A new study finds that plants respond to injury by actively redirecting sugars to damaged tissues, helping fuel the regeneration process. Using a fluorescent sensor to track sugar movement in living plants, researchers discovered that wounds trigger a localized shift in energy transport, concentrating glucose around the injury site. The findings offer new insight into how plants coordinate repair and recovery and could help scientists better understand the mechanisms that support resilience in crops facing physical damage or environmental stress.

Virginia Tech neuroscientist Timothy Jarome is investigating whether obesity may be accelerating the brain's aging process, contributing to earlier memory decline. Jarome, professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences studies the molecular mechanisms behind memory disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His latest research is supported by a $410,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging.

New study shows that under low warming, planting trees increases global water inequality; under high warming, it reduces overall water availability.

Denmark is investing heavily in restoring carbon-rich agricultural soils as wetlands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, new research from Aarhus University shows that financial compensation alone is not enough to persuade landowners to participate.

Based on in-depth interviews with Danish farmers and landowners, the study highlights that decisions are shaped not only by economics, but also by identity, responsibility, uncertainty, and a deep attachment to the land. Farming practices are closely tied to values about what it means to be a “good farmer,” and these social norms can make it difficult to accept land-use changes such as rewetting fields.

The findings underline that successful climate policies must go beyond financial incentives and address the social and cultural dimensions of land management.

KAIST-KIMM-Korea University collaboration succeeds in transferring precision nano-circuits to plant leaves, lotus leaves, and curved lenses without any damage.

The method floats thin metal films on water to transfer them directly and completely eliminating the need for heat, pressure, adhesives, or toxic solvents.

Expected to serve as a next-generation sensor platform for smart agriculture, wearable healthcare, and bioelectronics.

Okayama University of Science and Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, have launched a joint research project to establish the world’s first fully closed-cycle land-based aquaculture system for chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) using the university’s proprietary “Third Water” technology. The project aims to address the dramatic decline in salmon returns caused by climate change and changing marine ecosystems. More than 2,000 juvenile salmon are currently being reared in a 35-ton closed recirculation aquaculture system at the university’s Next-Generation Aquaculture Center. Researchers expect the fish to reach market size within one to two years. If successful, the project could provide a sustainable alternative to ocean-dependent salmon production and contribute to the long-term resilience of salmon fisheries in Japan and worldwide.

Biochar has often been praised as a “black gold” for sustainable agriculture, pollution control, and carbon storage. Yet despite its promise, its wider use has been limited by a practical challenge: compared with materials such as activated carbon, graphene, and carbon nanotubes, biochar often has lower surface area and electrical conductivity. Expensive post-treatment methods can improve its performance, but they may also increase cost, energy use, and secondary pollution.