science on localnews page 22

The GH3 gene family is key to how plants grow and fight tough conditions. In many crop species, scientists have mapped these genes, but bamboo has not been studied as much. Researchers focused on Phyllostachys edulis to find all GH3 genes across its genome and see how they behave when the plant face

Pollen Detection Gets a Tech Upgrade

Scientists have turned to a new imaging trick called evanescent wave scattering microscopy, or EWSM, to spot pollen in the air. This method lets them see tiny features on pollen grains—like spikes and holes—that regular bright‑field microscopes miss. Using this detailed view, researchers built a two

Understanding How Radiation Affects Uranium Nitride Fuel

Uranium mononitride is a strong candidate for future nuclear reactors because it packs a lot of uranium into a small space and conducts heat well. Scientists use computer simulations based on quantum mechanics to learn about its basic traits, but they have not yet mapped how the material behaves whe

How one rice gene handles both cold weather and disease

Rice plants face two big problems in the field: icy mornings and a fungus called blast that rots their leaves. Scientists recently found a single gene, called CTS1, that quietly helps the plant deal with both threats at once. This gene works like a tiny manager inside each rice cell, turning other g

Marine Research Turns 125: A Look at Norway’s Ocean Lab

The Institute of Marine Research in Norway is turning 125 years old. It started long ago when scientists wanted to understand the sea better. Today, the institute is famous for using chromatography to study marine life. Chromatography separates chemicals so researchers can see what is insid

Mars Helicopters: A Bold Idea That Might Hurt Science

NASA plans a fleet of three helicopters, called SkyFall, to fly in Mars’ thin air from a nuclear‑powered ship. The idea is flashy: the craft would drop into the atmosphere, open parachutes and launch the choppers mid‑flight. The mission would bring cameras, weather sensors and a small radar to st

Largest Superyacht Turns Into Ocean Research Hub

A new 639‑foot vessel, now the biggest superyacht on the planet, is set to leave Brazil next year for a decade‑long science mission that will cross the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific. The ship, named REV Ocean, is not just a luxury cruiser; it carries state‑of‑the‑art labs, a submarine garage, an o

Kindness After Chaos

When a tornado struck Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, it left thousands of homes wrecked and many people dead. The disaster forced about a third of the town’s 50, 000 residents to leave their homes. In the weeks that followed, people in Joplin began helping each other with supplies and shelter. The

Age Mix: How Different Biases Join Forces

People face unfair treatment in many ways. Most studies look at one factor—age, gender, race, or money—and ignore how these factors overlap. A new view says that a person’s age can mix with other biases, forming what researchers call “generalized discrimination. ” In modern societies, teenagers a

Fluorine‑Made Defects Speed Up Chloride Cleanup in Water