What if the US followed Germany and shut down its nuclear plants?
There's a huge cost in lives from shutting off low-emission power plants. Enlarge / A German nuclear power plant, which is currently partially closed. (credit: Getty Images) In 2011, in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.....»»
Tesla workers in Germany complain about home visits from their bosses
The rate of sick leave reached 17 percent in August, far above industry average. Enlarge / Tesla's factory in Gruenheide, Germany. (credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Tesla's German car factory on the outskirts of Berlin.....»»
Elucidating the mechanism of cell division during plant self-healing
When the stem of a plant is injured, the surrounding cells proliferate to repair and fuse the damaged tissue, eventually restoring function. This self-healing property is utilized in grafting techniques to propagate fruit and vegetable plants......»»
Simultaneous detection of uranium isotopes and fluorine advances nuclear nonproliferation monitoring
Combining two techniques, analytical chemists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have become the first to detect fluorine and different isotopes of uranium in a single particle at the same time. Because fluorine is essential.....»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
Bulrush once kept NZ"s wetlands and lakes thriving—now it could help restore them
With about 90% of New Zealand's natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats......»»
How old is beer?
Humans are no strangers to kicking back with a cool pint of beer. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, had a hankering for beer that was a little bit tart, almost like a modern-day gose, a lemony beer from Germany. Homer, the Ancient Greek poet, spoke.....»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
New fossil species reshapes understanding of grape family history
Until now, it was believed that plants of the grape family arrived at the European continent less than 23 million years ago. A study on fossil plants draws a new scenario on the dispersal of the ancestors of grape plants and reveals that these specie.....»»
Advancing synthetic Ephedra-type alkaloids with a two-step enzymatic approach
Ephedra-type alkaloids, a class of naturally occurring compounds derived from plants in the genus Ephedra, have long held interest in the pharmaceutical industry due to their stimulant and airway widening effects. These alkaloids are used for the tre.....»»
Strategies for maximizing recombinant protein production in tobacco plants
Plant molecular farming (PMF) is a modern, sophisticated technology that utilizes plants' biosynthetic machinery to synthesize a plethora of recombinant proteins, including industrial and therapeutic enzymes. It has several advantages over traditiona.....»»
Nuking a huge asteroid could save Earth, lab experiment suggests
Humanity could use a nuclear bomb to deflect a massive, life-threatening asteroid hurtling towards Earth in the future, according to scientists who tested the theory in the laboratory by blasting X-rays at a marble-sized "mock asteroid"......»»
ALICE probes the strong interaction three-body problem with new measurements of hadron–deuteron correlations
In an article recently published in Physical Review X, the ALICE collaboration presented its studies of correlations in the kaon–deuteron and proton–deuteron systems, opening the door to precise studies of the forces in three-body nuclear systems.....»»
Ultra-high speed camera for molecules: Attosecond spectroscopy captures electron transfer dynamics
In nature, photosynthesis powers plants and bacteria; within solar panels, photovoltaics transform light into electric energy. These processes are driven by electronic motion and imply charge transfer at the molecular level. The redistribution of ele.....»»
Extreme botany: Paramotorists soar across remote Peru desert to collect threatened plants
In an innovative paper published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Huarango Nature and paramotorists from Forest Air, highlight the exciting potential of paramotoring as a means of aiding res.....»»
Fecal transplants reduce ADHD and anxiety symptoms in dogs with epilepsy, researchers find
Researchers from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) and Center for Systems Neuroscience in Hannover, Germany have discovered that fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) can reduce negative mental health symptoms i.....»»
Archaeologists discover southern army fought at "Europe"s oldest battle"
Archaeologists analyzed thirteenth century BC bronze and flint arrowheads from the Tollense Valley, north-east Germany, uncovering the earliest evidence for large-scale interregional conflict in Europe. The Tollense Valley in Mecklenburg-Western Pome.....»»
VW CEO Oliver Blume expects significant concessions from unions in crunch talks
VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said the automaker's costs in Germany are too high compared to international competition, setting up a clash with unions who have pledged fierce resistance to job cuts and plant closures......»»
GM, Ford would be forced to halt imports of China-built cars under proposed U.S. rule, official says
GM and Ford are aware, the official said, that "going forward" production in China for the U.S. market "would need to be shut down in China and moved elsewhere.".....»»
Amazon forest loses area the size of Germany and France, fueling fires
The Amazon rainforest has lost an area about the size of Germany and France combined to deforestation in four decades, fueling drought and record wildfires across South America, experts said Monday......»»
Scientists explore how indoor vertical farming could help future-proof food demand
To make sure everyone eats well in our crowded world, we need to innovate. Vertical farming systems, which grow plants intensively in an indoor setting, could be part of the answer—but to use them on a large scale we need to overcome key problems,.....»»