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AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN CALIFORNIA
Spanish Franciscan padres in the 1700s brought almond trees to California, but cool coastal weather stalled their growth - eventually, the crop took root inland and helped California produce about 80% of the world’s almond supplyCalifornia's almond industry owes its existence to Spanish missionaries who introduced almond trees in the 1700s, sparking a planting surge...
In 2024, Florida scientists found a hidden trail left behind by invasive snakes — their DNA can linger in water and soil even after they disappearA 2024 study by Florida scientists found that invasive snakes can be detected through traces of DNA left behind in water and soil. The new ...
India’s power needs are surging. So why is solar going to waste?India struggles to use all its clean power despite high demand. Renewable energy providers curtail output as the grid cannot handle excess ...
Carbon emissions are worsening the western US water crisis, new study findsDecades of carbon emissions significantly worsened the western United States water crisis. Fossil fuel and cement producers' emissions redu...
Storm in a wine glass: As climate change and young consumers reshape the wine world, can India take advantage?Global wine regions face climate challenges and declining demand. India's wine tourism is experiencing significant growth and expansion. Yo...
Washington state biologists reintroduced beavers on tributaries, and within years their dams slowed stream flow and rebuilt banks that resist erosionWildlife departments are making strides in reintroducing beavers to rejuvenate damaged stream ecosystems. These industrious creatures help ...
In 1989, a 185-page California climate report warned that a warming would slash the state's spring runoff by a full third. 30 years later, its warnings proved right, with mountain snow cover falling by half as droughts, floods and fires worsenedCalifornia received climate change warnings thirty years ago. These projections accurately predicted droughts, floods, and heat waves. The ...
In 2000, UC Irvine led a 2-season study of rice paddies, finding crops emit ozone-depleting gases. Years later, the research still shows rice farming contributes 5% of atmospheric methyl iodide globally todayRice paddies are known for methane emissions. But UC Irvine researchers found another atmospheric connection worth watching. Flooded rice f...
Wrap aluminium foil around your plants: Here’s what this simple household hack can do in your gardenWrap aluminium foil around your plants: Gardeners can use reflective aluminium foil around young plants to help deter aphids. The reflectiv...
Since 1971, Oregon has used a flea beetle against tansy ragwort; 7 years later, the state said the biocontrol had cut infestations by 90%In Oregon, a tiny flea beetle has emerged victorious in the battle against toxic tansy ragwort, a notorious invasive weed that has plagued ...
In 1888, USDA sent an entomologist to Australia to collect vedalia beetles for California’s cottony cushion scale; within a year, the pest had sharply declinedThe cottony cushion scale insect threatened California's citrus growers with devastation. The USDA took action by sending a scientist to Au...
Earlier this year, a California startup received approval to launch a 59-foot mirror into orbit. Two years later, the demonstration could redirect sunlight onto chosen points on Earth, allowing crews to keep working after darkA California startup just got FCC approval to test a 59-foot mirror satellite in orbit. The spacecraft, named Eärendil-1, will catch sunlig...
Five major floods followed Pajaro's 1949 levee construction; a 2023 breach sent water through homes within 3 hours and costing $300 million; UC Berkeley researchers are now recreating the watershed digitally to show how new barriers could change the next floodFlood risk is hard to picture until water is inside your home. UC Berkeley researchers are building a digital twin of California’s Lower Pa...
In the 1930s, just 9 to 20 foreign ant queens apparently stowed away on a ship; their descendants now infest more than 367 million U.S. acresA few fire ant queens arriving in Mobile, Alabama, in the 1930s established a widespread infestation. These invasive insects now infest ove...
In 2017, California cattle ate an estimated 11.6 billion pounds of grass that could become wildfire fuel; researchers say grazing can reduce fire hazards in some rangelandsIn 2017, California's cattle devoured billions of pounds of vegetation, significantly aiding in wildfire intensity reduction. By efficientl...
In 1935, this dam submerged entire US town under 60 feet of water; nearly 90 years later, falling lake levels are bringing the 'ghost town' back to lifeHoover Dam Construction: St. Thomas, a historic Nevada town, has reemerged as Lake Mead's water levels decline. The former Mormon settlemen...
In 1998, an insect no bigger than a grain of rice reached Florida on imported plants; the start of a chain of events tied to the state's orange harvest falling more than 90%A tiny pest first introduced in 1998 has been the cause of devastation in Florida's orange groves due to citrus greening disease, resulting...
No rodents in California vineyards? Barn owls point to a new future for American farming as ‘fear effect’ cuts pests by up to 52% without poisonCould barn owls offer a new future for farming in America? New research in California vineyards found that areas with more active barn owls...
Coffee grounds + eggshells for plants: Myth vs fact every home gardener should knowCoffee grounds and eggshells are popular gardening hacks, but science reveals a more nuanced picture. Used coffee grounds do not reliably l...
Massachusetts farm installs 832 solar panels above berry fields, and the berries grown underneath turned out sweeter and juicier and could change the future of American farmingA Massachusetts farm is integrating solar panels above berry fields. This agrivoltaics project generates electricity while shading the crop...