When plants flower: Scientists ID genes, mechanism in sorghum
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Oklahoma State University have identified key genes and the mechanism by which they control flowering in sorghum, an important bioenergy crop. The findings, just p.....»»
New research may lead to potatoes that are less reliant on nitrogen fertilizers
Because nitrogen fertilizers contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, scientists are looking for ways to modify agricultural plants so that they rely on less nitrogen. In research published in New Phytologist, investigators have found that bloc.....»»
Braving sharks and hordes of urchins, scientists are growing kelp one forest at a time
The weathered UC Davis Marine Laboratory looms in thick fog on the edge of the ocean near Bodega Bay. Inside, an experiment is playing out that gives a badly-needed boost to Northern California's kelp forests—underwater cathedrals of green and gold.....»»
New framework uses games of chance to put "price" on intangible assets
A new statistical model could help to address the age-old question of how to price non-physical, intangible goods like data, say scientists......»»
Bach, Mozart or jazz: Scientists provide a quantitative measure of variability in music pieces
Physicists at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) have investigated to which extent a piece of music can evoke expectations about its progression. They were able to determine differences in how far compositions of dif.....»»
Scientists find key to engineering water-responsive biopolymers
Scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have developed a novel approach to better understand and predict the behaviors of water-responsive materials—solid matter that can change shape by absorbing.....»»
New modeling of complex biological systems could offer insights into genomic data and other huge datasets
Over the past two decades, new technologies have helped scientists generate a vast amount of biological data. Large-scale experiments in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and cytometry can produce enormous quantities of data from a given cellula.....»»
Scientists shed light on an arms race between barley and a fungal pathogen
Scientists from the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), together with partners from the University of Cologne, have discovered a new group of defense substances in barley that are effective against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens. One.....»»
Survey highlights "publish or perish" culture as key factor in research irreproducibility
An international survey involving over 1,600 biomedical researchers has shed light on the perceived causes of irreproducibility in research results. The survey, which included participants from various countries and research institutions, aimed to id.....»»
New plant bug species discovered in French Polynesia
Seventeen new species of plant bugs—a group of insects with a strawlike mouth used to feed on plant and animal matter—have been identified on the islands of French Polynesia, and their names honor scientists, actors, and Vice President Kamala Har.....»»
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.....»»
Another season of highs and lows as 2024 Australian humpback migration ends
Each year, the annual humpback whale migration up and down the East Australian Coastline brings with it a multitude of highs and lows for marine scientists such as Griffith University whale expert, Dr. Olaf Meynecke......»»
Multicomponent hydride designs could advance science of superconducting materials
New materials designed by a University of Illinois Chicago graduate student may help scientists meet one of today's biggest challenges: building superconductors that operate at normal temperatures and pressures......»»
Study of Venus"s Haasttse-baad Tessera suggests formation by two large impacts
A trio of geologists and environmental scientists from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota has found evidence suggesting that the Haasttse-baad Tessera formation on Venus was likely for.....»»
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.....»»
Scientists discover all-optical nuclear magnetic resonance analog with quantum fluids of light
Researchers from Skoltech, the University of Warsaw, and the University of Iceland have demonstrated that by optical means it is possible to excite and stir an exciton-polariton condensate, which emits a linearly polarized light with a polarization a.....»»
Biologists reveal the genetic "switch" behind parrot color diversity
From the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to the shoulders of pirates: parrots are synonymous with color for people across the world. In a study published in the journal Science, scientists from The University of Hong Kong, together with an international t.....»»
Scientists identify chemical properties of superheavy elements moscovium and nihonium
An international team led by scientists of GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, succeeded in determining the chemical properties of the artificially produced superheavy elements moscovium and n.....»»
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.....»»
Small reductions to meat production in wealthier countries may help fight climate change
Scientists and environmental activists have consistently called for drastic reductions in meat production as a way to reduce emissions and, in doing so, combat climate change. However, a new analysis concludes that a smaller reduction, borne by wealt.....»»
Tracing the journey from Egyptian cat mummies to modern house pets
EU researchers are testing DNA from archaeological cat remains to help unravel the tale of cat domestication. It probably will not surprise cat owners, familiar with the enigmatic and independent nature of their beloved pets, to know that scientists.....»»