Swiss farmers contributed to the domestication of the opium poppy
Fields of opium poppies once bloomed where the Zurich Opera House underground garage now stands. Through a new analysis of archaeological seeds, researchers at the University of Basel have been able to bolster the hypothesis that prehistoric farmers.....»»
Pesticide-free as a new pathway for agriculture
A new approach is gaining momentum in European agriculture: a "third way" that lies between conventional production and organic farming systems. Here farmers must forego synthetic pesticides only—which is simpler to implement than a switch to organ.....»»
Solar-Powered Farming Is Quickly Depleting the World"s Groundwater Supply
Farmers in hot, arid regions are turning to low-cost solar pumps to irrigate their fields, eliminating the need for expensive fossil fuels and boosting crop production. But by allowing them to pump throughout the day, the new technology is drying up.....»»
Keep the change: Scientists analyze the attitudes of shop assistants
The limited number of shoppers during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the unfavorable behavior of sellers toward buyers. The fewer shoppers in the shop, the more likely the sellers were to keep their change, a study by scientists from SWPS Unive.....»»
Tracing the spread of cacao domestication
The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), whose beans (cocoa) are used to make products including chocolate, liquor and cocoa butter, may have spread from the Amazon basin to the other regions of South and Central America at least 5,000 years ago via trade r.....»»
Study explains how a fungus can control the corn leafhopper, an extremely harmful pest
The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis has become a serious problem for farmers. This tiny insect is now widely distributed in the Americas, from the south of the United States to the north of Argentina. In Brazil, it uses only corn plants as hosts, and.....»»
Telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of melon provides a high-quality reference for meta-QTL analysis
Melon, with its significant economic value and extensive phenotypic diversity, has been cultivated globally for over 4,000 years, featuring two main subspecies that have undergone independent domestication processes. Recent advancements have led to t.....»»
Costa Rica coffee farmers innovate as rainfall plummets
Costa Rican coffee farmers were once blessed with abundant rains but as precipitation grows fickle they are being forced to innovate to keep producing one of the world's favorite brews......»»
New species of ancient vampire squid unearthed in Luxembourg
A trio of paleontologists in Germany has found a fossilized vampire squid that they dated to 183 million years ago. In their paper published in the Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, Robert Weis, Ben Thuy and Dirk Fuchs describe where the fossil was fou.....»»
What ancient farmers can really teach us about adapting to climate change—and how political power influences outcomes
In dozens of archaeological discoveries around the world, from the once-successful reservoirs and canals of Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the deserted Viking colonies of Greenland, new evidence paints pictures of civilizations struggling with unforeseen.....»»
New aging mechanism discovered in nematodes
Even the genes and proteins that have been most closely studied are still far from having given up all their secrets. Like a Swiss Army knife, they have many different, often unknown functions......»»
Antibiotic use on Kenya"s dairy farms is putting consumers and animals at risk
Farmers often use antibiotics to keep their livestock healthy. They're sometimes used as "quick fixes", to avoid more costly management measures like regular disinfection, waste management, routine vaccination or provision of clean drinking water......»»
Science in times of crisis: Lessons from Fukushima and WWII
Collective memory is one way to ensure that past mistakes in the evolution of science systems are not repeated after a crisis, disaster or conflict according to a University of Tokyo historian who has contributed to the International Science Council'.....»»
Mean Girls. Argylle. Madame Web. Why are movies so bad right now?
Mean Girls, Good Grief, The Beekeeper, Lift, Argylle, and now Madame Web have all contributed to a dismal start to 2024. Why are movies so bad right now?.....»»
Why are movies in 2024 so bad right now?
Mean Girls, Good Grief, The Beekeeper, Lift, Argylle, and now Madame Web have all contributed to a dismal start to 2024. Why are movies so bad right now?.....»»
Increased access to water may be a threat to nomadic livestock farmers in the long term
Increasing access to water in extremely arid parts of sub-Saharan Africa can help nomadic livestock farmers in the short term. However, in the long run, it may lead to serious consequences for their livelihoods. This is shown by new research from Upp.....»»
Group of united academics publish "scientists" warning" on climate and technology
Throughout human history, technologies have been used to make people's lives richer and more comfortable, but they have also contributed to a global crisis threatening Earth's climate, ecosystems, and even our own survival......»»
Study reveals Neolithic groups from the south of the Iberian Peninsula first settled in Andalusia 6,200 years ago
The first Neolithic farmers and shepherds in Andalusia settled permanently on the island of San Fernando, Cadiz, 6,200 years ago, where they continued to collect and consume shellfish throughout the year, preferably in winter......»»
Altermagnetism: A new type of magnetism, with broad implications for technology and research
There is now a new addition to the magnetic family: thanks to experiments at the Swiss Light Source SLS, researchers have proved the existence of altermagnetism. The experimental discovery of this new branch of magnetism is reported in Nature and sig.....»»
Study finds climate change has contributed to the spatial expansion of West Nile virus in Europe
West Nile virus is an emerging pathogen in Europe and represents a public health threat in previously non-affected European countries. Occurring in a cycle involving transmission between bird and mosquito species, this virus can be transmitted to hum.....»»
Farming Prioritizes Cows and Cars—Not People
Farmers and scientists are getting better at growing more crops on less land, but they’re not focusing on plants that people eat......»»