science wire

The tropical root vegetable taro, known as the 'food of the gods' in the Pacific, is under threat from rising sea levels but wild Australian plants being cultivated by The University of Queensland may help boost food security in the region.

A refurbished Nabataean cistern at the site of Humayma, Jordan. Photo by Craig Harvey By Craig A. Harvey, Special to Western News October 13, 2021 This year witnessed one of the hottest and driest summers in recent history for Western Canada and the American Southwest. The resulting droughts adversely affected food supply and helped send meat prices rising three times faster than inflation.

Today, the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies (FRQNT), along with its partner the ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation (MAPAQ) announced the creation of the Réseau québécois de recherche en agriculture durable (RQRAD), a flagship measure of the Plan d'agriculture durable 2020-2030 (PAD).

In January 2021, Empa and BASE (Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy) were among the winners of the prestigious Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge by data.org, a platform for partnerships committed to build the field of data science for social impact.

At the Bassenges Farm, six devoted women and men are bringing their vision of sustainability to the EPFL and UNIL campuses, giving low-tech agriculture - without pesticides - a chance to thrive.

Agroecologist from the University of Göttingen emphasises their importance for food security of smallholder farmers The global decline of pollinators threatens the reproductive success of 90 per cent of all wild plants globally and the yield of 85 per cent of the world's most important crops.

A research team from the University of Bern has managed to precisely date pile dwellings on the banks of Lake Ohrid in the south-western Balkans for the first time: they came into being in the middle of the 5th millennium BC.

From the factory hall and not the field: ETH spin-off YASAI should soon be harvesting 20 tonnes of herbs a year from an indoor facility.

Eating a hot dog could cost you 36 minutes of healthy life, while choosing to eat a serving of nuts instead could help you gain 26 minutes of extra healthy life, according to a University of Michigan study.

Domestication of plants adds to the range of available food As a contribution to increasing crop variety for improved food security in Subsaharan Africa, a leafy vegetable which is rich in vitamins and minerals shall be domesticated. At present, however, as highlighted by a research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) together with researchers from Nigeria, the plants still contain highly toxic substances that are carcinogenic and liver-damaging.

Using technology familiar to computer gamers, University of Queensland scientists are creating 'digital twins' of mango and macadamia orchards to help boost food production.

A new research centre based at The Australian National University (ANU) will train the next generation of scientists to develop more resilient crops and significantly grow Australia's agricultural sector.

Over the last forty years, the agricultural intensification, as well as the urban and farming development in the Lleida Plain, have reduced the expansion and quality of the available habitat for the steppe birds of this area, which covers a great part of species of such kind in Spain.

2021 Agricultural Greater Good Grant awarded to Göttingen University molecular biologist The international Illumina Agricultural Greater Good Grant recognizes research proposals that will increase th

Climate change leads to increasing heat strain for humans, animals and crops When extreme heat becomes more frequent and temperatures remain high for extended periods of time, as it is currently the c

Food has become one of the major challenges of the 21st century. According to a study carried out by CNRS scientists 1 , an organic, sustainable, biodiversity-friendly agro-food system, could be implemented in Europe and would allow a balanced coexistence between agriculture and the environment.

The level of self-sufficiency indicates the extent to which agricultural performance ensures food security.

Agriculture has significant impacts on the environment, nature, soils and biodiversity. Figures published by the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture in 2018 showed that more than 50 percent of the land is used for agriculture.

As the world marks Africa Day, the University celebrates its existing partnerships across the continent and looks forward to further collaboration as a key strategic aim for the future.

Extreme weather poses increasing challenges to the agricultural sector. New insurance models based on satellite data may reduce the risk of drought for farmers, writes Robert Finger. Climate change is increasing drought risk to many areas. Droughts already cause massive yield losses on a regular basis, and coping with this risk is becoming increasingly important to farmers.

Göttingen University researchers survey German consumers on shopping, eating and cooking behaviour For the third time during the pandemic, researchers at the University of Göttingen have surveyed consumers in Germany.

A research and innovation project at the University of Bern aims to strengthen sustainable farming methods among smallholder families in Africa and Asia using digitally supported agricultural extension services.

Substantial cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved by raising water levels in agricultural peatlands, according to a new study in the journal Nature .

Many cocoa farmers live in poverty - yet the fairly traded chocolate bunny often stays on the shelves.

Agriculture has entered a new era where advanced, multidisciplinary sciences are harnessed to meet consumer demands for safe, ethically and sustainably produced foods, according to the incoming director of a key research institute.

Twenty years ago, a Stanford-led analysis sparked controversy by highlighting fish farming's damage to ocean fisheries. Now a follow-up study takes stock of the industry's progress and points to opportunities for sustainable growth. By Catherine Arnold Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Despite aquaculture's potential to feed a growing world population while relieving pressure on badly depleted oceans, the industry has been plagued by questions about its environmental impacts.

Celebrating 50th anniversary with TUM-Hyperloop in birthday show It's the mouse's birthday - and at TUM we're celebrating #mitderMaus, too! We wish the popular TV program "Sendung mit der Maus" (WDR) all the best for its 50th birthday anniversary on March 7.

The Carbon Neutrality Acceleration Program at the University of Michigan's Graham Sustainability Institute has awarded research grants to seven projects aimed at reducing net carbon emissions.