Secrets of Namibia"s fairy circles demystified: Plants self-organize
Scientists have puzzled over the origin of Namibia's fairy circles for nearly half a century. It boiled down to two main theories: either termites were responsible, or plants were somehow self-organizing. Now, researchers from the University of Gött.....»»
How life began on Earth: Modeling the ancient atmosphere
The key to unlocking the secrets of distant planets starts right here on Earth. Researchers at Tohoku University, the University of Tokyo, and Hokkaido University have developed a model that considers various atmospheric chemical reactions to estimat.....»»
Soybean domestication linked to higher mesophyll conductance for increased photosynthesis
In a new study conducted by the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looked back in time at soybean growth and discovered that modern plants have increased mesophyll.....»»
Invasive plants drive homogenization of soil microbial communities across US, new study finds
Invasive plants are doing more than just taking over landscapes—they're also changing the soil beneath them. A new study co-authored by Matthew McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, reveals that these species are reshaping.....»»
The complex considerations that magicians face when exposing the tricks of their trade
Magic is one of the oldest forms of entertainment, and much of its enchantment is said to rely on the audience not knowing how the tricks are done. However, while magicians swear to keep their secrets forever when they embark on their profession, the.....»»
Mary, Queen of Scots and the clandestine tricks of the women who kept her secrets
Mary, Queen of Scots spent almost 20 years in captivity. She was held in various locations across Britain from 1568 until her execution on February 8, 1587. As I explain in my new book, Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, du.....»»
Researchers warn against weakening Clean Air Act regulations
A new commentary published in the American Journal of Public Health has found that power plants' use of air pollution control devices saved up to 9,100 lives and up to $100 billion in health costs in 2023. These estimates reveal the substantial healt.....»»
A new spectroscopy method reveals water"s quantum secrets
For the first time, EPFL researchers have exclusively observed molecules participating in hydrogen bonds in liquid water, measuring electronic and nuclear quantum effects that were previously accessible only via theoretical simulations......»»
Study shows weak external electric fields may protect crops from infection
Research from Dr. Giovanni Sena's group in the Department of Life Sciences highlights an intriguing method to help protect plants from pathogen attacks using weak electric fields......»»
Nurses Are Confessing Their Most Closely Guarded Secrets That Patients Don"t Know
Nurses Are Confessing Their Most Closely Guarded Secrets That Patients Don"t Know.....»»
China automakers to double overseas capacity to dodge tariffs, study finds
Chinese carmakers have built and commissioned complete manufacturing plants across nine countries, with annual capacity of 1.2 million units as of 2023, a figure set to more than double to 2.7 million in over a dozen countries by 2026, Bloomberg foun.....»»
New chemical treatment reduces number of plant pores that regulate water loss
Researchers from Nagoya University Institute of Transformative Biomolecules (WPI-ITbM) in Japan and their colleagues have identified and derivatized a chemical compound that effectively regulates the density of stomata in model plants. Stomata are cr.....»»
Researchers are reinventing concrete using 2,000-year-old secrets
Buildings built with concrete in ancient Rome continue to stand firm to this day. This has spurred many researchers to look for the key to … The post Researchers are reinventing concrete using 2,000-year-old secrets appeared first on BGR......»»
Enhancing recombinant protein expression in lettuce
Recombinant proteins are crucial in pharmaceutical and other industries. A production method uses plants as hosts in transient protein expression systems. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba developed a technique to increase recombinant protein.....»»
Photosynthesis is under threat in an increasingly warm world, says researcher
The basis of all life on Earth is photosynthesis. So, what happens if it is disrupted? Today, advanced measurement tools can reveal how climate change is affecting plants' ability to process the energy from sunlight......»»
Study combines woodchips and biochar to clean water of pharmaceuticals, nutrients
What happens to ibuprofen after it eases your throbbing headache? Like many pharmaceuticals, it can remain in an active form when our bodies flush it out. That's a problem, because although wastewater treatment plants are good at reducing nutrient po.....»»
How plants compete for light: Researchers discover new mechanism in shade avoidance
Plants that are close together do everything they can to intercept light. This "shade avoidance" response has been extensively researched. It is therefore even more remarkable that researchers from the laboratory of Molecular Biology at Wageningen Un.....»»
Giant meteorite impact 3.26 billion years ago may have aided early life
Billions of years ago, long before anything resembling life as we know it existed, meteorites frequently pummeled the planet. One such space rock crashed down about 3.26 billion years ago, and even today, it's revealing secrets about Earth's past......»»
Nitrogen-fixing plant diversity declines with over-fertilization, study finds
Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and climate change can reduce the competitive advantage of nitrogen-fixing plants, leading to reduced diversity of these plants in a community. Surprisingly, changes in temperature and aridity do not contribute to th.....»»
Loss of "nitrogen fixers" threatens biodiversity, ecosystems, say biologists
Mississippi State University is part of a European-American collaboration studying how human activities, like fertilizer use and pollution, are impacting nitrogen-fixing plants which are crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems by adding nitrogen t.....»»
Materials of the future can be extracted from wastewater
A group of researchers is on the way to revolutionizing what biomass from wastewater treatment plants can be used for. Biopolymers from bacteria can be a sustainable alternative to oil-based products, and phosphorus and other minerals can also be har.....»»