Science
Scientific discoveries and research
Tiny DNA fragments, big agricultural insights: New genomic approach helps improve crop resilience
The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within...
Light pollution alters food webs along riverbanks, finds study
Artificial light at night not only alters the landscape, but also profoundly disrupts natural ecosystems. A recent study by the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-L...
Organic matter diversity determines how much iron is available for marine life, study finds
How much of the essential trace element iron remains available for marine life in the ocean depends critically on the diversity of organic molecules in seawater...
A mechanical blue LED: Stretching GaN shifts light from UV to blue without changing chemistry
A research team from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has successfully used mechanical stretching technology to dynamically contr...
Humidity and heat are killers for tropical birds: Waxbill and hornbill studies highlight the dangers
Humans are not the only species negatively affected by increasingly hot and humid conditions. Intense heat waves sometimes kill large numbers of wild animals. E...
Ancient farming clues may finally expose where humanity's most important wheat first emerged
The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most importan...
Urban agriculture could supply about 28% of Europe's vegetable demand
A new study, conducted by researchers from the Netherlands and Germany, estimates that urban agriculture in European cities could produce up to 20 million tons...
How can opinions be maximally influenced? New research offers insights
Who should you target, and when, to maximize the impact of your message? New research uses mathematical models to show that targeted influence is significantly...
Invisible fertility crisis: Chemicals and climate change threaten reproduction across species
The rise in infertility is not limited to humans, as environmental stressors are quietly undermining the reproductive potential of different forms of life. A re...
Stick-on gel delivers drugs directly to plants to clear infections quickly
A stick-on gel for plants could one day offer a simple, safe and targeted way to treat diseases and pests. Engineers at the University of California San Diego h...
Will attendance‑based grading improve school absenteeism?
School absenteeism is a major concern across Canada—and beyond. As researchers with the Canadian School Attendance Partnership, we have been exploring this issu...
Peatlands are vital for tackling climate change, yet scientists still haven't found them all
Push a metal corer into a peatland and you pull up something remarkable: a dark, dense, sponge-like material made of partly decomposed plants. This peat is rich...