New way to track pollen may be a game-changer for hay fever sufferers

A new measure of pollen allergen count could help hay-fever sufferers pre-empt how they'll be affected

For the first time, scientists have found that measuring airborne allergen levels, instead of the traditional method of pollen count, will dramatically help hay-fever sufferers pre-empt risk and combat debilitating symptoms.

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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

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

Look out, bees, these creatures of the night are super spreaders

The crucial role bees play in sustaining life on Earth is well understood, but there are some other animals doing more than their share of heavy lifting when it comes to pollinating plant life and propping up natural resources we rely on.Continue Readi… Continue reading Look out, bees, these creatures of the night are super spreaders

Sunflower pollen used to create chemically erasable, rewritable paper

While the recycling of paper is all very well and good, reusing it is even better. A new pollen-based paper was designed with this fact in mind, as text can be printed onto it and then chemically erased multiple times.Continue ReadingCategory: Environm… Continue reading Sunflower pollen used to create chemically erasable, rewritable paper

Caffeine-boosted bees more efficiently home in on target flowers

A new study has found caffeine can be used to help bees locate specific flowers. The research suggests the drug enhances bee memory and makes them more efficient at homing in on certain targeted flowers.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: B… Continue reading Caffeine-boosted bees more efficiently home in on target flowers

Allergy seasons getting longer and more severe thanks to climate change

For many people, the beauty of spring is countered by the sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes of allergies that come with the warmer weather. For those people, science has some bad news – climate change seems to be making pollen season longer and more … Continue reading Allergy seasons getting longer and more severe thanks to climate change

Scientists engineer soft, micro-gel particles from ultra-hard pollen

Scientists in Singapore have come up with a new type of soft, pliable particle they say can be used as a building blocks for a new generation of green and biocompatible materials, all by using pollen as a starting point. These incredibly hard natural g… Continue reading Scientists engineer soft, micro-gel particles from ultra-hard pollen