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SOIL BACTERIA
MIT scientists built over 400 tiny ecosystems with 12 to 20 bacterial species; after adding an outsider, the more changeable communities were easier to invadeResearchers at MIT have discovered that chaotic ecosystems easily accept new species while stable ones resist invasion. Conventional ecolog...
Scientists mixed just 3% volcanic ash into forest soil in a UC San Diego experiment; coleus plants grew roughly three times as much as plants in untreated soilAt UC San Diego, researchers have made an exciting discovery: adding volcanic ash to soil can significantly enhance plant growth. Their stu...
Fertiliser stocks: Combination of strong headwinds and structural repair. Who will win? 9 stocks, 4 with upside potential of up to 31%For the better part of a decade now, every time this critical sector has run into trouble, the government has stepped in. The clean-up bega...
A scientist collected snails in 1920; A century later, their guts revealed a hidden worldScientists analysed preserved Rocky Mountain snails collected between 1920 and 2018 and recovered evidence of the microbes that once lived ...
Could astronauts on the Moon manufacture their own tools? NASA tests lunar dust material that could reduce supplies from EarthNASA researchers are developing a composite material that combines lunar regolith with a biodegradable plastic called poly(3-hydroxybutyrat...
In WWII, one Scottish island became a secret British bioweapon site, stayed toxic for 50 years. Now it is a popular tourist spotA picturesque island in the Scottish Highlands, degenerated into a contaminated wasteland during the Second World War. The British governme...
Australia turned food scraps into biogas at EarthPower; the result powered 4,000 homes while processing 62,500 tonnes of food waste and producing soil improver in SydneyEvery year, major metropolitan hubs produce hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organic waste, a significant portion of which ends up decayi...
University of Idaho buried cotton underwear in 34 Idaho fields for eight weeks; soil microbes broke down the cotton as a simple soil-health testThe University of Idaho employs an innovative cotton underwear test to assess soil health by monitoring how the fabric decomposes over an e...
In 2006, Hawai‘i listed Waipā Stream, after dense hau bush trapped sediment and blocked fish. Today, restoration cut average turbidity by 62% and restored native fish passageWaipā Stream restoration efforts significantly improved water quality and aquatic habitats. Invasive hau bush removal and feral pig control...
In 2018, 11,336 American Gut participants mailed samples from used toilet paper to scientists; the dataset characterized microbial diversity on an unprecedented scaleIn an extensive research initiative, scientists collected toilet paper swabs from a diverse group of thousands worldwide, revealing a signi...
In 2004, Iowa listed Easter Lake for murky water. 20 years later, restoration helped it meet water standards and park visits climbed from 500,000 to 1.3 million visitorsEaster Lake in Des Moines was listed as impaired in 2004 because sediment and cloudy water were damaging its quality. Two decades of restor...
What’s really in your fast-food soda? A US study tested over 90 beverages; what they found raises hygiene questionsThe taste of restaurant fountain drinks can vary significantly due to several factors, particularly the cleanliness of the equipment. Studi...
In 1984, NASA left Bacillus spores in space for nearly 6 years; after LDEF returned to Earth, 1–2% of the exposed spores were still aliveDuring an extensive six-year voyage aboard the LDEF satellite, soil bacteria spores demonstrated remarkable resilience, surviving the rigor...
A decade ago, Maryland Agriculture restored 2 farms to improve Little Antietam Creek habitat. Today, 10 years of monitoring show mayflies, caddisflies and trout thrivingLittle Antietam Creek restoration: A stream restoration project on Little Antietam Creek shows positive changes. The project addressed nutr...
In the 1830s, America imported autumn olives from eastern Asia to stop erosion and reclaim mines; now the plant infests much of the United StatesAutumn olive, introduced from Asia, was used for erosion control and land restoration. This shrub's nitrogen-fixing ability and rapid growt...
In 2023, researchers oxidized orange-peel waste for 1 hour and recovered 55% of its sugars; engineered E. coli produced up to 393 mg of PHBResearchers have developed a method to convert orange peel waste into plastic. This process extracts sugar from peels, which then feeds bac...
In 1995, North Dakota's Richland County SCD began monitoring Antelope Creek for bacteria. 10 years later, a watershed project tackled septic, livestock and farm sources to cut bacteriaAntelope Creek and Wild Rice River saw reduced bacteria levels after conservation efforts. Best management practices addressed animal feedi...
Why did scientists ask 1,000 Swiss people to bury their underwear? What the buried 'underpants' could reveal about soil - The unusual science of measuring soil healthThe decomposition of cotton underwear has unveiled notable differences in soil biological activity throughout Switzerland. Private gardens ...
In 2002, Idaho listed the South Fork Palouse River as bacteria-impaired after livestock grazing. 14 years later, restoration helped remove it from the 2016 impaired listThe South Fork Palouse River restoration began with a problem Idaho could not ignore. In 2002, the river was listed as bacteria-impaired, w...
BT may curb roundworm infection, says studyBT, or soil bacteria could help battle roundworm infection worldwide, says a study.