An analysis of data covering 12 years and 10 U.S. Corn Belt states reveals that farmers suffer economic loss from the overapplication of genetically engineered corn designed to combat rootworm pests. 

The project, led by Purdue University entomologist Christian Krupke, documented greater rootworm pest pressure in the western Corn Belt states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In these states, farmers commonly plant corn continuously. In the eastern states Corn Belt states of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, farmers  practice crop rotation that reduces the need for control through genetically engineered seed or applied insecticides. However, the use of transgenic corn hybrids targeting rootworm pests has been remarkably similar across the entire region. This study explored the consequences of this disconnect.  

Microscopic plastic pollutants drifting through the air are lodging in the lungs of birds, a new University of Texas at Arlington study finds. Researchers worldwide are increasingly alarmed by how pervasive these harmful particles are in the air humans breathe and the food they eat. Shane DuBay, an assistant professor of biology at UTA and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, said birds were chosen for the study because they are found in almost every corner of the world and often share environments with humans.

A study co-authored by Filippo Radicchi at Indiana University proposed a theoretical framework specifically designed for understanding complex higher-order networks. The work could lead to breakthroughs in disciplines such as physics, neuroscience, computer science, climate science and finance.