Most of Wine Country’s agricultural workers have been exposed to wildfires, new survey finds
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Oct-2025 13:11 ET (22-Oct-2025 17:11 GMT/UTC)
Sonoma County is known for its rolling fields and famed vineyards, making the region a pillar in California’s wine industry. But a sweeping new survey from UC Berkeley has found that approximately 75% of agricultural workers there have worked during wildfires since 2017, raising questions about worker safety and a program that could further expose workers during wildfire evacuations.
Depending on where you live in the United States, the meat you eat each year could be responsible for a level of greenhouse gas emissions that's similar to what's emitted to power your house. That's according to new research from the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
A new study has assembled the first high-quality chromosome-level genome of Acer pentaphyllum, one of the world’s most endangered and ornamental maples. The findings reveal how the species’ genome adapted to the harsh dry-hot valleys of western China through expansions and positive selection of genes related to photosynthesis, plant hormone signaling, and pathogen defense. Population genomic analyses across 28 wild populations uncovered low genetic diversity, high inbreeding, and accumulation of harmful mutations, especially at range edges. These results provide essential genetic insights for guiding conservation planning and genetic rescue of this critically endangered species.