or severe.....»»
AI "companions" promise to combat loneliness, but history shows the dangers of one-way relationships
The United States is in the grips of a loneliness epidemic: Since 2018, about half the population has reported that it has experienced loneliness. Loneliness can be as dangerous to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a 2023 surge.....»»
Drought may drive deadly amphibian disease, researchers find
Pumpkin toadlets are in trouble. Progressively severe droughts are disrupting the microbiomes of the thumbnail-sized orange frogs, potentially leaving them vulnerable to a deadly fungal disease, according to a new study by an international research t.....»»
New 3D printing method uses ice to build a template for artificial blood vessels in engineered tissue
Over 100,000 individuals in the United States are currently in need of organ transplants. The demand for organs, such as hearts, kidneys, and livers, far exceeds the available supply and people sometimes wait years to receive a donated organ. Approxi.....»»
What"s causing the Amazon"s ongoing record drought?
The devastating drought in the Amazon River Basin that reported in October has continued into Northern Hemisphere winter, which is the heart of the wet season in the southern part of the basin. The drought is cutting off rural and riverside communiti.....»»
SynMoss project grows moss with partially synthetic genes
A Chinese team of life scientists, microbiologists, plant researchers and seed designers has developed a way to grow engineered moss with partially synthetic genes. In their project, reported in the journal Nature Plants, the group engineered a moss.....»»
Innovative hybrid models enhance soil moisture forecasting
Soil moisture intricately influences climate and hydrological systems by modulating water and energy exchange processes. Accurate predictions of soil moisture are not only instrumental in drought monitoring but are crucial for effective water resourc.....»»
Burning question: what can we expect in a 1.5C world?
Massive wildfires exposing millions to toxic smoke, drought shriveling crops and key waterways, destructive storms supercharged by record ocean temperatures—in the last year the world has had a taste of what to expect with warming of 1.5C......»»
Back from COP28, California climate leaders talk health impacts of warming
Wildfire smoke. Drought. Brutal heat. Floods. As Californians increasingly feel the health effects of climate change, state leaders are adopting sweeping policies they hope will fend off the worst impacts—and be replicated by other countries......»»
The number of monarch butterflies at their Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year
The number of monarch butterflies at their wintering areas in Mexico dropped by 59% this year to the second lowest level since record keeping began, experts said Wednesday, blaming heat, drought and loss of habitat......»»
Innovative detection system allows researchers to differentiate oak wilt and drought
Oak forests play a vital role in our ecosystem, providing climate regulation and erosion control across North America. However, these forests face compounding threats from drought and oak wilt, and it can be challenging to tell these two issues apart.....»»
Zero-index metamaterials and the future
In the realm of materials science, electromagnetic (EM) metamaterials have emerged as a revolutionary class of engineered composites capable of manipulating electromagnetic waves in ways never before possible. Unlike their naturally occurring counter.....»»
El Nino brings hunger, drought fears to Madagascar
In a small village in southern Madagascar, dozens of women shelter from the scorching sun under a tree as they wait to weigh their children......»»
Climate models often miss how plants respond to drought, research suggests
Plants both absorb carbon dioxide and release water vapor through their stomata, or pores on their leaves. In drought conditions, plants close these pores to conserve water, and this reduces their carbon dioxide uptake as well......»»
Scientists develop new biocontainment method for industrial organisms
Researchers in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) at The University of Manchester have developed a new biocontainment method for limiting the escape of genetically engineered organisms used in industrial processes......»»
Researchers uncover biological circuit that offers a new avenue for creating drought-resistant crops
Climate change is already harming agricultural yields and may one day pose a significant threat to the world's food supply. Engineering more resilient crops, including those able to thrive in the face of drought or high soil salinity levels, is an in.....»»
Using computer-engineered DNA to study cell identities
All the cells in our body have the same genetic code, and yet they can differ in their identities, functions and disease states. Telling one cell apart from another in a simple manner, in real time, would prove invaluable for scientists trying to und.....»»