Transgenic soybeans could replace pork, by producing pig proteins

Great strides are being made in the field of lab-grown meat, but its price remains a barrier to wide commercial use. British startup Moolec has created what it claims is a less costly alternative, in the form of soya plants that produce pig-protein-ric… Continue reading Transgenic soybeans could replace pork, by producing pig proteins

Plant-based insulin derived from lettuce, can be taken orally

Animal cells share some qualities with plant cells, but one key feature ours lack is a rigid cell wall. While this provides structure for plants, it’s also something scientists are increasingly looking at for use in new materials, cellulose technology … Continue reading Plant-based insulin derived from lettuce, can be taken orally

Insects pollinated the first flower 140M years ago, and it wasn’t a bee

If evolutionary biologists are the detectives of the natural world’s past mysteries, then the phylogenic tree is their version of a cork board of crime-scene suspects linked together with red string and thumbtacks.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, Sci… Continue reading Insects pollinated the first flower 140M years ago, and it wasn’t a bee

Bush medicine meets high-tech: Australian plants excel at healing wounds

Researchers have confirmed what Indigenous Australians have long known: native plants have great healing properties. A study has found that two plants show great potential for healing wounds quickly and efficiently. The finding paves the way for introd… Continue reading Bush medicine meets high-tech: Australian plants excel at healing wounds

Indoor plants are surprisingly good at devouring carcinogenic toxins

Researchers have demonstrated how effective plants are at ridding the air in your home, school, or workplace of toxic, carcinogenic pollutants, providing a sustainable, low-cost way of ensuring that the air you breathe is cleaner.Continue ReadingCatego… Continue reading Indoor plants are surprisingly good at devouring carcinogenic toxins

Scientists name the top plants for bumblebee-friendly gardens

A study of nearly 23,000 interactions between different species of bumblebees and flowers has determined what these environmentally important fuzzy buzzers like to dine on. The information will help professional and amateur conservationists cater to th… Continue reading Scientists name the top plants for bumblebee-friendly gardens

Pomegranate extract has an appetite for waterborne pharmaceuticals

In recent years, pomegranate-derived compounds have been shown to slow cellular aging, protect unborn babies’ brains, and serve as additives in better automotive materials. Now, they’ve also been used to remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater.Continue … Continue reading Pomegranate extract has an appetite for waterborne pharmaceuticals

How moss makes better soil and helps combat climate change

Mosses are one of the planet’s most common – and undervalued – plants. A large new study has finally given moss the recognition it deserves, highlighting its importance in maintaining Earth’s ecosystems and its potential for reducing our carbon footpri… Continue reading How moss makes better soil and helps combat climate change

Colorado chili pepper fossil discovery may upend evolutionary timeline

Fossilized plants can provide much information about plant diversification and the planet’s geography and evolution. Researchers have discovered an ancient chili pepper from Colorado that may upend our understanding of when and where the plant originat… Continue reading Colorado chili pepper fossil discovery may upend evolutionary timeline

First 4D-printed, shape-changing ‘seed robot’ to monitor the environment

Italian researchers have created a novel 4D-printed biodegradable soft robot shaped like a seed that changes shape in response to changes in humidity and can navigate through the soil. The device has great potential as a new way of monitoring the envir… Continue reading First 4D-printed, shape-changing ‘seed robot’ to monitor the environment