It turns out the source of these healthy fatty acids is important
Fish or flax? That’s the question researchers from the University of Guelph have been trying to answer when looking at the cancer-prevention qualities of various sources of omega-3 fatty acids. David Ma, a professor in the university’s department of human health and nutritional sciences, says so far fish is coming out on top. His work […] Read more
Why are certain plants able to enter a new ecosystem and run riot?
Is it possible to predict which non-native plant species will become invasive weeds and when? According to research featured in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management, the answer is “hopefully yes.” Researchers say invasive species generally follow a three-phase development curve — from lag to expansion to plateau. The length and rapidity of the […] Read more
Flowering plants conquered the world, now scientists think they know why
It’s a problem that puzzled even geneticist Charles Darwin so much he called it the “abominable mystery” — how did flowering plants take over the world? They’re relative newcomers, yet they dominate most landscapes, are incredibly diverse, form the basis of our food system and drive the animal diversity we see all around us. A […] Read more
Robots are the future of weed control, one researcher says
Forget about that old hoe — it’s time to go high tech with weed control. Researchers at the University of California-Davis say robotic weeders are already making headway in high-value vegetable crops, fuelled by a lack of chemical controls and lack of affordable labour. Steven Fennimore, an extension specialist at the university, pegs the cost […] Read more
You’re not the only one who can’t get any ‘sleep’ during those sweltering summer nights
Turns out your canola plants just need to get a little rest. When high temperatures, especially at night, prevent them from “sleeping” properly productivity takes a hit, and now researchers from Kansas State University are trying to figure out why. What exactly is the plant doing at night? It’s not sleeping like humans do, but […] Read more
Reducing how much nitrogen enters a lake has little impact on algal blooms, IISD researchers say
If you take the nitrogen out of the equation for lake algal blooms it turns out you really haven’t changed things at all. According to researchers at the Experimental Lakes Area, operated by Winnipeg’s International Institute for Sustainable Development, that’s because many of the algae responsible for the harmful blooms can turn around and fix […] Read more
A new study shows acceptance, and even preference for, food made from waste
A recent study has shown consumers won’t just accept food made from discarded ingredients — they’ll embrace it. Researchers from Philadelphia’s Drexel University looked at products that were made from recovered ingredients that would otherwise have been destined for the waste stream. “There is an economic, environmental and cultural argument for keeping food, when possible, […] Read more
Researchers have discovered how plants respond to changes in light at the molecular level
Plants don’t have eyes, but it would seem they do “see” their surroundings using light. That’s made possible by proteins called photoreceptors that absorb light and convert it into a signal that turns genes on or off. Until now, scientists haven’t fully understood the molecular mechanism underlying that process, which allows plants to recognize when […] Read more
Researchers say the substances have been associated with several health conditions
Manitoba’s largest lake is the host to potentially harmful toxins caused by cyanobacteria, more commonly known as “blue-green algae.” Researchers from the University of British Columbia, working with the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, were looking for a specific toxin called BMAA that’s been linked with conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to Lou Gehrig’s disease. “Cyanobacteria blooms […] Read more
New research may make for better-targeted pesticides that do their job but don’t hurt beneficial insects
Pyrethroid pesticides could be modified with a few molecular tweaks to eliminate pests while preserving beneficial insects like bees. Those are the findings of researchers at Michigan State University’s entomology department in a study featured in the current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These pesticides target a protein known as the […] Read more
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