The teeth of mammals experience constant wear. However, the details of these wear processes are largely unknown. Researchers have now demonstrated that the various areas of herbivores' teeth differ in how susceptible they are to dental wear, detailing an exact chronology.
Read moreWhen you're sleep deprived, you reach for doughnuts and pizza. A new study has figured out why you crave more calorie-dense, high-fat foods after a sleepless night. Blame it on your sleepy nose — or olfactory system. First, it goes into hyperdrive, sharpening the food odors for the brain. But then there is a breakdown in communication with brain areas that receive food signals. Then decisions about what to eat change.
Read moreScientists have developed a new approach enabling researchers to more efficiently identify the genes that control plant traits. This method will enable plant breeders and scientists to develop more affordable, desirable, and sustainable plant varieties. The application will be most valuable for the fruit, vegetable and grain crops that are critical for global food security and human nutrition.
Read moreIrrigation significantly exacerbated the earthquake-triggered landslides in Palu, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in 2018, according to an international study.
Read moreScientists have demonstrated that not only plant odors determine the best oviposition site for egglaying hawkmoths, but also the frass of other larvae. They specified the repelling substance in the feces which signals the presence of competing conspecifics. Moreover, the researchers identified an odorant receptor which is involved in the detection of the typical smell of larval frass and thereby governs competition avoidance during oviposition.
Read moreIn an industry struggling to maintain profitability, it's curious that U.S. processing sweet corn – the corn that ends up in cans and freezer bags – is falling so far below its potential. Yet, that's what a new study clearly demonstrates.
Read moreResearchers have developed machine-learning algorithms that teach a computer system to analyze three-dimensional shapes of the branches and leaves of a plant. The study may help scientists better quantify how plants respond to climate change, genetic mutations or other factors.
Read moreNew evidence in Belize shows the ancient Maya responded to population and environmental pressures by creating massive agricultural features in wetlands, potentially increasing atmospheric CO2 and methane through burn events and farming, according to geographical research.
Read moreNew research finds dog owners are often inaccurate when measuring out kibble using a scoop, putting the dogs at risk of under-nourishment or weight gain.
Read moreScientists have long known that nodulation is important to plant health. Nodulation occurs when nodules, which form on the roots of plants (primarily legumes), form a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that deliver nutrients to the plant. This process is a key part of sustainable agriculture and makes legumes an important source of protein for much of the world. However, recent research shows that nodulation might positively impact the plant's microbiome in other ways.
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