Climate change threatens global cocoa production: New study highlights pollination-based solutions
5:00amCocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a vital cash-crop for four to six million small-holder farmers across the tropics, and supports a global chocolate industry valued at over USD 100 billion annually. The combination of millions of farmers relying on cocoa for their…Mighty marine fungi degrade plastic by eating it, and can be conditioned to do it faster
Thu 4:50pmPlastic is the most prevalent marine pollutant, and plastic surfaces are the fastest growing habitat in the ocean. Researchers at the University of Hawai'i (UH) at Mānoa have recently discovered that many species of fungi isolated from Hawai'i's nearshore…Carbonate-dissolving microorganisms could be key to sustainable bioenergy
Thu 4:32pmA University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team has identified new microscopic players in the global carbon cycle, a discovery that paints a clearer picture of carbon flow through the environment and provides key information for the sustainable development of…Newest version of cell-mapping tool can spot boundaries even in cloudy conditions
Thu 4:00pmPicking out individual cells in distorted microscopy images is now as easy as clicking a button.Genetic study of Greenlanders reveals variants specific to their culture
Thu 3:15pmAn international team of geneticists, public health specialists and environmental scientists from Greenland, Denmark and several other countries in Europe has conducted a genetic analysis of Greenlanders to learn more about gene-specific health issues.Developmental biologists discover how a critical protein shapes gallbladder formation
Thu 3:14pmThe lab of Dr. Mark Magnuson, Louise B. McGavock Professor and professor of molecular physiology and biophysics at Vanderbilt University, has demonstrated that the formation of the gallbladder and bile duct system depends on the concentration of a…Five ways humans have scuppered the love lives of animals
Thu 3:13pmFrustrated with which dating app to use? Unable to find "the one?" Spare a thought for some of the animal kingdom, where humanity has hampered their efforts to find a mate.Consumption-driven deforestation threatens 7,600 forest-dependent species worldwide
Thu 2:15pmBiodiversity loss has accelerated at an alarming rate in recent decades, driven largely by human activities such as clearing forests to grow crops or harvest timber. While countries often degrade ecosystems within their own borders through these activities,…Restoring wildlife habitats in wealthy nations could drive extinctions in species-rich regions
Thu 2:00pmSome efforts to preserve or rewild natural habitats are shifting harmful land use to other parts of the world—and this could drive an even steeper decline in the planet's species, according to a team of conservation scientists and economists led by the…Foraging seals enable scientists to measure fish abundance across the vast Pacific Ocean
Thu 2:00pmOver the past 60 years, marine biologists at UC Santa Cruz have monitored the behavior of northern elephant seals that journey to nearby Año Nuevo Natural Reserve. With the seals gathering on the beach by the thousands to breed and molt, generations of…Birds have developed complex brains independently from mammals, studies reveal
Thu 2:00pmTwo studies published in the latest issue of Science have revealed that birds, reptiles, and mammals have developed complex brain circuits independently, despite sharing a common ancestor. These findings challenge the traditional view of brain evolution and…Fungus 'hacks' natural immune system to cause neurodegeneration in fruit flies
Thu 2:00pmA fungal infection has been shown to trigger a fruit fly's own immune system to destroy brain cells, leading to signs of neurodegeneration, a new study has found.Protected habitats aren't enough to save endangered species: Models show species are impacted by…
Thu 2:00pmIn tropical forests, endangered species inside protected habitats are still in danger from threats from beyond their sanctuaries, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ilaria Greco and Francesco Rovero of the University of…Deep learning provides new view on 300 million years of brain evolution
Thu 2:00pmIn a new study published in Science, a Belgian research team explores how genetic switches controlling gene activity define brain cell types across species. They trained deep learning models on human, mouse, and chicken brain data and found that while some…Cuttlefish ink has potential as natural repellent to keep sharks away from beaches
Thu 12:50pmThe ink of the cuttlefish could transform how sharks are deterred from hunting near swimmers, according to new research.Lake Victoria is turning green. Examining the deadly bacteria behind it
Thu 12:50pmLakes, natural and man-made, provide water, food and habitats for wildlife, and also support local economies. Around the world, though, there's a growing threat to lakes: toxic bacteria which turn the water green.Nature-friendly solar farms create bird havens in agricultural areas
Thu 12:40pmBirds across Eastern England's arable landscapes are thriving on solar farms managed with nature in mind.New study documents California coyotes eating harbor seal pups
Thu 12:39pmWhether it's ice cream, a greasy hamburger, or a heap of french fries, everybody loves fatty foods. For coyotes, that meal is a blubbery seal pup, according to a new study led by UC Santa Cruz scientists.Acidification kills H5N1 in waste milk, reducing risk of bird flu
Thu 12:33pmPasteurization is the only widely recognized method of killing H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu, in milk. However, pasteurization can be expensive and fewer than 50% of large dairy farms pasteurize waste milk.Mutation in rice alters sterility temperature, offering new agricultural insights
Thu 12:20pmThermo-sensitive genic male sterility 5 (tms5) is a widely used thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) line for two-line hybrid rice production. Critical sterility-inducing temperature (CSIT) acts as a key threshold of TGMS lines. However, there are a few…Gene editing approach sheds light on how mitochondria drive autophagy
Thu 11:41amAutophagy is the process by which cells digest and renew their internal structures, recycling damaged or malfunctioning proteins and organelles. By reusing these basic molecules, the cell gains the energy and resources needed to maintain balance. However, when…Flies play too, carousel study suggests
Thu 11:08amIn a recent study, scientists at Leipzig University have for the first time demonstrated play-like behavior in flies. They found that fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) voluntarily and repeatedly visited a carousel.The evolution of evolution itself: How evolution got so good at evolving
Thu 11:05amThe field of evolution examines how organisms adapt to their environments over generations, but what about the evolution of evolution itself?Jamming rivals' love songs with wing flicks: How fruit flies flit between courtship and aggression
Thu 11:00amFor fruit flies, finding the right mate is all about the right song. Now, research shows that male flies don't just try to impress their valentine by serenading her with song—they also go to great lengths to drown out the competition. By jamming their…Tiny splendid peacock spiders have the fastest known jump among their kin
Thu 10:55amJumping spiders—one of the largest spider families—get their name from the extraordinary jumps they make to hunt prey, to navigate and also to evade predators.Indigenous knowledge merges with science to protect people from fish poisoning in Vanuatu
Thu 10:54amCiguatera fish poisoning is the world's most frequently reported seafood-borne illness.Paws at the border: Dogs help stop invasive pests spread by air passengers
Thu 10:38amA new study by researchers at the University of Melbourne's Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) highlights the biosecurity risks posed by air passengers and emphasizes the value of border interventions such as detector dogs in mitigating…Exploring 185 years of plant collections to enhance future biodiversity studies
Thu 10:37amTo plan for the future, it's sometimes necessary to look to the past. To improve natural history collection and analysis in the future, a team of researchers is looking at collections of plants from as far back as 1812.Deep dive on deep-water reefs finds new marine species
Thu 10:36amMarine researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have discovered a species of sea squirt that is thought to be new to science.World's largest digital microbe collection aims to transform health research
Thu 10:32amResearchers at University of Galway have created the world's largest collection of digital microbes—nearly a quarter million computer models—to help revolutionize our understanding of the human microbiome and its impact on health.
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Welcome to EcoTopical Your daily eco-friendly green news aggregator.
Leaf through planet Earths environmental headlines in one convenient place. Read, share and discover the latest on ecology, science and green living from the web's most popular sites.
Leaf through planet Earths environmental headlines in one convenient place. Read, share and discover the latest on ecology, science and green living from the web's most popular sites.