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.
During the Archean Eon—roughly 4 billion years ago—the Earth was a lifeless planet. The atmosphere lacked oxygen, and there were few, if any, organisms to be found anywhere on the globe. Then something incredible happened. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 12, 2026
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Global rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and the 2010s, despite the negative impacts of climate change, according to a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The study found that management ...
Agriculture
Jun 10, 2026
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For decades, science has understood the basics of photosynthesis, the process by which plants turn sunlight into food. However, photosynthesis occurs on uniquely specialized membranes that we have only begun to understand. ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 9, 2026
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For plants, light is an important environmental factor not only as a source of energy for photosynthesis, but also as a signal for capturing environmental information. Light signals are sensed by photoreceptor proteins called ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 8, 2026
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Scientists have discovered a previously unknown regulatory mechanism in plant photosynthesis in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. It helps plants adapt to changes in light conditions. The results, published ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jun 7, 2026
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What if a common herb found in the kitchen could help farmers grow healthier crops? As the global population grows and agriculture faces increasing environmental challenges, scientists are searching for innovative ways to ...
On a hot afternoon in California wine country, the sun can do more than warm a vineyard. It can scorch it. When temperatures climb above 100°F, grape clusters can heat to nearly 140° in direct sunlight. The berries shrivel. ...
Ecology
Jun 4, 2026
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An international team of scientists has discovered that plants are not responding to global warming in the way researchers long assumed. Scientists have expected that ecosystems would keep pace with warming by raising the ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 3, 2026
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Sunlight provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis and growth, but it also exposes plants to harmful ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. Plants must therefore strike a delicate balance between growth and protection. By ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 1, 2026
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40
Biomolecules are naturally occurring molecules that form the basis of living systems. They are widely used in the production of a diverse range of materials. One such widely used biomolecule is sulfated polysaccharide (SPS), ...
Biotechnology
May 28, 2026
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