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.....»»
1 in 5 parents worry their elementary and middle school aged kids don"t have friends, poll suggests
Developing friendships is often seen as a natural part of childhood but it may be easier for some kids than others......»»
"Ecocide" on Easter Island never took place, studies suggest
Two recent studies have cast doubt on a popular theory that the ancient residents of Easter Island suffered a societal collapse because they overexploited their natural resources, an event often labeled one of history's first "ecocides"......»»
Soil pH drives microbial community composition: Study shows how bacteria work together to thrive in difficult conditions
Though a founding concept of ecology suggests that the physical environment determines where organisms can survive, modern scientists have suspected there is more to the story of how microbial communities form in the soil......»»
Study shows microbial diversity differences in volcanic cones and craters
Volcanic activity alters the Earth's surface and promotes the development of new ecosystems, providing valuable models for studying soil formation processes such as microbial composition and vegetation succession. Increasing evidence suggests that so.....»»
Researchers identify novel approach to minimize nitrogen loss in crops
While agriculture producers apply nitrogen fertilizer to supply nutrients to their crops, they can't always keep those nutrients in the soil for maximum efficiency, often losing them into the atmosphere or water supply as nitrates and nitrous oxide......»»
Vietnam farmers lose their blooms as floods claim crops
Vietnamese farmer Do Hong Yen estimates she lost tens of thousands of dollars when her valuable peach blossom crop was swamped by muddy waters in Hanoi's worst flooding in two decades......»»
Soil nutrient levels associated with suppression of banana Fusarium wilt disease
Fusarium wilt poses a significant threat to global agriculture, particularly affecting the banana industry, where it is commonly known as banana Panama disease. As a result, enhancing soil-related resistance has emerged as a crucial, environmentally.....»»
An evolutionary battleground: Plants vs. microbes
Gazing out on a freshwater pond, you may see tiny green plants with oval-shaped leaves floating in clusters. In overgrown ponds, these plants coat the water's surface. These plants—called duckweed or water lentils—can grow so fast that they can d.....»»
Researchers improve strawberry cultivation with machine learning
A Western study could help farmers get out of a potential jam by using artificial intelligence (AI) and passive camera monitoring to enhance strawberry cultivation......»»
The legacy of corn nitrogen fertilizer: Study shows lengthy impact in tile drained systems
Midwestern soils are among the most productive in the world, thanks in part to extensive tile drainage systems that remove excess water from crop fields. But water isn't the only thing flowing through tile drains. Nitrogen moves along with soil water.....»»
Google’s Gemini Live is now available for free on Android
Google's Gemini Live lets you converse with Google's chatbot in real time using spoken natural language prompts rather than text......»»
Dru Investigate simplifies cyber investigations and helps users uncover data threats
Druva launched Dru Investigate, a gen AI-powered tool that guides data security investigations using a natural language interface. With Dru Investigate, users across IT, security, legal, and privacy teams can swiftly identify and mitigate data risks,.....»»
Personal carbon footprint of the rich is vastly underestimated by rich and poor alike, study finds
The personal carbon footprint of the richest people in society is grossly underestimated, both by the rich themselves and by those on middle and lower incomes, no matter which country they come from. At the same time, both the rich and the poor drast.....»»
Trilobite fossils from upstate New York reveal "extra" set of legs
A new study finds that a trilobite species with exceptionally well-preserved fossils from upstate New York has an additional set of legs underneath its head. The research, led by the American Museum of Natural History and Nanjing University in China,.....»»
Hydroclimate study finds natural variations in Earth"s tilt affect precipitation and humidity
A research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) has analyzed 50,000 years of mid-latitude hydroclimate of the South-East Pacific using special moisture related indicators in marine sediment cores. They have foun.....»»
Team develops new tool to map fossil fuel emissions from space
University of Minnesota researchers have developed a new tool to measure ethane from space, leading to a better understanding of fossil fuel emissions worldwide. Ethane is commonly found in natural gas and is primarily used in plastics manufacturing......»»
Biogeochemistry scientists from around the world publish position paper on tackling "hidden" phosphorus
As the world tries to mitigate agriculture's effect on the environment, much of the story can be found in soil, which stores and cycles nutrient elements of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus......»»
Corn-shaped seed pellets to boost habitat for monarchs, bees
Crop fields are low in biodiversity, but farmers may soon be part of the solution thanks to a Cornell innovation that allows growers to use corn or other crop seed planting machines to plant strips of milkweed or wildflowers next to their fields......»»
Opinion: Researchers don"t take enough account of variation in biology—doing so could unlock new understanding
The natural world is filled with variety. Ecological systems can look very different in different parts of the Earth. Every species has genetic variation, which means individuals can look and behave very differently. Diseases can affect people differ.....»»
Novel quantum dot hydrogel shows improved photothermal conversion efficiency
Biomolecules-based materials hold great promise for malignant tumor phototherapy. However, current supramolecular biomaterials primarily suffer from poor tissue penetration, inadequate tumor accumulation, and particularly neglecting the unique benefi.....»»