Plants reprogram their cells to fight invaders. Here"s how
In times of war, factories retool to support the needs of battle. Assembly lines change course from turning out car parts to machine guns, or from building washing machines to aircraft engines......»»
Researchers discover optimum twilight time for plant growth
A team of researchers has gained insight into the genetic processes underpinning how plants detect twilight and the role twilight plays in plant growth......»»
Groundwater reserves in southwestern Europe more stable overall than previously thought
Groundwater is a vital resource, sustaining plants and ecosystems, ensuring agricultural production and serving as a core component of drinking water supplies. However, climate change and anthropogenic pressures can threaten groundwater availability,.....»»
Researchers use vibrations from traffic to measure underground soil moisture
Caltech researchers have developed a new method to measure soil moisture in the shallow subterranean region between the surface and underground aquifers. This region, called the vadose zone, is crucial for plants and crops to obtain water through the.....»»
Study analyzes potato-pathogen "arms race" after Irish potato famine
In an examination of the genetic material found in historic potato leaves, North Carolina State University researchers reveal more about the tit-for-tat evolutionary changes occurring in both potato plants and the pathogen that caused the 1840s Irish.....»»
Streetlights running all night makes leaves so tough that insects can"t eat them, threatening the food chain
Light pollution disrupts circadian rhythms and ecosystems worldwide—but for plants, dependent on light for photosynthesis, its effects could be profound. Now scientists writing in Frontiers in Plant Science have found that exposure to high levels o.....»»
The Fight to Save Florida’s Oranges
Once the leading producer of the citrus fruit in the US, Florida is being ground down by hurricanes, diseases, and drought—but its orange growers aren’t giving up yet......»»
New research sheds light on relationships between plants and insects in forest ecosystems
U.S. Forest Service researchers and partners published new findings on how leaf-eating insects affect forest ecosystems worldwide......»»
Coinfecting viruses obstruct each other"s cell invasion
The process by which phages—viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria—enter cells has been studied for over 50 years. In a new study, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Texas A&M University have used cutting-.....»»
Experiment on photosynthesis is heading to the space station to explore effects of microgravity
An experiment aimed at learning more about how plants grow in space will be aboard a National Aeronautics and Space Administration launch in early August from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida......»»
Human muscle cells come back from space, look aged
Astronauts' muscles atrophy in space, but we can identify the genes involved. Enlarge / Muscle atrophy is a known hazard of spending time on the International Space Station. (credit: NASA) Muscle-on-chip systems are thr.....»»
The effects of whole genome duplication on the plant metabolome
Whole genome duplication (WGD) is a common mutation in plants with profound evolutionary potential. While it is well-known that an increase in genetic material can lead to larger cell sizes, the impact of gene dosage multiplication on the metabolome.....»»
Scientists "cautiously optimistic" about AI"s role in drug discovery
The human body contains at least 20,000 different proteins, often called the "workhorses of the cell" because of their role in keeping cells healthy. Each protein consists of a unique string of amino acids that affects its shape and function—or dys.....»»
Wildfires encroach on homes near Denver as heat hinders fight
A wildfire on the edge of metro Denver crept within a quarter-mile of evacuated homes, but authorities said Thursday morning they were hopeful to save hundreds of threatened residences as they grapple with sweltering temperatures and firefighters suf.....»»
California DMV is working to digitize car titles to fight fraud
Digitization will help ease with the location and transfer of titles and help protect against fraud......»»
Getting to the root of a plant"s success
Plants are powerful factories—they can turn basic ingredients like carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into oxygen, sugars, and plant mass. But plants don't do all of this work on their own......»»
Electrical impedance tomography plus extracellular voltage activation technique simplifies drug screening
When developing new drugs, understanding their effects on ion channels in the body, such as the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) ion channel found in neurons and heart muscle cells, is critical. Blocking hERG channels can disrupt a normal hear.....»»
As fatal virus looms over bald eagles, NJ conservationists fight to keep the bird on the endangered species list
The New Jersey Conservation Foundation, a major environmental group working within the state, is pleading with wildlife officials not to remove bald eagles from the endangered species list as planned, saying a virus that's killing peregrine falcons w.....»»
Green hydrogen: "Artificial leaf" becomes better under pressure
Hydrogen can be produced via the electrolytic splitting of water. One option here is the use of photoelectrodes that convert sunlight into voltage for electrolysis in so-called photoelectrochemical cells (PEC cells). A research team at HZB has now sh.....»»
Newly created super-black wood can improve telescopes, optical devices and consumer goods
Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers at the University of British Columbia have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision optical devices......»»
Stem cell harmony: How solanaceae plants maintain homeostasis through receptor compensation
A pivotal study sheds light on the evolutionary conservation of stem cell homeostasis in Solanaceae, revealing how receptor compensation mechanisms ensure the continuous and orderly formation of plant organs. This research uncovers the genetic interp.....»»