Photosynthesis is the set of light-driven biochemical processes by which phototrophic organisms convert electromagnetic energy into chemical energy, primarily storing it in carbohydrates synthesized from inorganic carbon. In oxygenic photosynthesis, chlorophyll-based reaction centers (photosystems I and II) located in thylakoid membranes couple photon absorption to charge separation, driving linear electron transport from water to NADP⁺, generating O₂, NADPH, and a proton motive force used for ATP synthesis via photophosphorylation. The resulting ATP and NADPH fuel the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle, which fixes CO₂ into organic molecules, integrating tightly regulated metabolic, redox, and signaling networks that respond to cellular and environmental conditions.
A single-celled green alga from the sand dunes of the Negev Desert has, within just a few years, become a key model organism in modern photosynthesis research. Chlorella ohadii helps researchers better understand plants' ...
Plants & Animals
1 hour ago
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California's iconic coast redwoods are used to growing in cool, coastal areas where the average temperature is around 59 degrees F (15 degrees Celsius). But as average yearly temperatures rise and heat waves push temperatures ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 28, 2026
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To survive periods of drought, trees halt photosynthesis, a highly water-intensive process. For every molecule of CO₂ absorbed by a tree leaf, an average of around 400 water molecules are released. Entire forests may then ...
Ecology
Sep 28, 2026
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A team of Chilean and Spanish researchers has published the results of one of the longest-running in-situ warming experiments in maritime Antarctica in the journal Physiologia Plantarum. The experiment exposed the Antarctic ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 23, 2026
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Science fiction suggests that life on other planets, if it exists, is likely far more advanced than life on Earth. A recent study suggests otherwise.
Astrobiology
Sep 22, 2026
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Satellite measurements detected declining photosynthetic activity in Western U.S. forests two years before bark beetle mortality appeared in aerial detection surveys, according to new University of Utah-led research.
Environment
Sep 3, 2026
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The enzymes found in modern organisms are complex proteins, often with multiple folded substructures and specialized catalytic sites. Proteins are encoded by genes. Tracing the history of enzymes across all living organisms ...
Evolution
Sep 3, 2026
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Forests support much of the world's biodiversity and play a vital role in regulating Earth's climate, but they are increasingly exposed to drought. To understand the potential consequences of drought, a key question is whether ...
Environment
Aug 25, 2026
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Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is boosting grass growth in Africa's water-limited savannas, according to a new study led by the University of Sheffield.
Environment
Aug 20, 2026
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Recurring and prolonged periods of drought are worsening worldwide, triggering a dangerous chain reaction for trees, according to a forest health expert at North Carolina State University.
Plants & Animals
Aug 20, 2026
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