In the treetops: Ecologist studies canopy soil abundance, chemistry
When we think of soil, most of us think of dirt on the ground. But a surprising amount of the planet's soil thrives in the treetops of old-growth forests, high above terra firma......»»
The biodiversity jukebox: How sound can boost beneficial soil microbes to heal nature
In a race against time, scientists are exploring new ways to restore natural systems. Alongside traditional methods such as planting trees, reducing pollution and reintroducing native species, a surprising new tool is emerging: sound. Ecologists can.....»»
Synthetic modules boost production of animal-based nutrients in plants
It's important to eat your veggies, but some essential vitamins and nutrients can only be found in animals, including certain amino acids and peptides. Now, in a proof-of-concept study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, rese.....»»
Planning a drug"s route in the body with synthetic chemistry
Researchers at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) have developed technology that can alter, within the body, the recognized identity of proteins......»»
AI model detects impervious surfaces in aerial images
In accordance with the German Sustainability Strategy, new impervious surfaces are to be limited to less than 30 hectares per day nationwide. In order to verify whether this target is met, it must be possible to monitor soil sealing at regular interv.....»»
"Iyashikei" healing manga comforts readers with attention to small joys
Iyashikei is a Japanese genre that, according to Japanese studies scholar Paul Roquet, tells stories that are designed to comfort and heal weary readers by creating an aesthetic of calm. In order to achieve this, as Roquet articulates, these stories.....»»
Viewpoint: Indigenous students and faculty are on the rise, and universities have a moral obligation to support them
As we close out September, universities across Canada are well into their new year of learning. An exciting change is underway. An increasing number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis students have enrolled in post-secondary studies......»»
Pitting good versus bad fungi on sweet corn: A delicate dance
The same defenses that help some varieties of sweet corn resist fungal diseases can also stymie the potency of a beneficial fungus used to kill hungry caterpillar pests, studies by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists suggest. The researche.....»»
New assessment suggests Anthropocene started in the 1950s
A team of Earth scientists from the Center for Marine Environmental Studies, the University of Tokyo, The Australian National University, Matsuyama University, Kyoto University, and Shimane University, has found, via a new assessment, that the 1950s.....»»
Designing multifunctional framework materials for sustainable photocatalysis
The goal of sustainable chemistry has motivated chemists to use renewable energy in chemical reactions, minimizing hazardous waste, and maximizing atom economy. Nature provides a blueprint with photosynthesis, in which carbohydrates are produced from.....»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»
Study suggests moon may have been captured from space rather than formed from collision particles
Over six missions to the moon, from 1969 to 1972, Apollo astronauts collected more than 800 pounds of lunar rock and soil. Chemical and isotopic analysis of that material showed that it was similar to the rock and soil on Earth: calcium-rich, basalti.....»»
Water flux recovers asynchronously after snow damage in subtropical forest, study shows
Forests play a crucial role in the global water cycle. However, only a few studies have investigated post-damage radiative forcing of evapotranspiration and its underlying processes in forests......»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
How to save a sinking city
What do Venice, Jakarta, Manilla and Bangkok have in common? They are or were sinking cities. Wageningen researcher Philip Minderhoud studies the causes of subsidence in these cities. Groundwater extraction plays an important part in all cases. The g.....»»
Advancing green chemistry: A tandem catalyst for efficient biomass conversion
The global demand for sustainable energy sources has intensified the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels. Biomass waste, a byproduct of various industrial processes, presents an untapped potential for the production of bi.....»»
Who lives in the rainforest treetops? DNA-collecting drone provides insights
Squinting into the treetops won't reveal the tiny organisms up there. But these creatures leave clues, in the form of DNA, on the leaves and branches. Now, researchers report in Environmental Science & Technology that they have developed a way to col.....»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
How special is the Milky Way galaxy? Survey team releases new findings
Is our home galaxy, the Milky Way galaxy, a special place? A team of scientists started a journey to answer this question more than a decade ago. Commenced in 2013, the Satellites Around Galactic Analogs (SAGA) Survey studies galaxy systems like the.....»»
Researchers explore novel approach to map forest dieback in satellite images
Forests and woodlands cover one third of Earth's surface and play a critical role in carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, soil protection, and biodiversity conservation. Accelerated by climate change, the decline of these and ot.....»»
Biofuel production: Rhodococcus strain N1-S transforms succinic acid production
As the global push for sustainable biofuels intensifies, lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a prime candidate for biofuels and biochemicals owing to its abundance and renewability. This biomass, derived from plant materials, holds great promise a.....»»