Microbes could be used by farmers as natural fertilizer for poor soil
A study published in The ISME Journal identified 522 genomes of archaea and bacteria associated with the roots and soil of two plant species native to the Brazilian montane savanna ecoregion known as campos rupestres ("rocky meadows"). Hundreds of mi.....»»
Spin-controlled generation of a complete polarization set with randomly interleaved plasmonic metasurfaces
Optical metasurfaces are finely crafted two-dimensional artificial nanostructures composed of meticulously designed arrays of ultrathin artificial atoms. These surfaces possess capabilities beyond natural materials, enabling multifunctional control o.....»»
Research highlights drought risk and awareness gaps in global society
Natural disasters have threatened human beings and the ecosystem. Among the various natural disasters, drought is one of the most insidious and costliest, adversely affecting the global economy and livelihoods. Unlike sudden disasters such as earthqu.....»»
Promising antibiotic candidates discovered in microbes deep in the Arctic Sea
Antibiotics are the linchpin of modern medicine: without them, anyone with open wounds or needing to undergo surgery would be at constant risk of dangerous infections. Yet we continue to face a global antibiotics crisis, as more and more resistant st.....»»
Scientists modify citrus pectin with induced electric field
Pectin, a natural and nontoxic acidic polysaccharide, is widely found in the primary cell wall and inner layer of terrestrial higher plants. The main domains of pectin are homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan I, which contribute to the complexity.....»»
Scientists make plea for greater focus on natural textile fibers
A King's researcher has urged environmental scholars to give greater focus to the environmental sustainability issues associated with natural textile fibers used in fashion, highlighting key areas to address......»»
Diverse crop rotations reduce risk of crop loss under poor growing conditions
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are responding to the increasingly uncertain climate. The warmer and more unpredictable weather has been a source of instability on U.S. farms. ARS agroecologists.....»»
Nanoplastics put stress on trees and impair photosynthesis
It is well known that more and more plastic waste is ending up in soil and bodies of water. Researchers are particularly concerned about tiny micro- and nano-sized particles. It remains unclear how and to what extent they are able to enter living org.....»»
What"s in the foods we eat? Researchers develop a food microbiome database
Microbes are part of the food we eat and can influence our own microbiome, but we know very little about the microbes in our foods. Now, researchers have developed a database of the "food microbiome" by sequencing the metagenomes of 2,533 different f.....»»
Deepfakes: Seeing is no longer believing
The threat of deepfakes lies not in the technology itself, but in people’s natural tendency to trust what they see. As a result, deepfakes don’t need to be highly advanced or convincing to effectively spread misinformation and disinformat.....»»
Climate change feedbacks lead to surge in natural methane emissions
Attempts to cut greenhouse gases made tougher by increased emissions. Enlarge / A view of the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil. New research shows a large chunk of global methane emissions are from rotting vegetation in tropical wetla.....»»
The US Grid Is Adding Batteries at a Much Faster Rate Than Natural Gas
The shift toward renewables is officially in high gear......»»
Study reveals petrogenesis and geodynamic processes of NW Pacific seamount lavas
A study led by Drs. Xun Wei and Xue-Fa Shi from the First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, China presents 40Ar-39Ar age, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic data of lavas from Hemler, Vlinder, and Il'ichev seamounts in the.....»»
Study reveals bioactive power of a natural spearmint compound against weeds
A recent study reveals the natural compound (-)-carvone in spearmint as a potent and sustainable alternative to chemical herbicides. This research demonstrates how (-)-carvone targets and degrades microtubules in weeds, inducing cell death and inhibi.....»»
US grid adds batteries at 10x the rate of natural gas in first half of 2024
By year's end, 96 percent of the US's grid additions won't add carbon to the atmosphere. (credit: DOE) While solar power is growing at an extremely rapid clip, in absolute terms, the use of natural gas for electricity pr.....»»
Researchers investigate cell-free DNA as early sepsis marker in foals
It's hard to be a horse. It's especially hard to be a newborn foal, dropped into a world of microbes and bacteria with your sole initial defense against devastating infections being the antibodies you get from your mother's milk, or colostrum. Resear.....»»
A hybrid arrowhead against immune disorders: Bacterially derived natural product inhibits cellular immune response
The so-called immunoproteasome is essential for the cellular immune response. In autoimmune diseases, however, it is overactive. Until now, it has not been possible to selectively inhibit the immunoproteasome without disrupting other cellular mechani.....»»
From leaf to cup: The essential role of magnesium in tea plant metabolism
Magnesium plays a vital role in the growth and quality of tea plants, influencing key processes such as photosynthesis and the synthesis of important metabolites. However, tea plants often suffer from magnesium deficiency due to factors like poor soi.....»»
Hybrid imaging approach reveals microbes in 3D
Caltech researchers have developed a new method to create three-dimensional images of complex communities of bacteria and plant roots. The technology synthesizes two traditional methods of imaging: visualizing microbes with fluorescence and a noninva.....»»
Researchers identify effective materials for protecting astronauts from harmful cosmic radiation on Mars
Researchers have identified specific materials, including certain plastics, rubber, and synthetic fibers, as well as Martian soil (regolith), which would effectively protect astronauts by blocking harmful space radiation on Mars. These findings could.....»»
Ecosystems study finds the higher the environmental stress, the lower the resistance to global change
An international study led by the Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville (IRNAS-CSIC), of the Spanish National Research Council (CISC), has shown that as the number of global change factors increases, terrestrial ecosystems become.....»»