Cahokia's rise parallels onset of corn agriculture

Corn cultivation spread from Mesoamerica to what is now the American Southwest by about 4000 B.C., but how and when the crop made it to other parts of North America is still a subject of debate. In a new study, scientists ...

Slivers of land could power cheaper, greener nitrogen fertilizers

Nitrogen-based fertilizer contributes to the high yields expected from crops in the developed world, but its high use also damages nearby waters and ecosystems. Conversely, developing countries that most need yield improvements ...

Dramatic loss of food plants for insects

Just a few weeks ago, there were news headlines about plummeting insect numbers. Academic discourse focused on three main causes: the destruction of habitats, pesticides in agriculture and the decline of food plants for insects. ...

Dehydrating plant proteins at the speed of sound

Almost everyone is familiar with ultrasound—the high-frequency sound waves that bounce around in the body creating echo patterns that allow expectant parents to view their babies in the womb or clinicians to capture images ...

Longevity gene discovered in plants

Harvesting rice from the same field, without planting new rice plants? A discovery may bring this scenario closer. Leiden scientists have discovered a gene that allows annual plants to grow after flowering, instead of dying. ...

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