Feeding a growing global population while preserving space for wildlife is one of agriculture’s toughest challenges. The debate has often been framed as a stark choice - either intensify farming to save land for nature or spread out production in more wildlife-friendly ways. 



But that either-or framing has oversimplified the problem and left policymakers with little clarity.



A new study takes a closer look at the evidence and asks a sharper question: which farming approach actually works best in practice to support biodiversity while keeping food production steady? The answer is far more complex than slogans suggest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenging-either-or-farming">Challenging either-or farming</h2>



Study lead author Eva Augustiny at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland (<a href="https://www.fibl.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FiBL</a>) and her team reviewed evidence from many landscapes and production systems.



The researchers assessed 57 studies and concluded that only 17 had the right ingredients to compare strategies head to head, yielding 27 apples-to-apples cases.



In those cases, 52 percent favored a mix of approaches, 41 percent favored land sparing, and seven percent favored land sharing, with the authors noting gaps in how biodiversity and yield were measured across the literature. That tally comes from the team’s peer-reviewed paper&nbsp;



"The empirical basis is thus sparse and does not support statements claiming that, in general, either land sharing or land sparing strategies are unequivocally better," said Augustiny.



Many studies focused on a narrow slice of life. Birds dominated the sample, often <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-pollution-is-stunting-tropical-forest-growth/">tropical forest</a> birds, while soil organisms and microbes were barely covered. 



Agricultural performance focused on yield, while profitability, stability, and key services like pollination and pest control were rarely tracked.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farms-use-land-differently">Farms use land differently</h2>



In this debate, land sharing means lower-intensity farming across wider areas with habitat elements built into fields and pastures. Farmers may keep hedgerows, ponds, tree belts, or flower strips and use more wildlife-friendly practices.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farming-for-wildlife-how-traditional-practices-can-protect-nature/">Land sparing</a> means concentrating production on smaller, higher yielding areas and setting aside larger, undisturbed spaces elsewhere for nature. The core idea is to meet food demand on less land and leave more intact habitat.



The modern framing grew from a 2005 theoretical model that linked species responses to farm yields and area needs. That model helped structure later field tests, but it simplified messy realities on the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biodiversity-complicates-the-picture">Biodiversity complicates the picture</h2>



Species differ. Forest-dependent birds often need large, continuous habitat and do poorly in patchy mosaics. 



A European population-level study found that simple sparing outperformed sharing for many species, while a three-compartment model that paired spared habitat with some low-yield farmland improved outcomes further.



Climate, farm size, and the mobility of organisms also tilt the balance. Mobile pollinators and predators can thrive in mixed farm landscapes, while less mobile amphibians, reptiles, or cavity-nesting mammals may require the security of protected areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economics-and-soil-matter">Economics and soil matter</h2>



Economics and policy strongly influence results. A cross-country analysis of yield gains and land use showed that intensifying production does not automatically free land for nature - especially where subsidies or market demand drive expansion.



Soil quality sets boundaries that short-term yield gains often obscure. A global review documented how erosion, compaction, and other forms of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/land-degradation-severely-threatens-planetary-boundaries/">degradation</a> undermine productivity over time and raise the risk that new land will be cleared. 



As Rhys Green of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a> noted in 2005, increasing yield could reduce farmland needs, but demand growth and rebound effects can erase those gains. Even the theory behind sparing warned against oversimplification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farms-thrive-when-diversified">Farms thrive when diversified</h2>



Flower strips, hedgerows, and diversified rotations can lift biodiversity and stabilize services on farms. 



A large second-order meta-analysis showed that agricultural diversification supports <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robotic-insects-may-be-the-future-of-farming-and-plant-pollination/">pollination</a>, natural pest control, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation without sacrificing overall yields.



Protected areas still matter. Some species simply cannot persist in farmland, no matter how friendly the practices, so set-asides remain a nonnegotiable part of the picture.



Connectivity helps both sides. Corridors and stepping stones reduce isolation of protected patches, while on farm habitat elements keep beneficial organisms moving through fields.



Local food system choices can relieve pressure too. Less waste and smarter use of crops for food rather than feed reduce the acreage needed to meet diets, which strengthens the case for keeping more land wild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-policies-must-stay-local">Land policies must stay local</h2>



It's time to stop asking which side wins in general. The better question is which mix of spared land and shared land fits a specific place, given its species, soils, climate, and markets.



Measure more than yield. Track profitability, stability over years, and the biodiversity based services that keep farms productive in the long run. 



Tie intensification to real conservation. Sparing only works if the land that is supposedly saved is actually protected, restored, and connected.



Invest in data where it is thin. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gene-edited-wheat-turns-soil-microbes-into-fertilizer/">Soil microbes</a>, fungi, and belowground communities underpin fertility and resilience yet are missing from most studies.



Remember where this started. The early model framed a useful thought experiment, but today’s decisions need local evidence, clear goals, and policies that lock in the benefits.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/9/pgaf251/8245250?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a>.



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Farms can feed people and protect biodiversity at the same time

Feeding a growing global population while preserving space for wildlife is one of agriculture’s toughest challenges. The debate has often been framed as a stark choice - either intensify farming to save land for nature or spread out production in more wildlife-friendly ways. But that either-or framing has oversimplified the problem and left policymakers with little clarity. A new study takes a closer look at the evidence and asks a sharper question: which farming approach actually works best in practice to support biodiversity while keeping food production...

Plant leaves may seem unassuming, but beneath their glossy surfaces lies a surprising discovery: they are coated with a diverse array of RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules. 



This finding has the potential to reshape our understanding of plant biology and the interactions between plants and the environment.



The study was led by Lucía Borniego and Meenu Singla-Rastogi, postdoctoral fellows at Indiana University Bloomington, alongside Roger Innes, a professor of biology. 



The research offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationships between plants and microbes.



“What excites us most about this discovery is that it indicates plants may control their microbiomes, in part, by regulating gene expression in microbes using cross-kingdom RNA interference, also known as RNAi,” said Innes. 



But what does this mean, and why is it significant?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-discovery-plant-rnas-on-leaf-surfaces">Revolutionary discovery: Plant RNAs on leaf surfaces</h2>



RNA, a fragile molecule, typically degrades quickly outside a cell unless protected. However, this study reveals that plants secrete viable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rna-recovered-from-an-extinct-species-tasmanian-tiger-for-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RNA</a> onto their leaf surfaces, where it remains surprisingly stable. 



This discovery suggests that plant-derived RNA could directly influence microbial communities on leaf surfaces by engaging in cross-kingdom RNAi - a process whereby RNA from one organism affects gene expression in another.



Cross-kingdom RNAi is not new in biology. Scientists have known that organisms can exchange RNA to regulate genes. What’s remarkable here is the idea that plants may use this mechanism to interact with microbes that are colonizing their surfaces.



“Only recently has it been shown that RNAs produced by one organism can be taken up by another organism and then base pair with RNAs in the recipient organism,” Innes explained. RNA interference appears to occur in just about all living organisms. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-rna-and-polysaccharides-in-plants">Role of RNA and polysaccharides in plants</h2>



The research team found abundant RNAs on the leaf surfaces of&nbsp;Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant widely used in scientific studies. 



These RNAs were stable, likely because they formed condensates with polysaccharides, such as pectin. 



As a component of the plant cell wall, pectin appears to play a protective role, ensuring that RNA molecules can persist outside plant cells.



The implications are profound. Stable RNA on leaf surfaces means that microbes colonizing these areas are exposed to plant RNA. This exposure could influence microbial gene expression, potentially determining which microbial species can thrive on leaf surfaces.



This ability to “curate” microbial communities could impact plant health, disease resistance, and overall growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-this-matter-the-bigger-picture">Why does this matter? The bigger picture</h2>



The implications of this research extend far beyond plants. 



“The manipulation of microbial communities by environmental RNA is likely taking place in our own guts as well, with RNA being secreted by our intestinal epithelial cells,” noted Innes.



This means that understanding plant-microbe interactions could shed light on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-cells-communicate-with-each-other-through-rna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">similar processes in humans</a> and other animals.



The connection doesn’t end there. Think about the salad you had for lunch. The RNA on the surface of those leafy greens could interact with your gut microbiome, influencing its composition and, potentially, your health. 



While this hypothesis requires further research, it opens up fascinating possibilities about how our diets could impact our microbial ecosystems directly .



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-applications-in-agriculture-and-medicine">Potential applications in agriculture and medicine</h2>



This discovery isn’t just a scientific curiosity; it could have real-world applications. If plants can use RNA to influence microbial communities, farmers might one day harness this ability to enhance <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crop health</a>. 



For example, plants could be genetically engineered to secrete specific RNAs that discourage harmful microbes or promote beneficial ones.



In medicine, understanding how RNA influences microbial ecosystems could lead to new therapies. Imagine using RNA-based treatments to modulate the gut microbiome in patients with digestive disorders or metabolic diseases. 



While these applications are speculative, the groundwork laid by this study provides a roadmap for possible future exploration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-call-for-further-research-on-plant-rna">Call for further research on plant RNA</h2>



While this study provides valuable insights, it also raises new questions. 



How do specific RNAs influence microbial gene expression? Are there particular microbes that are more susceptible to RNA interference? And what environmental factors affect RNA stability on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-make-life-and-death-decisions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant surfaces</a>?



Additionally, the potential interaction between plant RNAs and the human microbiome deserves closer examination. Could consuming RNA-coated plants have measurable effects on human health? 



Future research will need to address these questions to unlock the full potential of these findings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-nature-s-complexity">A window into nature’s complexity</h2>



This discovery reminds us of nature’s intricate complexity. From the stability of RNA on plant surfaces to its potential to shape microbial communities, the study offers a glimpse into the complexity of hidden genetic mechanisms.



The research also highlights the interconnectedness of life on Earth - how plants, microbes, and even humans are linked by molecular interactions that transcend species boundaries.



“It is quite possible that RNA on leaf surfaces, like salad, could influence our own gut microbiomes,” said Innes.



This idea challenges us to rethink our relationship with plants, not just as sources of food or oxygen, but as active participants in a dynamic, interconnected biosphere.



The research was a collaborative effort. In addition to the <a href="https://bloomington.iu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indiana University</a> team, contributors included Patricia Baldrich and Blake C. Meyers from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California Davis</a>, and Madison McGregor from the <a href="https://www.danforthcenter.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Danforth Plant Science Center</a>.



The interdisciplinary nature of this research makes it even more noteworthy. By combining biology, chemistry, and molecular genetics, the team uncovered a layer of plant-microbe interaction that had remained hidden until now.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409090121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Plants may control their own microbiomes

Plant leaves may seem unassuming, but beneath their glossy surfaces...

Ever wondered if the flavor of your coffee could taste even better? A simple dash of water might hold the secret to a richer, smoother cup. 



New research reveals that adding moisture to coffee beans before grinding can significantly improve brewing flavor while preventing the mess and waste often caused by static electricity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coffee-flavor-and-electrons">Coffee flavor and electrons</h2>



Grinding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-coffee-reduces-the-risk-of-certain-cancers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coffee</a> beans produces friction as the particles collide, rub together, and break apart. This process causes the ground coffee to develop a charge, which then produces static electricity.



The charged coffee particles stick together, forming clumps that can clog grinders. These clumps make it difficult to achieve a consistent grind, leading to uneven brewing and less flavorful coffee.



Scientists have investigated the impact of this static buildup on the brewing process. Their research revealed a simple yet effective solution: adding water to the beans before grinding. 



This moisture reduces static electricity, prevents clumping, and ensures smoother grinding, which ultimately improves the quality and flavor of the brewed coffee.



"Moisture, whether it's residual moisture inside the roasted coffee or external moisture added during grinding, is what dictates the amount of charge that is formed during grinding," explained Christopher Hendon, a materials chemist at the <a href="https://www.uoregon.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oregon</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-static-electricity-the-basics">Understanding static electricity -- the basics</h2>



Static electricity is what happens when there's an imbalance of tiny electric charges on the surface of an object. 



Everything around us is made up of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/x-ray-single-atom-captured-by-scientists-for-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tiny particles called atoms</a>, and inside these atoms, there are even smaller particles called electrons. Electrons carry a negative charge, and they can move from one object to another.



For example, when you rub a balloon on your hair, some electrons from your hair move to the balloon, making the balloon negatively charged and your hair positively charged. This is why the balloon can stick to your hair or make your hair stand up - opposite charges attract!



We experience <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mystery-of-static-electricity-has-finally-been-solved/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">static electricity</a> a lot in everyday life. You might have felt it when you touch a metal doorknob and get a little shock, or when your clothes stick together after they come out of the dryer.



These shocks happen when the extra charges suddenly move from one thing to another, often through your body, which feels like a quick zap. 



Static electricity is more common in dry air because moisture in the air helps stop the buildup of charges. That’s why it tends to happen more in the winter when the air is dry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-of-better-coffee-brewing">Science of better coffee brewing</h2>



Hendon and Joshua Méndez Harper, a former volcanologist from the University of Oregon, investigated how moisture affects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-coffee-is-missing-these-five-brain-boosting-spices/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coffee</a> grinding. 



The researchers examined coffee beans from various origins, with different roasting levels and moisture contents. 



They measured key factors such as the static electricity generated during grinding, the size of the resulting particles, and the flavor profiles of the brewed coffee.



The study revealed that darker, drier coffee roasts are more susceptible to static electricity than lighter, moister beans. 



The increased brittleness of darker roasts leads to greater friction during grinding, which causes clumping and uneven grounds.



By adding a small amount of water to the beans before grinding, the researchers showed that static electricity could be reduced. 



This simple adjustment produced a smoother grind and improved consistency, enhancing the quality of the coffee.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stronger-espresso-with-water">Stronger espresso with water</h2>



Harper and his team compared espresso brewed with beans ground with and without added moisture. 



They discovered that a light spritz of water not only reduced clumping but also improved the extraction process. The moist grounds allowed water to flow more evenly, and pulled more flavor from the coffee.



Hendon recommends adding about 20 microliters of water per gram of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robusta-coffee-could-save-our-morning-brew-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coffee</a>, which equals roughly half a milliliter for a single shot of espresso. 



This minor adjustment not only enhances the uniformity of the grind but also ensures a stronger and tastier cup of coffee, making it a simple yet effective technique for coffee enthusiasts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-geophysics">Lessons from geophysics</h2>



The research also connects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-drinking-coffee-can-add-years-to-your-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coffee</a> science with earth science. 



"There's a lot more to know about how coffee breaks, how it flows as particles, and how it interacts with water," said Harper. 



By studying coffee, scientists hope to gain insights into broader geophysical phenomena like landslides, volcanic eruptions, and soil water flow.



These parallels highlight how everyday activities like brewing coffee can inspire scientific breakthroughs in seemingly unrelated fields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spritz-your-beans-before-grinding">Spritz your beans before grinding </h2>



For coffee enthusiasts, the study provides an easy and practical tip: spritz your beans before grinding. By preventing clumping, the grinding process becomes smoother and more consistent, which leads to evenly sized grounds.



This consistency enhances the brewing process, allowing water to flow more uniformly through the coffee. 



The result is a richer and more flavorful espresso, making this method an easy way to elevate your coffee experience without requiring additional tools or complex techniques.



"A few simple squirts of water have solved the problems of clumping, channeling, and poor extractions while aiding in the pursuit of attaining the tastiest espresso," Hendon states.



So, the next time you prepare your morning brew, try adding a little water to your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-coffee-good-for-you-it-may-depend-on-your-genes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beans</a>. It’s a simple step with a big payoff - and who knows, your kitchen experiment might just inspire the next scientific breakthrough.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(23)00568-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matter</a>.



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Coffee flavor can be greatly improved with this simple trick

Ever wondered if the flavor of your coffee could taste...

Volcanoes hold incredible power, but similar to plants and their root systems, most volcanic activity that occurs before an eruption happens beneath the surface.



Traditional monitoring tools focus on measuring seismic activity and collecting gas samples, yet these methods can miss subtle warning signs hidden in rugged landscapes. 



Researchers have been searching for additional ways to detect signs of unrest before eruptions happen, especially for volcanoes that are far from inhabited areas. They are now turning to plant life for clues and signs that a volcano is close to erupting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-dioxide-plants-and-volcanoes">Carbon dioxide, plants, and volcanoes</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supervolcano-italy-solfatara-crater-phlegraean-fields-shows-signs-of-waking-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Volcanic gases, like carbon dioxide</a>, are often released as magma pushes upward. Detecting them can be tricky because the same gases also appear in everyday life.



Certain remote volcanoes lack permanent sensors or easy access, which leads scientists to test creative approaches that might reveal small changes long before other instruments notice them.



One project was led by Robert Bogue from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McGill University</a> in Montreal, Canada, who worked with colleagues to measure patterns in vegetation health near hydrothermal areas in the Yellowstone Caldera. 



The results reveal how plants respond to changes in the ground beneath them, which may point to rising magma and a heightened risk of volcanic activity or the imminent eruption of a volcano.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-and-volcanoes-as-allies">Plants and volcanoes as allies</h2>



Plants adjust how they grow when their surroundings shift. This adjustment includes changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-to-life-on-earth-photosynthesis-begins-on-the-quantum-level-with-a-single-photon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a> and patterns in leaf structure.



Variations in carbon dioxide, sulfur, and soil temperature can affect how trees flourish, and these factors often emerge in volcanic settings. 



Scientists reason that such signals might appear in plant tissues months or years before major events occur.



In the field, it can be hard to see small changes in vegetation by eye alone. Forests are vast, and weather can alter growth in ways unrelated to volcanoes. 



That is why satellite imaging has become popular. It can scan large areas and detect subtle hints of stress or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-learning-can-help-track-changes-in-forest-cover/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unusual greening</a> that might not stand out on the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beneath-the-canopy">Looking beneath the canopy</h2>



One helpful technique is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (<a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/MeasuringVegetation/measuring_vegetation_2.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NDVI</a>). This calculation captures how vigorously plants are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/details-photosynthesis-water-viewed-atomic-level-cryo-microscope/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesizing</a> by measuring chlorophyll levels.



Scores range from negative numbers up to 1, with higher numbers pointing to healthy leaves. By comparing these values in different spots over time, researchers can see if there are trends that may connect to shifts in the subsurface environment.



Studies in volcanic regions suggest that small bursts of carbon dioxide and heated fluids can initially fertilize local plants. But higher concentrations of harmful gases or very hot soil can stress and even kill them. 



Tracking these ups and downs over multiple years can reveal a story of underground changes that unfold gradually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tern-lake-as-a-proving-ground">Tern Lake as a proving ground</h2>



In Wyoming, the Tern Lake thermal area sits in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-music-will-yellowstones-seismic-activity-produce/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yellowstone Caldera</a>. From 1984 to 2022, archived Landsat images showed that tree health in this hydrothermal zone improved for about 16 years. 



Scientists believe the initial benefit may have come from extra nutrients reaching the soil. Then around the early 2000s, the satellite record captured a shift, with tree health dipping and many lodgepole pines dying near the center of activity.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/plants_predict-volcanic-eruptions_satellite-photos_credit-McGill-University_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/plants_predict-volcanic-eruptions_satellite-photos_credit-McGill-University_1s.webp" alt="Images of the study area in 1994 compared to 2022, with the significant loss of trees in the epicenter of the hydrothermal area. Landsat images (c, d) highlight the decline in plant health in the central area with lighter color shading corresponding to lower Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values. Credit: Bogue et al. McGill University" class="wp-image-1955545"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Images of the study area in 1994 compared to 2022, with the significant loss of trees in the epicenter of the hydrothermal area. Landsat images (c, d) highlight the decline in plant health in the central area with lighter color shading corresponding to lower Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values. Credit: Bogue et al. McGill University</figcaption></figure>



Infrared data suggested that soil temperatures in parts of the site exceeded 122°F, and that poisonous gases and acidic fluids were breaking down <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-bacteria-contribute-to-atmospheric-co2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant tissues</a>.



Over time, the zone of stress spread outward, and a bare patch of dead trees became more visible. This persistent change confirmed that a deeper process was heating the ground and altering the chemistry that plants depend on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-from-plants-that-a-volcano-is-waking-up">Signs from plants that a volcano is waking up</h2>



The research team linked these findings to pathways of hydrothermal fluids moving toward the surface. In some areas, mineral buildup may have clogged old routes, forcing new channels to open. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthquake-activity-will-increase-due-to-glacial-retreat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earthquake data</a> supported this interpretation. Small tremors can indicate that magma or hot fluids are seeking different escape routes.



Collectively, these events point to activity that might have begun well before on-the-ground surveys took note.



Observations also suggest that this expansion reached a limit. Some recent field checks found signs of new seedlings taking hold in once-barren terrain. 



This could mean the local system is calming, at least for the moment. Changes in vegetation and plant life can serve as a reminder that volcanoes and their processes are not always linear. Conditions can shift as gases and fluids come and go.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



These discoveries illustrate how forests can serve as eyes on a hidden world. Researchers have often relied on thermal cameras and gas detectors to evaluate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/axial-seamount-large-underwater-volcano-off-us-coast-will-likely-erupt-in-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcanic hazards</a>, but those instruments have limitations.



In some places, there is no easy way to install or maintain them. Harsh weather, dense canopies, and rough slopes can hamper efforts to collect reliable data.



Satellite imagery provides wide coverage without the need for a permanent presence in challenging locations. 



Vegetation-based monitoring is not a standalone method, but it can offer valuable hints for scientists. If the data show unusual patterns of greening or die-off, teams can schedule closer inspection or deploy instruments before any major event.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcanoes-plants-and-a-safer-tomorrow">Volcanoes, plants, and a safer tomorrow</h2>



Every volcano is unique. Some are surrounded by thick forests, while others sit in deserts or at high elevations. 



Where conditions support enough plant life, scientists can try vegetation indexes to look for shifts that might signal building magma. 



In other areas, this strategy may be less useful or confounded by drought, wildfires, or different species that react in unexpected ways.



The hope is to combine these plant observations with other signals. Minor quakes, ground swelling, and changes in gas composition all help create a clearer picture of what lies beneath the surface. 



Scientists continue to refine these approaches. As they gather more information, they can figure out how to focus resources on volcanoes that pose the greatest risk.



The story at Tern Lake shows that forests can act as an early warning system, revealing shifts that might mean an eruption is more likely. By studying these patterns, experts might someday issue alerts sooner than ever before.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GC010938" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems</a>.



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Plants and trees are able to predict volcano eruptions

Volcanoes hold incredible power, but similar to plants and their...

Many of the foods we enjoy, such as apples, almonds, and pumpkin spices, rely on pollinators like bees and butterflies. These organisms play a critical role in producing one-third of our food supply and significantly impact the quality, flavor, and market value of crops.



A recent study&nbsp;by researchers from the University of Göttingen sheds light on this underexplored yet critical aspect of agriculture.



Pollinators influence crop quality through their movement across plantations and the variety of plants they visit. However, current strategies tend to focus heavily on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollen-wars-plants-compete-for-space-on-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supporting pollinators</a> while neglecting the importance of plant quality.



The researchers argue that understanding species-specific pollinator behavior and strategic crop variety distribution can significantly enhance fruit quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollination-s-impact-on-global-agriculture">Pollination’s impact on global agriculture</h2>



Animal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-honey-bee-day-protecting-our-vital-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollination</a> plays a vital role in global agriculture, contributing to two-thirds of the world's most important crops. 



These crops - such as fruits, nuts, and pulses - rely on pollinators like bees and are valued at hundreds of billions of US dollars annually. Beyond supporting food production, animal pollination ensures the supply of essential nutrients.



For instance, pollinator-dependent crops provide over 90% of the dietary vitamin C we consume, along with substantial levels of carotenoids and antioxidants, which are crucial for human health.



Pollinators, particularly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-bee-day-2024-bee-engaged-with-youth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a>, directly enhance the nutritional and commercial value of crops. In the case of rapeseed, bees increase its polyunsaturated fatty acid and total oil content, making the crop healthier and more valuable. 



Similarly, they improve avocado production by boosting the oil content and increasing the fruit's weight, leading to better quality and higher market value. This highlights the indispensable role of animal pollination not just in crop yields but also in enhancing food quality and nutritional benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollinators-and-fruit-quality">Pollinators and fruit quality</h2>



The research highlights that not all pollinators or crops are the same when it comes to improving fruit quality. The type of pollinator species, the variety of the crop, and the quality of the pollen they transfer all play crucial roles in determining the final quality of the fruit.



If there are changes in how pollinators behave or in the arrangement of plants within a field, cross-pollination between different plant varieties might not happen effectively. This can lead to reduced fruit quality or failed pollination altogether.



Therefore, it is not just about having enough pollinators present, but also ensuring the right types of pollinators <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-plants-generate-heat-to-attract-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interact with crops</a> in the right ways and at the right times. 



The spatial movement of pollinators and how they engage with different plant varieties in the field are key factors in producing high-quality crops.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-need-for-quality-oriented-research">The need for quality-oriented research</h2>



The study was conducted by Professor Teja Tscharntke, Dr. Carolina Ocampo-Ariza, and Dr. Wiebke Kämper from the Functional Agrobiodiversity and Agroecology Group at the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Göttingen</a>.



“The results of our review show that future research should not only focus on the quantity but also more on the quality of the crops. After all, a better nutrient composition benefits the health of consumers,” noted the researchers.



They advocate for the following: promoting cross-pollination by considering crop variety and pollen quality; comparing the quality of self-pollinated and cross-pollinated varieties; and designing cultivated areas and landscapes to maximize pollinator mobility.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sustainable-crop-improvement-with-pollinators">Sustainable crop improvement with pollinators</h2>



By applying these recommendations, agriculture can achieve more than just higher yields - crops can be produced with superior nutritional value. This calls for a detailed understanding of how pollinator behavior, crop variety, and pollen quality interact to influence fruit quality.



An effective strategy ensures that pollinators are not only present but also appropriately paired with the right crop varieties. This targeted approach boosts nutrient content, enhances sensory appeal, and raises the commercial value of crops.



Such practices directly benefit farmers through better harvests and profits, while consumers gain access to healthier, more nutritious food.



Additionally, this approach supports <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-twist-in-the-evolution-of-plant-pollinator-relationships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable agriculture</a> by promoting biodiversity and optimizing pollinator movement. It promotes a balanced system where the needs of the environment, farmers, and consumers are met, contributing to long-term agricultural success.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(24)00272-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



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How pollinators boost the nutritional value of crops

Many of the foods we enjoy, such as apples, almonds,...

A new study led by Pennsylvania State University has found that when deciding when they will get their next meal, different bee species may be attracted to different flower traits.&nbsp;



This finding, based on research with two species of solitary bees, highlights the intriguing ways bees select the flowers they visit.&nbsp;



The study illuminates the importance of floral traits such as number of blooms and nutritional content, expanding our understanding of plant–pollinator interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bee-species-with-distinct-priorities">Bee species with distinct priorities</h2>



The research focused on two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-threatens-solitary-bees-and-global-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solitary bee species</a>: the horned-face bee - known for pollinating apples and blueberries - and the alfalfa leafcutting bee, which pollinates alfalfa.&nbsp;



The scientists discovered that while the horned-face bee gravitated toward plants displaying a large quantity of flowers, the alfalfa leafcutting bee instead preferred blooms with a higher protein-to-lipid ratio in the pollen.



“Information on the foraging strategies of different bee species give insights for understanding how plant-pollinator interactions evolved,” said lead author Jaya Sravanthi Mokkapati, a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a>.&nbsp;



“Our study also highlights the need for more research on seasonal foraging habits among various bee species, which can deepen our understanding of their vital role in pollination and plant reproduction.”



This pronounced difference in focus - quantity for one species and nutritional quality for the other - demonstrates that even closely related insects can exhibit divergent foraging behaviors.&nbsp;



These variations matter for both ecological balance and practical considerations, such as when and how to restore pollinator habitats or ensure crop pollination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-co-evolution-of-plants-and-pollinators">Co-evolution of plants and pollinators</h2>



Pollinators like bees and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-of-life-created-for-flowering-plants-using-400-million-specimens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flowering plants</a> have co-evolved over thousands of years, forming a symbiotic relationship. As bees gather nectar and pollen for sustenance, they assist in plant reproduction, transferring pollen between flowers.&nbsp;



Crops ranging from fruits to vegetables and nuts depend on this process, which is essential for producing much of the human food supply. However, many pollinator populations are declining, partly due to the loss of the flowering plants they rely on.



“Bees can be attracted to plants based on a number of traits, such as the color, scent, size, number and nutritional content of its flowers,” said&nbsp; co-author Christina Grozinger, a professor of Entomology at Penn State.&nbsp;



“However, because these traits are co-evolved in flowers, it can also be very challenging to pinpoint which traits are the ones attracting which bees.”



By analyzing these evolved plant traits, researchers can better grasp how bees make their foraging decisions and, in turn, how best to support pollinator populations in decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-flowers-for-quality">Choosing flowers for quality</h2>



The research team examined two solitary bee species precisely because of their distinct ecological niches.&nbsp;



The horned-face bee is active during the spring, a season marked by fewer resources and shorter bloom windows. The alfalfa leafcutting bee, on the other hand, emerges in summer, a time abundant in floral options.



“In contrast, the alfalfa leafcutting bee is a summer species that typically has access to more abundant resources,” Mokkapati said. “We hypothesized that these bees can afford to be more selective, choosing flowers based on nutritional quality instead of quantity.”



By observing how these bees visited plants, the scientists were able to pinpoint the different variables each species valued in its foraging. This approach included analyzing pollen content as well as recording the sheer number of flowers on each plant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-bee-conservation">Implications for bee conservation</h2>



According to the researchers, the results of this study have important implications for restoring and managing habitats for pollinators.&nbsp;



Landscapes might need to include plant varieties that offer either numerous flowers for bees that seek quantity or high-quality pollen for species focusing on nutritional benefits.&nbsp;



Ensuring these resources are available throughout the growing season could reinforce bee populations, enhance biodiversity, and bolster pollination services for agriculture.



“By raising awareness of how these gardens can provide essential resources for bees, we can inspire community involvement and commitment to preserving local biodiversity,” Mokkapati said.&nbsp;



“This collective effort not only benefits the bees but also enhances the beauty and ecological health of our surroundings.”



The researchers note that many pollinator populations require immediate interventions and that these strategies could help sustain not only <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-honey-bee-day-protecting-our-vital-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">honey bees</a> (often the focus of public concern) but also lesser-known solitary bees like the horned-face and alfalfa leafcutting bees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



While the study reveals how these two bee species differ in their foraging strategies, the authors suggest deeper investigation is needed to uncover the reasons behind such variations.&nbsp;



Scientists aim to explore whether differences in sensory perception, genetic factors, or life history strategies inform why one bee species chooses to prioritize floral abundance while another looks for a certain balance of proteins and lipids in pollen.



By diving more deeply into these aspects, future research may shed light on how bees adapt to various environmental conditions. It could also identify potential vulnerabilities if, for example, climate change alters the availability or quality of their preferred flowers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ensuring-bee-health-and-biodiversity">Ensuring bee health and biodiversity</h2>



As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a> remain fundamental to global food security and ecosystem functioning, understanding these nuanced foraging preferences is critical.&nbsp;



The study emphasizes that it is not solely honey bees that matter - solitary bees and other pollinators have their own crucial roles.&nbsp;



Encouraging and facilitating plant diversity, offering both abundant blooms and nutrient-rich pollen sources, may prove key to preserving these vital insects for the benefit of ecosystems and agricultural communities alike.



In the broader context, this work illustrates how the interplay between plant traits and bee behaviors can shape pollinator communities.&nbsp;



By harnessing this understanding for conservation practices, we can cultivate healthier environments for bees and, in turn, sustain the pollination services that underpin so much of our food supply and natural heritage.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae443" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a>.



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Some bees value quality over quantity in flower selection

A new study led by Pennsylvania State University has found...

Ancient societies had all sorts of attitudes toward altered states of mind. Some favored fermented drinks, while others explored psychoactive plants with potent effects. 



Either way, there is a growing body of evidence that many of our ancestors used mind-altering substances in ceremonial settings, personal rituals, and possibly even on the battlefield. 



From what we know about ancient cultures in Mesopotamia, the Mediterranean, and beyond, it seems people were curious about the boundaries of consciousness from the very beginning.



In a new paper in Praehistorische Zeitschrift, researchers discuss the possibility that certain Germanic fighters experimented with psychoactive substances to gain an edge in warfare.



The study was led by archaeologist <a href="https://akokowski.academia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prof. Andrzej Kokowski</a> alongside biologists from <a href="https://study.gov.pl/university/maria-curie-sklodowska-university" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maria Curie-Skłodowska University</a> in Lublin, Poland, and it taps into a fascinating area of debate about what these ancient communities might have consumed before they clashed with soldiers of the mighty Roman Empire.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-humans-and-psychoactive-plants">Ancient humans and psychoactive plants</h2>



Ancient civilizations in the Middle East left us clues that they understood the power of certain psychoactive plants or plant extracts. 



Evidence from Mesopotamia <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/arcm.12806" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suggests</a> that the Sumerians recognized the potential of poppy cultivation over 5,000 years ago.



Meanwhile, the Egyptians produced beer as early as <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/51721/chapter-abstract/419816733?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">8,000 years ago</a>, and some <a href="https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/43c3119d-743e-4c7b-a028-ca29b1ab3fc6/content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> believe that they later discovered ways to harness the poppy’s narcotic components for medical and religious ceremonies.&nbsp;



Across the Mediterranean, the Greeks refined methods of harvesting poppy sap to make opium, which became a prized substance in certain circles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-tools-in-germanic-contexts">Hidden tools in Germanic contexts</h2>



The new study highlights how small artifacts, possibly too tiny to hold food, may have delivered stimulating powders or tinctures to those who wielded swords and shields. 



Although a direct chemical analysis of these artifacts would be the gold standard of proof, the researchers rely on indirect clues from burial and settlement sites. 



The authors remark that certain items fit into the category of “dispensers,” indicating they might have delivered a measured dose of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-potency-linked-to-dramatic-rise-in-psychiatric-disorders/">potent substance</a> in the heat of conflict.



The team also introduce a thought-provoking line in their paper: “The ‘war on drugs’ seems to be the aberration.” 



This statement by the study's authors implies that, in ancient times, the notion of banning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-potency-linked-to-dramatic-rise-in-psychiatric-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">these substances</a> may not have been front and center. 



Instead, societies either tolerated or ritualized them, weaving them into social gatherings, medical treatments, and possibly warfare traditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-misconceptions-and-roman-views">Cultural misconceptions and Roman views</h2>



One of the more intriguing angles is how the Romans regarded their northern adversaries. Romans often portrayed the so-called “barbarians” as unsophisticated, suggesting that refined substances like opium were beyond their reach. 



Yet material findings seem to contradict that assumption. Scholars argue that people living outside Roman borders had their own knowledge networks, which may have included information on creative uses of plants and fungi.



Other historical studies support the idea that ancient communities across Europe and Asia <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-real-impact-of-burning-magic-herbs-in-spiritual-rituals/">experimented with an array of herbs</a>. 



A range of species, including henbane and belladonna, was accessible through trade routes and local foraging. The question is whether some of these plants could have boosted courage or dulled pain during battle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychoactive-plants-impact">Psychoactive plants impact</h2>



If these warriors had any way to harness psychoactive substances, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-of-drug-use-found-during-bronze-age-ceremonies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychological effects</a> might have included the numbing of fear or the triggering heightened aggression. 



In the face of enemy lines, an altered state could offer perceived protection or confidence.



Away from the battlefield, the same substances might have been used to ease injuries or find temporary relief from stress.



Researchers also point out that large-scale access to psychoactive plants or extracts would have demanded precise expertise. 



Someone in the community would have needed to cultivate and distribute these items, and would have known about their potency. 



This opens discussions about economic networks that financed these endeavors. It may also hint at the existence of supply chains stretching across large territories and bringing together resources from different regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-reflections-on-the-ancient-past">Modern reflections on the ancient past</h2>



Discussions about drug use in antiquity challenge our assumptions about humanity’s relationship with altered consciousness. Today’s laws and views on intoxicants are shaped by modern cultures and governments.&nbsp;



People often regard drug use as a specific modern problem or rebellious act. Yet, archaeological evidence suggests that it can be an age-old behavior shaped by survival, celebration, and even worship.



Some contemporary <a href="https://www.hellenic.org.au/post/ritual-religious-drug-use-in-ancient-greece" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> hold that these early experiments helped shape social cohesion, ritualistic practices, and medical traditions.&nbsp;



The further we look into prehistory, the more we see how deeply entwined these substances might have been with community life. Whether they were used to ramp up bravery in <a href="https://www.caymanchem.com/news/drugs-used-in-conflict-and-wars" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">war</a> or heal the wounded in small villages, they likely played a distinct role in shaping cultural identities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-debates-and-continuing-questions">Debates and continuing questions</h2>



Studies on ancient drug use can provoke lively debate among archaeologists and historians. 



Some specialists believe that minimal chemical residue in the artifacts makes firm conclusions elusive. Others lean on contextual clues found near skeletal remains or in areas associated with combat. 



No matter the stance, each new piece of research fuels broader conversations about how ancient societies navigated social norms, survival strategies, and the universal human drive for altered experiences.



Several puzzles still remain. Did these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25386392/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Germanic fighters</a> incorporate psychoactive mixtures into spiritual traditions as well? Were there dedicated roles for people in the community - like herbalists or specialists - who oversaw dosing?&nbsp;



These topics carry important anthropological questions about the balance between practical needs and personal exploration. Answers may emerge as more evidence surfaces, but for now, there is enough intrigue to keep experts on their toes.



The information for this article is published in the journal <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/pz-2024-2017/html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Praehistorische Zeitschrift</a>. 



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Ancient warriors may have used psychoactive plants for courage in battle

Ancient societies had all sorts of attitudes toward altered states...

Plants face the constant challenge of allocating energy between growth and defense. While growth ensures survival and reproduction, defense protects against harmful bacteria. 



Until now, scientists struggled to explain how plants achieve this balance. Researchers at Princeton University recently uncovered new insights into this process, revealing the surprising role of soil bacteria in managing plants' immune responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-soil-bacteria-help-plants">How soil bacteria help plants</h2>



Published in&nbsp;the journal Cell Reports, the study explores how certain soil bacteria impact plant immunity. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-bacteria-contribute-to-atmospheric-co2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> produce enzymes that reduce immune activity in plants, enabling their roots to grow longer.



This discovery sheds light on how plants interact with microbiomes without triggering constant immune responses.



“This is trying to get at a really big biological question where there are not good answers - about how microbiomes interface with host immune systems,” said Jonathan Conway, the study’s senior author and an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering.



“It’s a small step in the direction of trying to understand how microbes live on hosts - either plants or humans or other animals - all the time and don’t activate our immune responses constantly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-health-and-growth">Balancing health and growth</h2>



The team focused on Arabidopsis, a small mustard plant often used in research. They engineered Arabidopsis seedlings with heightened sensitivity to flagellin, a bacterial protein that typically activates immune responses. 



On exposure to flagellin, these plants directed energy toward immunity, resulting in stunted root growth.



To identify bacteria that could suppress this immune response, the researchers introduced 165 bacterial species to the seedlings. 



Remarkably, 41% of these isolates suppressed the stunted growth response, allowing roots to grow longer. Among these,&nbsp;Dyella japonica&nbsp;emerged as particularly effective.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enzyme-regulates-immune-system-response">Enzyme regulates immune system response </h2>



The researchers discovered that&nbsp;D. japonica, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil bacterium</a>, produces an enzyme called subtilase. This enzyme breaks down flagellin, a protein that normally triggers a plant's immune response. 



By degrading flagellin, subtilase prevents the plant's immune system from activating unnecessarily, enabling the roots to grow without being stunted.



To confirm subtilase's role, the team used genetic and biochemical techniques. These methods demonstrated that subtilase directly modulates the plant's immune response, proving its critical function.



Purifying the subtilase enzyme posed significant challenges, as obtaining a pure protein is essential for detailed analysis. A breakthrough came when Todd Naumann, a <a href="https://www.usda.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USDA</a> chemist, suggested purifying the enzyme using yeast cells instead of bacteria. 



This alternative approach worked effectively, allowing the researchers to proceed with advanced studies on the enzyme's properties and functions.



“Now we can do chemistry with it, and we can actually look at this in vitro,” said co-first author Samuel Eastman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dual-role-of-soil-bacteria">Dual role of soil bacteria </h2>



The findings suggest that many soil bacteria may use similar enzymes to influence plant growth and immunity. This raises intriguing questions about the potential benefits for both plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-bacteria-makes-flowers-more-attractive-to-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a>. 



One theory is that the enzymes prevent pathogens from invading plant roots by disabling their flagella. Alternatively, the enzymes might help pathogens evade detection, potentially increasing the risk of disease.



“So, in that way it could be suppressing pathogens as well as the plant immune system,” Eastman noted. However, he warned of the risks in agricultural applications. 



“We don’t want to compromise the immune system, but we also want plants to save that immune response for when it matters.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-crop-growth-and-plant-health">Improving crop growth and plant health</h2>



The team’s work opens doors to harnessing beneficial bacteria for agriculture while minimizing risks. With further research, these findings could lead to innovative ways to improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-soil-boosts-crop-growth-by-over-50/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crop growth</a> without compromising plant health.



For now, scientists are one step closer to understanding the delicate balance of growth and defense in plants.



The study was a team effort involving nine <a href="https://www.princeton.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton</a> researchers, including six undergraduates. Senior thesis projects played a vital role, such as that of Britley Jones from the Class of 2023.



Kaeli Ficco, another key contributor and a Princeton graduate, engineered mutant bacterial strains to confirm the genetic basis of immune suppression. 



“I really liked how discovery-based the project was,” Ficco said, reflecting on her contributions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(24)01414-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Reports</a>.



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Soil bacteria help plants balance growth and immunity

Plants face the constant challenge of allocating energy between growth...

Peyote dots the southern tip of Texas, emerging amidst the dusty aridity and cracked earth like otherworldly creations. These bluish-green cacti, found only here and in northern Mexico, are no ordinary plants.



To the local Native American Church members, peyote is less of a plant and more of a holy presence. Places where peyote plants flourish are reverently referred to as the "peyote gardens."



Within the DNA of this modest plant lies a critical aspect of Native American culture. 



Peyote cacti have been steadfast companions to Indigenous communities, serving as healers for the physical and mental afflictions wrought by colonization, displacement, and the erosion of culture, religion, and language.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sacred-plant-with-a-controlled-substance">Sacred plant with a controlled substance</h2>



One might wonder what makes the peyote plant coveted. It contains a spectrum of psychoactive alkaloids, primarily the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hallucinogen-use-is-on-the-rise-among-young-adults/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hallucinogen</a> mescaline, which is known for its psychedelic properties.



Despite being a controlled substance under federal law, a 1994 amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act allows Native Americans to use peyote for traditional religious purposes.



However, for the past two decades, access to this "medicine," as it is called, has been an escalating concern for the Native American practitioners of peyotism.



These practitioners, which make up a large group of 400,000 individuals in the United States, have raised concerns about their lack of access to peyote.



They attribute the dwindling availability of the slow-growing cactus to poaching, excessive harvesting, agricultural activities, housing developments, wind farms, the border wall, and the burgeoning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-offers-new-explanation-for-how-psychedelic-drugs-work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychedelic</a> renaissance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diverse-opinions-on-peyote-conservation">Diverse opinions on peyote conservation</h2>



While most agree about the dire need for peyote conservation, the Native American Church community houses a diversity of opinions on how to achieve this.



Some members are suspicious of investors' intentions and prefer government funding to safeguard the plant. Peyote, after all, represents more to them than a plant; it embodies the Creator's spirit.



Among many poignant anecdotes that highlight the spiritual significance of peyote, one stands out. 



Adrian Primeaux from the Yankton Sioux and Apache lineage recalls a tale of a malnourished Apache woman who was guided by a peyote plant to survival during a forced relocation by the U.S. government.



This plant wasn't merely a source of sustenance; it was a spiritual guide and a north star for the Native community navigating years of traumatic history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-return-of-peyote-gardens">The return of peyote gardens</h2>



In 2017, the National Council of Native American Churches purchased land in Hebbronville, Texas, to establish the Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative (IPCI). 



This non-profit organization oversees a peyote preserve that is not harvested but naturally propagated in its habitat.



Steven Benally, an IPCI board member, recalls his emotional return to the peyote gardens after years of disconnection, stating: "This is real!"



His words encapsulate the deep bond between the Native Americans and the peyote gardens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-delicate-balance-of-peyote-conservation">The delicate balance of peyote conservation</h2>



The debate on peyote conservation isn't a simple one. While some argue that cultivation outside of its natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-how-plants-use-winged-seeds-to-expand-their-habitats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> is necessary for the species's survival, many Native American Church members contest that such a move would dilute its sacred nature.



Hershel Clark, secretary for the Teesto chapter of the Azee Bee Nahagha of Diné Nation, explained that the ceremonial protocols were bestowed by the Creator. 



This is why growing peyote outside of its natural habitat or synthesizing it into pills is not supported.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-funding-and-future-of-peyote-preservation">Funding and future of peyote preservation</h2>



Funding has been a significant challenge for peyote preservation efforts. While the Native American Church of North America seeks financial support from the U.S. government, IPCI has taken a different route.



The non-profit kick-started their endeavours with funding from the Riverstyx Foundation run by Cody Swift, a psychotherapist and psychedelic therapy research supporter. 



The organization continues to seek philanthropic dollars to propel its mission while remaining open to government funding.



However, there is a degree of skepticism about the intentions of Swift and other investors among some members of the Native American Church. 



Regardless, there is an indisputable consensus: the sacred peyote plant must be protected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limited-supply-and-rising-demand">Limited supply and rising demand</h2>



It is clear that opening peyote up to a broader market could create a supply crisis that favors those with financial resources.



Native American Church members might find themselves struggling to access their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-real-impact-of-burning-magic-herbs-in-spiritual-rituals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sacred plant</a> while witnessing others use it in ways they consider profane. 



Zulema "Julie" Morales, one of only three licensed peyoteros legally allowed to harvest the plant for sale to church members, sympathizes with this sentiment.



Morales recalls a time when her father could fill a dozen large trays with peyote, but now she can barely fill one, not because of ethical harvesting practices, but because of illegal poaching.



As the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/theory-of-native-american-origins-undermined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Native American</a> communities continue to cherish, protect, and conserve the sacred peyote plant, the rest of the world must extend their understanding and respect for the unique spiritual bond shared by the communities and this modest, yet powerful, plant. 



Let it be a lesson to us all about the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and the profound sacredness that can spring from such a bond.



Information for this article comes from a <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/psychedelic-renaissance-development-threaten-peyote/3728887/#:~:text=An%20initiative%20to%20conserve%20and%20protect%20peyote&amp;text=He%20recalls%20losing%20access%20to,to%20Native%20American%20Church%20members.">release</a> by the Associated Press.



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Sacred peyote gardens: A cultural legacy under threat

Peyote dots the southern tip of Texas, emerging amidst the...

More than one-third of all animals on Earth, from beetles to cows to elephants, subsist on plant-based diets. Since plants are typically low in calories, herbivorous creatures can already find it challenging to get the energy they need.&nbsp;



Now, as climate change affects growing conditions, some of the plant-based foods that animals rely on are losing some of their nutritional value.



Human activities continue to increase atmospheric <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-hit-a-record-high-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a> levels and raise global temperatures. In response, many plants in ecosystems around the world are growing faster.&nbsp;



Some researchers refer to this phenomenon as the “greening of the Earth,” and it can potentially offset some greenhouse gas emissions by locking more carbon into plant matter. 



However, there is a trade-off: these rapidly growing plants often pack fewer nutrients into each bite.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-quality-and-animal-population-declines">Plant quality and animal population declines</h2>



Together with her colleagues at the <a href="https://www.si.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian Institution</a>, Ellen Welti studies how this type of nutrient dilution influences species across the food web - from tiny grasshoppers to giant pandas. 



They suspect that long-term declines in plant quality may be a largely unnoticed factor in falling animal populations. 



These changes in plant nutrition aren’t as visually obvious as rising sea levels, nor are they sudden like hurricanes or extreme heatwaves. Nonetheless, they can have significant impacts over time.



If plants become less nutritious, herbivores may need more time to find and consume enough food, making them more vulnerable to predators and other hazards. 



Inadequate nutrient intake can also reduce animals’ fitness, affecting their growth, reproduction, and survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-carbon-and-declining-nutrients">Rising carbon and declining nutrients</h2>



Scientists have already shown that climate change is causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-nutrient-loss-due-to-heavy-rainfall-threatens-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nutrient</a> dilution in human food crops. 



Decreases in important micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper, are a particular concern. Records of crop nutrient content reveal that these elements have declined over time.



For humans, the loss of iron, zinc, and protein in staple foods is expected to worsen in the coming decades as CO₂ concentrations climb. 



Such deficiencies could significantly affect global health and survival, especially in regions that heavily depend on crops like rice and wheat, including parts of East and Central Asia.



The quality of livestock feed is also declining. Cattle, which already spend substantial time grazing, are finding it increasingly difficult to consume enough protein.&nbsp;



Protein concentrations in grasses are dropping across rangelands, diminishing animals’ weight gains and costing producers money. Moreover, wild species aren’t immune to nutrient dilution either.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bamboo-quality-and-panda-health">Bamboo quality and panda health</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancestors-of-giant-pandas-had-a-completely-different-diet/">Giant pandas</a>, a culturally significant threatened species, rely entirely on bamboo. 



Because pandas breed slowly and need extensive, uninterrupted bamboo forests for habitat, their existence is jeopardized by the conversion of land for agriculture and development. 



Pandas may also become an emblem of the risks posed by nutrient dilution.



The giant panda is considered an “umbrella species,” so preserving its habitat benefits many other organisms sharing its environment.&nbsp;



Notably, giant pandas consume large quantities of bamboo daily. Now, rising temperatures are reducing bamboo’s nutritional value and making it harder for the plant to survive.



Because bamboo is such an essential resource for pandas, any decline in its nutrients could affect panda health and population numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mixed-outcomes-for-insects">Mixed outcomes for insects</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-insect-decline-what-are-the-causes-and-consequences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Insects</a> play vital roles in pollination, serve as food sources for birds and animals, and fulfill other ecological functions. 



Yet many insect species worldwide are in decline, including in places less affected by direct human activities. Shifts in plant chemistry may be influencing these declines.



Numerous insects are plant feeders and thus likely to be influenced by reduced plant nutritional quality. 



Experiments have shown that when carbon dioxide levels go up, certain insect populations decrease, at least partly due to lower food quality.



However, not all insects respond similarly. Leaf-chewing insects, such as grasshoppers and caterpillars, appear most vulnerable, experiencing smaller body sizes and diminished reproduction.&nbsp;



Conversely, locusts thrive on plants rich in carbon and might flourish under elevated CO₂ conditions. Insects like aphids and cicadas, which feed on phloem rather than leaves, could also benefit from carbon-rich plant structures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-quality-and-struggling-animals">Plant quality and struggling animals</h2>



Communities that are already nutrient-poor - like the ancient soils of Australia and the Amazon and Congo tropical basins - stand to be the most affected, since the animals in those areas already struggle to get enough nutrition.&nbsp;



Rapidly warming waters are likewise reducing the nutritional content of giant sea kelp, which serves as a crucial food source in the open ocean.



Certain herbivores may be hit harder, particularly those needing higher-quality diets. Hind-gut fermenters - such as rodents, rabbits, koalas, horses, rhinoceroses, and elephants - rely on microbes in their intestines to extract nutrients from fibrous plant materials, so they need nutrient-rich forage.&nbsp;



Smaller animals, with faster metabolisms, also depend on more nutrient-dense food and may struggle if plant quality falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



To grasp the role of nutrient dilution in population declines, more evidence is needed. This includes artificial experiments that raise CO₂ levels to mimic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-how-plants-adapt-to-changing-climates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>, along with field studies that track changing plant chemistry and its impact on wild animal populations.



Over the long term, scientists aim to uncover how decreasing plant nutritional value might reshape food webs. Changes to plant species, traits, and interactions could alter relationships among predators, prey, and ecosystems at large.&nbsp;



At a time when climate change is already straining the planet, nutrient dilution adds another subtle yet far-reaching challenge that may reshape life on Earth.



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Plants and fruits are starting to lose their nutritional value

More than one-third of all animals on Earth, from beetles...

To a leaf, the impact of a raindrop is equivalent to a person being struck by a falling bowling ball. Despite this seemingly catastrophic force, leaves endure, and new research offers insights into the physics that make this possible.&nbsp;



These findings, detailed in a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prfluids/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.123605" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Fluids</a>, could have applications in agriculture, environmental science, and renewable energy technologies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamics-of-raindrops-and-plant-leaves">Dynamics of raindrops and plant leaves</h2>



The study, titled “Resonance and Damping in Drop-Cantilever Interactions,” used high-speed photography to closely examine what happens when a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-turbulence-clouds-makes-tiny-water-droplets-turn-into-rain-showers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water droplet</a> hits a flexible plastic beam.&nbsp;



The researchers observed not only the deformation of the droplet but also how the beam vibrates in response to the impact. This setup mimics the interaction between raindrops and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-aging-discovered-in-plant-leaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant leaves</a>.



“In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a droplet impacting and oscillating a polycarbonate cantilever beam of nine varying lengths,” noted the researchers.



“We analyzed the cantilever's damping and vibration frequency in relation to a resonance length, where the frequencies of the droplet and the cantilever are equal.”



Sunghwan Jung, a professor of biological and environmental engineering at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a>, likened the beam to a springboard. 



When the droplet strikes the beam, it triggers a dynamic interplay: the beam bends downward as the droplet stretches upward, and vice versa. 



Professor Jung explained that this opposing motion creates a “strong damping effect,” meaning the vibrations dissipate quickly. For plants, this rapid damping reduces stress on their structures, potentially prolonging their lifespan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-raindrop-impacts-and-plant-recovery-nbsp">Raindrop impacts and plant recovery&nbsp;</h2>



One key discovery in the study was the role of resonance. Lead author Crystal Fowler, a doctoral student in biological engineering, noted an intriguing pattern.



When the natural frequency of the beam aligned with that of the droplet, the droplet moved significantly more, and the beam’s oscillations diminished more quickly.



This phenomenon, previously observed but not fully understood, revealed that synchronization between the frequencies of the beam and the droplet amplifies the droplet's motion, leading to enhanced damping.&nbsp;



The result is a quicker return to stability for the beam. For plants, this means they can recover more efficiently after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-increases-as-a-direct-result-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>, reducing mechanical strain and promoting longevity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-damping-effect-of-raindrop-impacts-nbsp">The damping effect of raindrop impacts&nbsp;</h2>



“Upon reaching the resonance length, the frequencies of both the droplet and the cantilever align, and the cantilever is out of phase with the oscillation of the droplet's apex. This leads to increased damping rates,” noted the researchers.



“At this resonance length, the droplet's force and the direction of the cantilever oppose each other. When the cantilever length exceeds the resonance length, it synchronizes more with the droplet apex. This alignment allows the droplet force and the cantilever to work in phase.”



According to the researchers, the findings provide fundamental insights into the damping effect of droplet impacts on elastic surfaces around resonance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-for-science-and-technology">Broader implications for science and technology</h2>



Understanding the dynamics of raindrop impact on leaves has implications beyond botany. This research sheds light on how rain moves through forest canopies and could inform studies of plant evolution and morphology.&nbsp;



For instance, Jung's lab has also explored how rain disperses spores and how plant vibrations could indicate hydration levels.



The findings also open doors to innovations in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewable energy</a>. By replacing the plastic beam with a piezoelectric material - one that generates electricity when subjected to pressure - rainfall could become a source of power.&nbsp;



Professor Jung envisions a system where beams resembling plant structures harness energy from rain, creating a fusion of nature and technology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-personal-milestone-in-discovery">A personal milestone in discovery</h2>



The study marks Fowler’s first publication and reflects her lifelong fascination with understanding the natural world.&nbsp;



Growing up in the Navajo Nation, surrounded by plants and gardens, Fowler developed an early interest in exploration and discovery. 



Her work in biological engineering now allows her to uncover the mechanisms that govern life’s resilience and adapt those principles for practical use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-inspired-energy-solutions-nbsp">Nature-inspired energy solutions&nbsp;</h2>



This research highlights the remarkable adaptations of plants to withstand environmental challenges and points to potential human applications inspired by nature.&nbsp;



From better understanding plant ecosystems to creating energy-harvesting technologies, the study demonstrates how curiosity-driven science can lead to innovative solutions for modern challenges.



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Nature-inspired energy: Lessons from leaves and raindrops

To a leaf, the impact of a raindrop is equivalent...

California’s vibrant native wildflowers face a growing threat: invasive grasses that form dense, suffocating layers of debris and prevent seed germination. 



According to a new study by the University of California, Riverside (UCR), a simple solution could lie in raking away this “thatch” - a layer of dead leaves and debris that blankets the ground.



This technique not only encourages biodiversity but also helps reduce fire risk in these ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-raking">What is raking?</h2>



Raking involves using a tool, like a rake, to physically remove surface debris, including leaves, dead grass, and other organic material, from the soil. This process, often part of gardening or land management, has the following applications beyond basic cleanup.



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Prepares soil for planting: By exposing bare soil, raking allows better water infiltration and nutrient absorption for seeds.</li>



<li>Improves soil aeration: Removing dense organic layers lets air circulate, enhancing microbial activity that is essential for healthy soil.</li>



<li>Prevents pest build-up: Thatch and debris can harbor pests and diseases; raking removes these potential threats.</li>



<li>Aids erosion control: By managing debris strategically, raking can prevent water runoff from eroding topsoil.</li>



<li>Enhances aesthetic appeal: In landscaped areas, raking maintains a neat, manicured appearance.</li>
</ol>



It’s a versatile, low-tech method that benefits both small-scale gardens and larger ecological restoration projects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-raking-for-grass-management">Raking for grass management </h2>



The study, published in the journal Restoration Ecology, compared raking with other invasive grass <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-global-change-to-stop-biodiversity-loss/">mana</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-global-change-to-stop-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gement</a> techniques like controlled burns, hand weeding, and herbicide application.



The results? Raking stands out as a low-cost, less labor-intensive, and ecologically friendly alternative.



“In these ecosystems, native seeds often fall on thick layers of thatch and can’t germinate. Raking the thatch lets light in and gives native plants a chance to grow,” explained <a href="https://profiles.ucr.edu/app/home/profile/markos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marko Spasojevic</a>, the study's lead author and UCR associate professor of plant ecology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-return-of-native-wildflowers">The return of native wildflowers</h2>



The research was conducted on grasslands near the UCR campus. The team used a grid of paired plots - one raked and one left untouched - to observe changes in plant communities over three years.



The findings revealed that raking significantly increased overall plant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a>. Invasive grasses like ripgut brome declined, while native and exotic wildflowers, collectively known as forbs, thrived.



Ripgut brome, one of the dominant invasive species, is notorious for its sharp bristles that can injure grazing animals. 



“It’s super nasty for sheep and cattle to eat,” said Spasojevic. On the other hand, native flowers like the common fiddleneck, a species prevalent in Riverside, showed modest improvement when raking was applied.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growth-of-exotic-flowers">Growth of exotic flowers</h2>



However, the study revealed a trade-off. While raking reduced invasive grasses, it also encouraged the growth of certain exotic wildflowers, such as mustard, which can be highly invasive.



“Raking boosted native wildflowers by about 5% and exotic forbs by 7 to 10%,” said Advyth Ramachandran, co-leader of the project. 



“This doesn’t mean raking isn’t worthwhile. It’s a simple, low-cost method that could be a first step for restoring these systems,” noted Ramachandran, a former UCR undergraduate who is now studying plant ecology at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Colorado, Boulder</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-seeds-initiative">The SEEDS initiative </h2>



This study represents more than just ecological research; it’s a proof of student-led innovation. The project traces its origins to the 1980s, when the study plots were created for an introductory biology class and later abandoned. 



During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramachandran and fellow UCR students revived the site through the university’s SEEDS club, a grassroots research initiative.



“We built this project from scratch, writing protocols, identifying species, and involving over 25 undergraduates,” Ramachandran said. “It’s rare for undergraduates to initiate and lead publishable research like this.”



Spasojevic credited the project’s success to its accessibility. “The research site is on campus, so students could sample between classes. It lowered barriers for involvement and became a rich mentorship opportunity,” he said.



The SEEDS initiative continues to thrive, with students now collecting data for a fifth consecutive year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-implications-for-land-managers">Practical implications for land managers</h2>



The findings offer a practical, low-cost method for land managers seeking to restore <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-light-sustains-biodiversity-over-millions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> in California’s grasslands and coastal sage ecosystems. 



Native plants play a critical role in these ecosystems by providing food and habitat for local wildlife, supporting pollinators like bees, and preventing soil erosion. Meanwhile, invasive grasses pose multiple threats: outcompeting native plants, reducing biodiversity, and increasing wildfire risk with their dense, flammable layers.



“This project shows how small actions - like raking - can make meaningful differences in our ecosystems,” Ramachandran said. “It’s a promising step toward restoring California’s native landscapes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-california-s-native-wildflowers">Restoring California’s native wildflowers</h2>



The UCR team’s research highlights the importance of simple yet effective interventions in combating ecological challenges. As California continues to face threats from invasive grass species and wildfires, methods like raking could play a key role in preserving the state’s natural heritage.



Land managers and conservationists alike can take inspiration from the study’s findings, and apply this technique to boost native biodiversity while promoting community involvement in ecological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-diversity-darkspots-need-urgent-attention/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration</a> efforts.



The success of the SEEDS initiative also underscores the power of student-driven research to address real-world environmental issues.



Restoring California’s wildflowers may not require monumental efforts. Sometimes, it’s as simple as picking up a rake.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/rec.14340" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Restoration Ecology</a>.



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California’s native wildflowers can be restored by raking dead grass

California’s vibrant native wildflowers face a growing threat: invasive grasses...

When you digest the fact that humans know less about the seamounts dotting our planet's oceans than about the vast expanse of outer space, it might take a moment to sink in. Only a fraction of these grandiose underwater mountains have even been mapped.



The 14,500 seamounts mapped to date are projected to be a mere fraction (less than 1%) of the actual total. This staggering disparity highlights how much of our oceanic world remains unexplored.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-dormant-volcano-teeming-with-life">A dormant volcano teeming with life</h2>



The story of the Davidson Seamount is just one example. Its name is a misnomer of sorts, as it is an underwater inactive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-how-underwater-volcanoes-become-explosive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcano</a> that is nestled off the Californian coast.



Discovered way back in 1933, this expansive entity covers 25 miles (40 kilometers) and has been dormant for the last 9.8 million years.



Despite the seeming desolation its description might suggest, this "dead" volcanic structure is buzzing with life.



It's home to magnificent coral reefs and extensive deep-sea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secret-garden-thermal-springs-accelerate-octopus-egg-hatching-by-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">octopus gardens</a>, and offers a thriving ecosystem for marine animals including whales.



The unique biodiversity of the Davidson Seamount has made it a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-mountain-discovered-is-two-miles-high-and-home-to-flying-spaghetti-monsters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vital area</a> for marine research that has focused attention on the ecological importance of these underwater mountains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mysteries-of-underwater-mountains">The mysteries of underwater mountains </h2>



The Davidson Seamount, however, supports just a tiny fraction of the underwater splendors that remain unexplored.



Take a voyage to the Canadian coast where another ancient, and notably active, volcano was discovered. The site was found to be covered in millions of colossal eggs, laid by the ethereal Pacific white skates. 



For comparison, the previously known nursery of this species (in the Galapagos) had a mere sprinkling of eggs, as noted by a marine biologist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.



The most recent voyage of discovery was led by experts from the <a href="https://schmidtocean.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schmidt Ocean Institute</a>. The team unearthed a staggering 1.5-mile-high (2.4 kilometer) seamount, accompanied by three others in the southern Pacific.



One of these seamounts, situated along the Nazca ridge off the Chilean coast, offered a vision so astonishing that the explorers were left awe-struck.



They found themselves amidst a multitude of species that had never been seen by human eyes, which led them to draw parallels with a journey "through the cosmos."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diverse-marine-species-revealed">Diverse marine species revealed</h2>



The month-long expedition proved highly fruitful. Unexpected residents of these depths were identified, including ghostly white <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-sponge-gardens-found-deep-in-the-arctic-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sponge gardens</a>, flying spaghetti monsters (a type of colonial hydrozoan), Casper octopuses, millennium-old glass sponges and vast forests of bamboo corals.



A fascinating fact about the glass sponges is that they build intricate, cylindrical structures using spiky "spicules" and often house crustaceans until their death.



This unique interaction between different species creates a mutual relationship, where the captivated crustaceans clean the sponges and breed within them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vibrant-marine-life-on-underwater-mountains">Vibrant marine life on underwater mountains </h2>



The expedition revealed a vibrant and unexpected color palette in the depths of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-life-100-new-sea-creatures-found-in-chile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chilean seamount</a>, with numerous species displaying bright red hues.



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="C3wgg1waZW-4165386-12187" type="single"]</div>



Strange as it may seem, this coloration acts as a form of invisibility cloak in the depths where red light is absorbed first, leaving the species to appear black in the depths.



Alongside these species were cactus-like sea urchins and marine sponges that towered to human height.



A consortium of scientists from Ocean Census, who led the expedition planning, noted that this region of the southern Pacific exhibited a high level of endemic species - those that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seamounts-in-a-changing-climate">Seamounts in a changing climate</h2>



The significance of seamounts extends beyond hosting unique and vibrant marine life.



According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, seamounts are emerging as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-underwater-mountains-impact-ocean-circulation-climate-surprising-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vital sanctuaries</a> for marine life amidst the growing threats of climate change and warming oceans.



Their steep surfaces offer the right conditions for cold-water corals, sponges, and other surface-growing creatures.



The currents around these seamounts stimulate an upsurge of nutrients from the ocean floor, triggering phytoplankton growth that supports food chains within the marine world.



Additionally, these nutrient-rich areas act as hotspots for biodiversity, supporting species that are often rare or endemic to these environments.



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'Alien-like' marine life found on underwater mountains includes 100 new species

When you digest the fact that humans know less about...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



-----



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



-----



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



-----



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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