Research has revealed how bacteria rely on circadian clocks to control the spread of their multi-cellular colonies.

The findings provide important clues as to how we might improve soil health and plant growth. They may also help to explain how some bacteria spread hospital-acquired infections.

As temperatures soar across the Northern Hemisphere, a free tool lets anyone, anywhere check how dangerous the heat really is for their sport and decide whether it is safe to play.

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen, the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society’s Rising Star project and 13 collaborating global institutions found no signs of any biological males within the group of Homo naledi remains tested, offering intriguing insights into potential cultural behaviours that may have existed before Homo sapiens.

Proteins are at the heart of modern biotechnology, driving innovations across various fields. However, the scalable production of large numbers of protein candidates remains a major bottleneck for synthetic biologists.

Agricultural scientists are rethinking their battle plans against plant parasites that cause billions of dollars in annual yield losses for American farmers. 

Chemical nematicides, soil treatments and biological controls have had mixed success against the soybean cyst nematode, and many potential solutions carry environmental or economic limitations.

Host resistance — breeding soybean varieties that can withstand infection — has been the most effective and environmentally friendly management tool, but its usefulness is declining. Asia Kud, an assistant professor of nematology in the department of entomology and plant pathology for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Kud was awarded a $298,913 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to continue researching a strategy to stop these pest nematodes from feeding and reproducing by interfering feeding sites they create with proteins called effectors.