Wax-coated sand keeps soil wet longer, improves crop yields in arid regions
Dry, hot regions are difficult places to grow plants because the soil dries out quickly. As a result, farmers in arid and semi-arid regions irrigate their fields with buried networks of irrigation tubing and cover the ground with plastic sheets. But.....»»
Soil sampling in Houston"s greater Fifth Ward reveals toxic levels of lead in yards, play areas
Houston, like many American cities, has areas with soil contaminated by non-biodegradable and persistent pollutants such as arsenic, lead, nickel and cadmium, known as heavy metals and metalloids. These are both naturally occurring in the atmosphere.....»»
Water overuse in Brazil"s MATOPIBA region could mean failure to meet up to 40% of local demand for crop irrigation
Considered one of the fastest-growing agricultural frontiers in Brazil, and the area with the highest greenhouse gas emissions in the Cerrado, Brazil's savanna-type biome, the region known as MATOPIBA, risks facing water shortages in the years ahead......»»
Scientists have figured out why Martian soil is so crusty
On November 26, 2018, NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) mission landed on Mars. This was a major milestone in Mars exploration since it was the first time a research station had been deplo.....»»
Spraying rice with zinc oxide nanoparticles protects yields during heat waves, study finds
A small team of horticulturists in China and the U.S. has found that spraying rice plants with a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution helps them better handle the stress of a heat wave. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of.....»»
Study finds 30% of regions worldwide achieve economic growth while reducing carbon emissions
More and more regions around the globe combine economic growth with reducing carbon emissions, researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the University of Potsdam found......»»
Apple stops signing iOS 18.0.1, no longer allowing downgrades from 18.1
A week after releasing iOS 18.1 to the public, Apple has now stopped signing iOS 18.0.1. For iPhone and iPad users, this means that they can no longer downgrade to a previous version of the operating system. more….....»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Genome sequencing of all four Macadamia species unlocks new potential for crop improvement
A research team has successfully sequenced and assembled the genomes of all four Macadamia species, marking a significant advance in crop improvement efforts for this commercially valuable nut. The findings reveal key genetic traits that could enhanc.....»»
Study reveals effect of slope position on nonstructural carbohydrates in biological soil crusts
Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) provide energy for metabolic processes in plants and play a key role in plant growth, defense and osmoregulation. However, the regulation of NSC in biological soil crusts across different slope positions remains unc.....»»
Rubber plantations increase leaching of dissolved organic carbon in soil, study finds
Rubber planting brings huge economic benefits, but large-scale rubber plantations have a great impact on the ecological environment, especially in terms of the soil's physical and chemical properties......»»
Ethiopian farmers improve soil and feed with forage mixtures
Yordanos Anju is a dedicated farmer from the Bilate Zuria district in the Northern Sidama region. For generations, his family has relied on farming and livestock production......»»
Apple removed iMac option to buy color-matched trackpad and mouse together
Apple’s M4 iMac is available for pre-order ahead of its arrival this Friday, and with USB-C accessories. But some buyers have noticed a change to the purchase process compared to previous iMacs. With the M4 model, you can no longer get both the Mag.....»»
Advanced AI techniques enhance crop leaf disease detection in tropical agriculture
Researchers have made significant progress in the field of artificial intelligence by applying deep learning techniques to automate the detection and classification of crop leaf diseases......»»
Climate activism is no longer a young person"s game
When Cathy Fulkerson walked into her bank in Reno, Nevada, she was ready to cancel her credit card. Carrying a letter stating her concerns, Fulkerson explained to the manager why she wanted to cut ties: its investments in fossil fuels......»»
Mangrove degradation threatens carbon storage in China"s Pearl Bay
Carbon sinks are important in the fight against climate change as they draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by storing organic carbon in the oceans and soil, for example. Within tropical and subtropical intertidal locations, wetland plant comm.....»»
Psychological inoculation: Combining two simple tools could combat election misinformation
A popular new strategy for combating misinformation doesn't by itself help people distinguish truth from falsehood but improves when paired with reminders to focus on accuracy, finds new Cornell University-led research supported by Google......»»
MacBook Pro line could major redesign in 2026 for 20th anniversary
Apple will update the current MacBook Pro again in 2025, but those waiting for a significant redesign may have to wait a little longer.The 2023 MacBook Pro was the first to offer a Space Black option.The company often tweaks the hardware of its MacBo.....»»
iOS 18’s best AI tools arrive in December, but Siri has a longer wait
The most notable Apple Intelligence tricks will likely arrive in a month, but Siri's integration with other apps will only materialize around April next year......»»
Deadly shooting at after-hours club yields Lubbock"s first mass shooting charge
Deadly shooting at after-hours club yields Lubbock"s first mass shooting charge.....»»
African Sahara "greening" can alter Northern Hemisphere climate, modeling study finds
Africa's Sahara Desert may be considered a vast expanse of barren sand with limited vegetation, an extreme environment for plants and animals to thrive, but life always finds a way. Indeed, vegetation growth in the desert has waxed and waned over mil.....»»