Why sweet-toothed possums graze on stressed, sickly-looking trees
From time to time, I'm contacted by people who have a favorite garden tree that seems suddenly to be in serious decline and lacking healthy foliage. Often the decline has been occurring over many months, but when first noticed, the change seems to ha.....»»
Carbon capture has a place in Illinois" climate-change toolkit
Approaching downstate Decatur by car, it's not unusual to smell the huge Archer Daniels Midland industrial complex before seeing it. The sweet aroma of fermenting grain wafts through vehicle windows and air vents, a sign that ethanol fuel is being br.....»»
Mars analog stations investigate lichen biodiversity during simulated missions
Once you know where to look for them, lichens are everywhere. These composite organisms—fungal and photosynthetic partners joined into a greater whole—can survive on a vast array of surfaces, from rocks and trees to bare ground and buildings. The.....»»
Up in smoke: DIY tech to combat wildfires
As wildfires become a more frequent and dangerous part of life, especially in the Pacific Northwest, finding solutions that everyone can use is more important than ever. By June 2024, the Pacific Northwest had already seen more trees burn than in all.....»»
Claustrophobic cells slow their own growth, forming beautiful patterns of concentric circles
Like so many organisms on the planet, when cells experience mosh-pit-level crowding, they may just become stressed. Yet unlike most other life forms, cells subject to physical stress from crowding by neighbors can find some relief by dramatically slo.....»»
Fall is here: Why do some trees lose their leaves while others stay green?
The autumn has arrived and northeastern North America's forests will soon grace us with a breathtaking palette of reds, yellows and golds. These vivid colors will then fade, giving way to bare branches, as the fallen leaves blanket the forest floor,.....»»
One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
The remnants of Hurricane Kirk swept into western Europe Wednesday, tearing up trees in Portugal and Spain before dumping heavy rains on France that left at least one dead......»»
Nvidia may give the RTX 5080 a sweet consolation prize
A new glimpse at the potential specs for the RTX 5080 tells us that it might have the RTX 5090 beat in one way, but there's still a huge gap between the two......»»
Stressed bees make pessimistic choices and may experience emotion-like states, new research suggests
Stressed bees are much more likely to make pessimistic choices and lack a buzz in life, new research has revealed......»»
Trees" own beneficial microbiome could lead to discovery of new treatments to fight citrus greening disease
Citrus trees showing natural tolerance to citrus greening disease host bacteria that produce novel antimicrobials that can be used to fight off the disease, our recent study shows. We found the trees at an organic farm in Clermont, Florida......»»
Field notes: Life in the Eldorado National Forest after wildfire strikes
Charred trees punctuated the Eldorado National Forest like blackened skeletons of their former selves, victims of the Mosquito Fire. Two years earlier, in 2022, the Mosquito Fire started in Tahoe National Forest, moved north to the Eldorado and torch.....»»
The Secret Alchemy of Making Ice Cream
Ice cream is deceptively simple, but that sweet burst of flavor and soft melt on the tongue is a finicky, frozen science of water, fat, and air delicately held together......»»
Hurry! The 10.2-inch iPad has a $100 discount pre-Prime Day
Best Buy has cut the price of the Apple iPad 10.2 by $100 so now is the ideal time to treat yourself to a sweet new tablet for much less......»»
New research uncovers how climate and soil shape tree and shrub wood density across ecosystems
An article published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences has provided new insights into how wood density in trees and shrubs adapts to different climate and soil conditions. Led by Dr. Song Xiang from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chine.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
The biodiversity jukebox: How sound can boost beneficial soil microbes to heal nature
In a race against time, scientists are exploring new ways to restore natural systems. Alongside traditional methods such as planting trees, reducing pollution and reintroducing native species, a surprising new tool is emerging: sound. Ecologists can.....»»
SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle speakers: warm, sweet, effortless sound
The SVS Evolution Pinnacle speakers are excellent in so many ways that it might seem hard to believe. But these could well be the only speakers I ever need......»»
Smoke from megafires puts orchard trees at risk: Effects last months, reducing nut yields
Long-term smoke exposure from massive wildfires lowers the energy reserves of orchard trees and can cut their nut production by half, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found. The smoke can affect trees for months after a megafire, d.....»»
New study maps Congo"s bai ecosystems in unprecedented detail
"Tropical rainforest" might conjure images of close-packed trees, dense humidity, and the din of animal calls. But rainforests host landscapes beyond that archetypal one, including vast, treeless clearings that seemingly appear out of nowhere......»»
Pitting good versus bad fungi on sweet corn: A delicate dance
The same defenses that help some varieties of sweet corn resist fungal diseases can also stymie the potency of a beneficial fungus used to kill hungry caterpillar pests, studies by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists suggest. The researche.....»»
"Vegetarian" possums eat meat when the weather"s cold
When dead animals are left lying around in nature, who takes advantage of the free feed—carnivores or herbivores? The answer may surprise you......»»