small fish in a fish tank

In this case, GMO technology is a failure

The glow-in-the-dark boys impress the ladies, but they can't fight off the competition

Purdue University researchers say that while males of a genetically modified zebrafish that glow in the dark are more attractive to females, their wild cousins end up with more breeding success. Glofish are a GM version of zebrafish with a transgene from a sea anemone, which gives them a neon glow. Animal science professors, William

chalkboard promoting restaurant items

Eat better, live longer and reduce greenhouse gas

British study says ‘minor’ adjustments would include fewer animal products, especially red meat, fewer savoury snacks and more fruit, vegetables and cereals


Eating a more healthy diet could extend the British lifespan, lower health-care costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to new research led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The findings are based on two papers. The first, published in Climatic Change, estimates the greenhouse gas emissions associated with current U.K.


Cindy Klassen, speed skater

Gold medal speed skater signs up to be farmer for fundraising campaign

A new initiative invites groups and individuals to sponsor an acre

Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater Cindy Klassen has signed up to be a farmer this summer as part of a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) fundraising campaign. “This year, I’m helping provide food for hungry people around the world by trading in my skates and becoming a farmer,” she says in

man making bread

Beer from bread that never became a sandwich

A Brussels brewery is making beer out of stale bread to reduce waste

A small Brussels-based brewery has embarked on a project to make beer from leftover bread, harking back to antiquity, when bread, rather than barley, was the main ingredient. The idea for brewing with bread came when 31-year-old Frenchman Sebastien Morvan talked to a friend about food waste, specifically the bread thrown away because supermarkets, eager


comic book cover

Comic book hero digs into soil

The Alberta sleuth teaches students about agriculture

The Chase “Superman” Duffy comics chronicle the adventures of an upper elementary track and field athlete as he navigates his way around his grandfather’s farm in central Alberta to learn about food, agriculture, and the only ‘Made in Canada’ crop — canola. Written for eight- to 11-year-olds, the graphic novel series was developed to help

doctor holding apples and medicinal pills

An apple a day keeps the (pharmacist) away

Apple eaters make just as many visits to the doctor, but take fewer pills

Turns out, an apple a day won’t keep the doctor away but it may mean you will use fewer prescription medications, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. The apple has come to symbolize health and healthy habits. But can apple consumption be associated with reduced health-care use because patients who eat


mushrooms

Horse dung has scientists on scent of antibiotic success

Unlike other antibiotics, the compound is a protein 
and offers a different mode of action

European biologists have discovered a bacteria-killing compound in common mushrooms that grow in horse dung. Unusually for an antibiotic, copsin is a protein; but laboratory trials showed it to have the same effect on bacteria as traditional antibiotics. The scientific community hopes to be able to develop a new range of antibiotics to replace those

birdwatchers

Both types of shooters promote conservation

Whether they're shooting with a gun or camera, both types of shooters protect wildlife

What inspires people to support conservation? As concerns grow about the sustainability of our modern society, this question becomes more important. A new study by researchers at Cornell University provides one simple answer: birdwatching and hunting. This survey of conservation activity among rural landowners in Upstate New York considered a range of possible predictors such


But just what does GMO free mean, exactly?

Genetically modified, engineered or just edited?

The result can be the same without the addition 
of a gene from elsewhere

Just what is a genetically modified organism? Japanese scientists writing in a recent issue of the journal Trends in Plant Science say the answer is not so clear, and call for action to clarify the social issues associated with genetically engineered crops. “Modern genome-editing technology has allowed for far more efficient gene modification, potentially impacting

tuna steak on a plate

Mediterranean diet cuts heart disease risk

You don’t have to live in Greece — a Prairie version is available

Greeks might be in debt, but their hearts are in good shape, according to a study released at American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session in San Diego. Ekavi Georgousopoulou and Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos of Harokopio University in Athens studied a group of more than 2,500 Greek adults, ages 18 to 89, who closely