The origins of farming insects
A beetle bores a tree trunk to build a gallery in the wood in order to protect its lay. As it digs the tunnel, it spreads ambrosia fungal spores that will feed the larvae. When these bore another tree, the adult beetles will be the transmission vecto.....»»
To Ditch Pesticides, Scientists Are Hacking Insects’ Sex Signals
It’s now possible to mass-produce pheromones that keep insects from breeding near crops—protecting cereals and other staples with fewer chemicals......»»
Turns Out Fighting Mosquitoes With Mosquitoes Actually Works
New evidence indicates that an effort to stamp out disease-carrying insects is working. The key? Mosquitoes genetically engineered to kill off their own kind......»»
Vertical Farming Needs to Grow More Than Salad
Indoor agriculture promises to massively reduce the water and land needed to support crops. But at the moment, it only works for a tiny percentage of foods......»»
How Webb"s NIRSpec instrument opened up 200 windows to our origins
Astronomy is driven by big questions, and they don't come much bigger than wondering how the first stars and galaxies began to form—eventually giving rise to our own existence......»»
Functions of transcription factors in maize resistance to insects and jasmonate signaling revealed
Maize (Zea mays) is an important food, feed, and bioenergy crop that plays a pivotal strategic role in food security, while insect pests seriously affect the yield and quality of maize. Benzoxazinoids (BXDs) and volatile terpenes are insect-resistant.....»»
Seafood farming"s growth rate has already peaked, and now it"s in decline
The growth rate of seafood farming worldwide peaked in 1996 according to new UBC research, highlighting the importance of rebuilding wild fish stocks to feed future demand......»»
Insects with radical metamorphosis found to have two embryo-like stages
Skoltech researchers have shown genes involved in embryonic development to be at work in pupation—the drastic transformation that butterflies and some other insects undergo as their larvae mature. The discovery furthers our understanding of the pup.....»»
Subarctic boreal forest, vital for the planet, is at risk
It burns, it drifts, it falls victim to insects. And it's shrinking......»»
Climate change affects mosquito behavior, making it harder to end malaria in South Africa
Changes in climatic factors—such as higher temperatures and increased rainfall—affect the developmental, behavioral and distribution patterns of insects like mosquitoes. These changes have serious implications for the effective control of insect-.....»»
Flies smell the motion of odors and use it to navigate, study finds
The survival of all animals and insects, from wolves to bees, depends upon their ability to find the source of odors, which is a challenge when wind disperses and obscures their source. Past research has shown that animals and insects navigate their.....»»
Air pollution threatens natural pest control methods in sustainable farming
When fields of oilseed rape are exposed to diesel exhaust and/or ozone—both found in emissions from diesel burning vehicles and industry—the number of parasitic insects available to control aphids drops significantly, according to research publis.....»»
Smart farming tech offers sprout of hope in Greece
Eyes glued to his mobile phone, farmer Sotiris Mournos pores over the latest microclimate and humidity data about his fields on the plain of Imathia in northern Greece......»»
Entomologists issue warning about effects of climate change on insects
In a new scientific review, a team of 70 scientists from 19 countries warned that if no steps are taken to shield insects from the consequences of climate change, it will "drastically reduce our ability to build a sustainable future based on healthy,.....»»
Study unveils the compositions and origins of global airborne bacteria on Earth
Microbiomes, microorganisms that populate specific environments, are known to include both beneficial and harmful bacterial species. Understanding how destructive microbiomes originate in changing environments and their effects on both the environmen.....»»
Sustainability claims behind booming food technologies lack evidence, study finds
A new analysis reveals significant gaps in evidence related to the sustainability claims of new food technologies such as vertical farming, blockchain, food deliveries and plant-based alternatives to animal products......»»
The origins of human society are more complex than we thought
In many popular accounts of human prehistory, civilization emerged in a linear fashion. Our ancestors started as Paleolithic hunter-gatherers living in small, nomadic and egalitarian bands. Later, they discovered farming and domesticated animals for.....»»
Bats protect young trees from insect damage, with three times fewer bugs
Bats help keep forests growing. Without bats to hold their populations in check, insects that munch on tree seedlings go wild, doing three to nine times more damage than when bats are on the scene. That's according to a new study from the University.....»»
Are insects doomed? New study shows added threat of climate change
The swings in temperature that accompany global warming could spell trouble for insect populations the world relies on for pollination and food production......»»
This Ancient Grain-Sowing Method Could Be Farming’s Future
The traditional practice of mixing crops was nearly wiped out by industrial agriculture, but maslins are poised for a comeback......»»
Making Star Wars-style "vaporators" real
In Star Wars, Luke's family obtained water in the desert by farming it from the air with fictional "vaporators." But could they work in the real world?.....»»