Antarctic microbes reveal climate impact on marine ecosystems
Bacteria and other single-celled microorganisms in the seas around Antarctica are strongly influenced by water temperature and the amount of sea ice. This is shown by coordinated measurements taken off the coast of the west Antarctic Peninsula.
Microplastics could be fueling antibiotic resistance
Microplastics—tiny shards of plastic debris—are all over the planet. They have made their way up food chains, accumulated in oceans, clustered in clouds and on mountains, and been found inside human bodies at alarming rates. Scientists have been racing to uncover the unforeseen impacts of so much plastic in and around us.
Key genes for corn architecture revealed, identifying future breeding targets
The physical structure of corn plants—including the angle of leaves bending from the stem and the number of pollen-laden tassel branches—makes a big difference for yield. Compact plants can be planted closer together, adding up to more ears per acre. But compact corn didn't happen by accident; years of hybrid breeding did that. Now, two new genome-based studies are making it possible to precisely adjust corn architecture to meet future demands.
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