When dealing with pathogens of plants, it is those of the viral kind in conjunction with their vector pests that can prove to be the biggest threats. Aphids, especially, are known for transmitting dozens of dangerous viral diseases while also themselves managing to kill a host plant outright through sucking up too much sap. Therefore, […]
While genetic modification technologies have been expanding rapidly in the biological and medical spheres, there is an obvious limitation in how this sort of research is applied. For the microscopic level and the macro beyond it, only a select number of organisms have proven to be amenable to such modification techniques. Others have either shown […]
Plant-based oils make up an incredibly important part of agricultural research on both a food and fuel level. While we use many different kinds of oils from plants, they each have a meaningful niche in our food supply and, for some, as bioenergy fuel sources that are far cleaner to produce than other electricity generating […]
When it comes to using CRISPR on a broad scale, different types of applications have to be utilized for different systems. If modifying bacterial genomes are the focus, then a viral vector to get the CRISPR complex into the cell is efficient enough for most purposes. But on multicellular organisms, there can be a number […]
For all the advances we’ve made in medical science toward treatment of dangerous disorders and diseases, along with recent announcements such as a secondary success in long-term HIV remission, there are still plenty of conditions that we have a long way to go toward any sort of viable treatment. Spinal cord injuries are one such […]
While biological research is broad and vast, conducted by people all around the world, there are still often gaps and areas where no one has thought to look or just not bothered to take the time to do so. And it is in those areas that major new discoveries can often be found, whether we’re […]
Since the beginning of genetic engineering and its use in plant biology, the microorganism Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been a prominent figure in scientific endeavors. The natural processes of the species involves them modifying their cellular surroundings inside tree hosts to provide them with the nutrients they need. As a side effect of this process, they […]
When speaking of spiciness in science, we use an entirely different term that perhaps holds a slightly altered connotation in common language: pungency. It is this that refers to the sensation of heat after consumption and how intense and long-lasting that effect is on the average consumer. And there is no other quintessential aspect of […]
The process of fermentation is one that has been with humanity since nearly the beginning in the Neolithic era and has been used in a variety of ways for unique types of foods. The most obvious kinds include bread and alcohol, but there are also plenty of other, more specialized products out there. And there […]
No matter where or when you are in the world, there are carcinogenic pollutants in the air. The natural degradation of plant material and other chemical reactions across the planet produce these compounds. This is also true for humans and the things we make and the homes we live in. The slow breakdown of laminate […]
