High CO2 spurs wetlands to absorb more carbon

(Phys.org) —Under elevated carbon dioxide levels, wetland plants can absorb up to 32 percent more carbon than they do at current levels, according to a 19-year study published in Global Change Biology from the Smithsonian ...

Scientists discover that rainforests take the heat

South American rainforests thrived during three extreme global warming events in the past, say paleontologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in a new report published in the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary ...

Opening a window into vector-borne viruses

Agricultural Research Service scientists in New York and California have developed very different technologies that share a common thread. They offer scientists new, innovative ways to probe what happens when a crop is threatened ...

A long-sought goal: Crystallizing an elusive protein

(Phys.org) —Plants use an enzyme known as "rubisco" to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, with energy from the sun and nutrients from the soil, build up the shoots, leaves, and stems that make up the plant ...

A T-Rex of an idea: Dinosaur milk?

(Phys.org)—Did dinosaurs lactate? It's a question physiology expert Professor Paul Else has been pondering for years –15 years in fact.

Pulp as biodegradable plastic in disposable food containers

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and university cooperators have developed a biodegradable plastic that could be used in disposable food containers. The plastic, called a thermoplastic, becomes soft when heated.

Cruise control starts runners on right 'note'

A new app based on technology designed at Simon Fraser University is helping runners to more effectively – and enjoyably – reach and maintain their pace or heart rate goals.

Doing the math for how songbirds learn to sing

(Phys.org)—Scientists studying how songbirds stay on key have developed a statistical explanation for why some things are harder for the brain to learn than others.

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