Increasing crop yields by breeding plants to cooperate
A simple breeding experiment, combined with genetic analysis, can rapidly uncover genes that promote cooperation and higher yields of plant populations, according to a new study published November 29 in the open access journal PLOS Biology, by Samuel.....»»
International SWOT mission can improve flood prediction
Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are like our planet's arteries, carrying life-sustaining water in interconnected networks. When Earth's water cycle runs too fast, flooding can result, threatening lives and property. That risk is increasing as climate c.....»»
Solar max is coming—the sun just released three X-class flares
The sun is increasing its intensity on schedule, continuing its approach to solar maximum. In just over a 24-hour period on May 5 and May 6, 2024, the sun released three X-class solar flares measuring at X1.3, X1.2, and X4.5. Solar flares can impact.....»»
The Power of Data: Why Database Development Services are Crucial
In today’s data-driven world, information is king. Businesses of all sizes and across all industries rely on data to make informed decisions, drive growth, and gain a competitive edge. However, managing and organizing this ever-increasing amoun.....»»
Regulating branch development of petunias
Branching is a pivotal determinant of plant architecture, not only influencing the capacity of the plant to adapt to its environment but also significantly impacting crop yield, ornamental characteristics, and production economics of horticultural pl.....»»
Study demonstrate improved root growth in radio-cesium contaminated soil
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have identified a way for plants to gain resistance to cesium, a radioactive toxin that can be found in contaminated soil. After manipulating a specific biological signaling path.....»»
Global meta-analysis quantifies benefits of cover crop use
For years, both scientists and farmers have debated whether the use of cover crops—plants used to cover the ground after harvesting of main crops—have a positive or negative impact on subsequent crop yield. Hundreds of studies have been performed.....»»
New Vincetoxicum species found in Yunnan
Vincetoxicum is a genus of plants in the Apocynaceae family. It is distributed in Asia, especially in mountainous areas, and most of the known species occur in China and Japan. The extended Vincetoxicum includes about 150 species. In recent years, ne.....»»
Loss of large herbivores affects interactions between plants and their natural enemies, study shows
Insects and microorganisms that feed on plants, cut up leaves, modify leaf tissue or produce leaf spots and other kinds of damage, are usually known as pests and considered harmful, yet interactions between plants and their natural enemies are import.....»»
Free-forming organelles help plants adapt to climate change
Plants' ability to sense light and temperature, and their ability to adapt to climate change, hinges on free-forming structures in their cells whose function was, until now, a mystery......»»
Research team develops fast-track process for genetic improvement of plant traits
Researchers interested in improving a given trait in plants can now identify the genes that regulate the trait's expression without doing any experiments......»»
Identifying priorities to leverage smart digital technologies for sustainable crop production
Drones monitoring fields for weeds and robots targeting and treating crop diseases may sound like science fiction but is actually happening already, at least on some experimental farms. Researchers from the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence at the Unive.....»»
Synthetic chemistry approach yields new compounds with potential biomedical applications
Researchers at Rice University have successfully synthesized a group of natural compounds known as fusicoccanes. The molecules found in various living organisms exhibit diverse biological activities, including the ability to modulate protein-protein.....»»
Scientists directly measure a key reaction in neutron star binaries
An X-ray burst (XRB) is a violent explosion that occurs on the surface of a neutron star as it absorbs material from a companion star. During this absorption, increasing temperatures and densities on the surface of the neutron star ignite a cascade o.....»»
Astronomers inspect population of young stellar objects in open cluster NGC 346
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has explored young stellar objects (YSOs) in an open cluster known as NGC 346. The study, published April 24 on the preprint server arXiv, yields crucial information ab.....»»
Maya used hallucinogenic plants in rituals to bless their ball courts
eDNA analysis found traces of xtabentum, as well as lancewood, chili peppers, and jool. Enlarge / A decorative ring made from carved stone is embedded in the wall of a ballcourt in the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza. (credit:.....»»
Apple vastly expands Figma support with new set of design templates
Apple today has added nine new design templates to its collection of Figma resources, significantly increasing the number of resources available for Figma users. Previously the available resources focused solely on key operating systems like iOS.....»»
Apple charms investors with record $110B stock buyback, dividend hike
Alongside disclosing its earnings for Q2 2024, Apple also announced that it is increasing the dividend it pays to shareholders by 4%, and is also buying back more stock in one program than ever before.Apple ParkDuring its quarterly earnings report, A.....»»
Maya used hallucinogenic plants in “ensouling” rituals for their ball courts
eDNA analysis found traces of xtabentum, as well as lancewood, chili peppers, and jool. Enlarge / A decorative ring made from carved stone is embedded in the wall of a ballcourt in the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza. (credit:.....»»
Chemists use new approach in the synthesis of complex natural substances
They are found as fragrances in cosmetics or as flavorings in food, and form the basis of new medications: Terpenes are natural substances that occur in plants, insects and sea sponges. They are difficult to produce synthetically. However, chemists a.....»»
First report of wound treatment by a wild animal using a pain-relieving plant
Even though there is evidence of certain self-medication behaviors in animals, so far it has never been known that animals treat their wounds with healing plants......»»