Collaborate Disseminate
New research, led by anthropologists from Washington State University (WSU), has deployed a novel analytical technique to reveal undiscovered compounds in an ancient Maya drug container previously thought to only be used for tobacco. As well as demonst… Continue reading Contents of ancient Maya drug vessels revealed by new analytic method
As anyone who has grown climbing plants will know, the things are great at grasping onto thin objects such as strings or bamboo poles. A new robotic gripper, inspired by such plants, could find use in the handling of small, delicate items.Continue Read… Continue reading Plant-inspired gripper winds itself around objects
Pesticides may indeed kill plant pathogens, but they’re also harmful to the environment. Newly developed nanoparticles may provide a more eco-friendly alternative, as they boost the immune systems of crop plants, then harmlessly dissolve.Continue Readi… Continue reading Immunity-boosting silica nanoparticles could replace pesticides
If crop plants aren’t receiving enough nutrients, they’ll typically have lower-than-normal nitrogen levels. A portable new device could allow farmers to check those levels on the spot, so they can start addressing the problem as soon as possible.Contin… Continue reading Plant-assessing leaf-clip sensor could be a big help to farmers
Scientists have genetically modified a tomato to produce L-DOPA, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease. The researchers suggest this innovation could be an easier and cheaper way to produce the essential medicine in regions where access to the synthesized pharmaceutical is restricted.
Category: Science
Tags: Drugs, Genetic engineering, Food technology, Plants, Parkinson’s Disease, New Atlas Audio
Continue reading Tomatoes engineered to produce vital Parkinson’s disease medicine
Some people, and I count myself among them, are so scatterbrained and disorganized that they should never be put in charge of another living being. It’s too late for my children – poor souls, wherever I left them – but technology is here to save your i… Continue reading Respira’s Smart Garden: Dawn of the six-hundred-dollar pot plant
Agricultural fertilizers typically contain phosphorous, as it’s essential to growing plants. Unfortunately, though, it can become “locked” in the soil, and thus not available to crops. That said, it turns out that the addition of a microbe could unlock… Continue reading Tree microbes could help crops draw phosphorous from fertilized soil
If you want to know the local soil conditions, it would be great if you could just ask an earthworm. Given that that’s an impossibility, though, scientists are now working on the next-best thing – earthworm-inspired soil-analyzing agricultural robots.C… Continue reading Earthworm-inspired robots may be coming to a farm near you
Gardening is very therapeutic for many people, but there are nonetheless some yard-related tasks that can be a hassle. The Yardroid robot was designed to autonomously handle those jobs, utilizing artificial intelligence.Continue ReadingCategory: Roboti… Continue reading Tank-like robot designed to autonomously tend gardens
When plants perform movements, such as curling their leaves or twisting their stems, they do so by drawing water into the cellulose fibers in that part of their “body.” Scientists have now replicated that technique to produce self-folding paper structu… Continue reading Plant-inspired printing tech creates self-folding paper structures