Root-farming gophers might be our closest agricultural relatives
Although you'll probably never see them, you can spot them by the tell-tale mounds of sandy soil dotting a field: pocket gophers. Beneath your feet, the gophers continuously create and remold a labyrinth of winding tunnels hundreds of feet long......»»
Pesticides: Farming chemicals make insects sick at non-deadly doses—especially in hot weather
The various regulatory systems for approving pesticides in operation around the world are crude and flawed. This has long been clear to scientists and it is deeply worrying, as this regulation is supposed to protect people and the environment from ha.....»»
This overlooked 1999 movie is the closest Martin Scorsese ever got to making a horror film
This overlooked 1999 film isn't technically a horror film, but it's probably the scariest movie Martin Scorsese has ever made......»»
Climate scientists identify water requirements for climate mitigation through ecosystem restoration
Worldwide, deforestation and farming practices are responsible for the degradation of vital ecosystems. While there is a significant amount of interest in climate mitigation by restoring those degraded lands with forests and other ecosystems, it is u.....»»
This App Set Out to Fight Pesticides. After VCs Stepped In, Now It Helps Sell Them
Plantix started with the mission of making farming more environmentally friendly. So how did it end up selling the very products it wanted to fight against?.....»»
Tardigrades are less cosmopolitan and more diverse than believed, researchers show
Tardigrades are microscopic invertebrates measuring between 0.2 mm and 1.1 mm in length. They are close relatives of arthropods (spiders, insects, crustaceans), and can live in a wide variety of environments. Yet little is known about them......»»
Rare fossils of extinct elephant document the earliest known instance of butchery in India
During the late middle Pleistocene, between 300 and 400 thousand years ago, at least three ancient elephant relatives died near a river in the Kashmir Valley of South Asia. Not long after, they were covered in sediment and preserved along with 87 sto.....»»
Elon Musk promotes confidante Afshar to oversee Tesla in Europe, U.S., report says
Omead Afshar previously worked at SpaceX and is one of Musk's closest confidantes......»»
Canada"s agricultural policies are falling short of health and sustainability goals
Oct. 16 marks World Food Day, a global initiative drawing attention to the "right to foods for a better life and a better future." However, Canada's food and agricultural policies are falling short of this objective......»»
Aquaculture uses far more wild fish than previously estimated, study finds
A study published in the journal Science Advances suggests that global fish farming, or aquaculture, may rely on significantly larger quantities of wild-caught ocean fish than previously calculated. The study is part of a special issue focused on exp.....»»
Contrary to Occam’s Razor, the Simplest Explanation Is Often Not the Best One
Occam’s razor holds that the simplest explanation is closest to the truth. But the real world is quite complex.....»»
Bonobos may be more vulnerable than previously thought, suggests genetics study
Bonobos, endangered great apes that are among our closest relatives, might be more vulnerable than previously understood, finds a genetics study led by a UCL researcher that reveals three distinct populations......»»
Does parrot farming protect wild species? Wildlife trade researchers review the evidence
The lives of people and parrots have been entwined for thousands of years. These colorful, charismatic birds are kept as pets all over the world for companionship and entertainment......»»
Scientists challenge "misleading" Dublin declaration defending meat consumption
A declaration with 1,000 signatories supporting meat consumption and industrial agricultural production has been challenged by a group of scientists, led by Dr. Chris Bryant from the University of Bath......»»
Advanced technology discovered under Neolithic dwelling in Denmark
Railroad construction through a farm on the Danish island of Falster has revealed a 5,000-year-old Neolithic site hiding an advanced technology—a stone paved root cellar......»»
The transition to a circular bioeconomy requires getting prices right, study says
Conventional food and agricultural production systems employ a linear "take, make, waste" approach: taking natural resources from the Earth to make food and fuel, generating waste that contaminates the soil and water, and emitting harmful pollutants......»»
Genetic database shows some fungal crops became completely reliant on ants 27 million years ago
When humans began farming crops thousands of years ago, agriculture had already been around for millions of years. In fact, several animal lineages have been growing their own food since long before humans evolved as a species......»»
Climate change is causing algal blooms in Lake Superior for the first time in history
Lake Superior is known for its pristine waters, but a combination of nutrient additions from increasing human activity (including farming and development), warming temperatures and stormy conditions have resulted in more frequent blooms of potentiall.....»»
Preserving nature"s genetic resources: Wild banana relatives of mainland Southeast Asia reveal hidden diversity
In a new study, researchers have uncovered a wealth of hidden diversity among wild banana species in mainland Southeast Asia. The discovery, which has been published in PLoS ONE, highlights the critical importance of conserving these genetic resource.....»»
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.....»»
Madagascar"s mining rush has caused no more deforestation than farming, study finds
If tens of thousands of miners turned up in the middle of a protected rainforest to mine for sapphires, you might expect that to cause lots of deforestation and harm local wildlife......»»