Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air

Generally speaking, you don’t see a wide variety of crops being grown in arid regions – especially when irrigation isn’t practical and/or affordable. That could be about to change, though, with the development of what’s being described as “self-waterin… Continue reading Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air

Fly fat extract eradicates crop-killing bacteria

Just like us, crop plants are subject to bacterial infections. And while antibiotics are often used to kill those microbes, compounds extracted from fly larva fat may prove to be a more eco-friendly alternative.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: An… Continue reading Fly fat extract eradicates crop-killing bacteria

Close-up Photographer of the Year celebrates dramatic detail

The winners and finalists of the 2020 Close-up Photographer of the Year have been announced, with the top honors going to Galice Hoarau for an electrifying image of an eel larva snapped during a blackwater dive. The rest of the list highlights the seld… Continue reading Close-up Photographer of the Year celebrates dramatic detail

Soybean oil-coated sand could be a green alternative to plastic mulch

In order to keep water from evaporating from the soil, farmers will often cover the ground around their crop plants with sheets of polyethylene plastic. There could soon be a more eco-friendly alternative, though, in the form of soybean oil-coated sand… Continue reading Soybean oil-coated sand could be a green alternative to plastic mulch

Australian stinging tree reveals entirely new family of neurotoxins

New research from the University of Queensland has solved the mystery behind the sting of one of the most venomous plants on the planet. The discovery of a previously unknown neurotoxin explains how Australian stinging trees cause excruciating pain tha… Continue reading Australian stinging tree reveals entirely new family of neurotoxins

Foliage-analyzing drones could help locate dead bodies

It can be hard enough for search parties to find human remains on open ground, but in dense forests, it’s even more difficult. That’s why scientists are now proposing the use of aerial drones, which would look for telltale changes in trees’ leaves.Cont… Continue reading Foliage-analyzing drones could help locate dead bodies

Study shows nanoplastics can build up in plants and stunt their growth

Such is the magnitude of our plastic pollution problem that tiny particles of the stuff continue to turn up in all kinds of unexpected places, from snowfall in the Arctic to the sea ice in the Antarctic. That tiny fragments also exist in the soil is pe… Continue reading Study shows nanoplastics can build up in plants and stunt their growth

Compile a Hydroponics System From Source

Tending to a garden is usually a rewarding endeavor, as long as there is good soil to work with. If there isn’t, it can either get frustrating quickly having to deal with soils like sand or hard clay, or it can get expensive by having to truck in compost each …read more

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Dinosaur stomach contents reveal last meal and time of death

There’s only so much we can learn about dinosaurs from their dusty old bones. But now, palaeontologists have gathered some fascinating new insights by studying the stomach contents of an incredibly well-preserved nodosaur. They can tell not just what i… Continue reading Dinosaur stomach contents reveal last meal and time of death