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Evidence of destruction in Tacloban, Philippines

The study analyzed ASTER images of Tacloban before and after the typhoon, revealing widespread destruction. The storm surge caused mud-covered ground, bare trees, and destroyed buildings, with some areas showing no vegetation.

New cell component important to tea and wine-making

Researchers at Oxford University Press UK identified the tannosome organelle, responsible for producing complex chemicals used in plant defense and protection. This discovery sheds light on the synthesis of tannins, a key component in making tea and red wine taste their distinctive way.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Fires in eastern Russia

In eastern Russia, fires are set to clear land for planting and renew pastures. Fire is used globally as a tool for managing resources, mitigating larger wildfires.

Study provides insights into plant evolution

Researchers identified a gene that regulates plant life cycle transition, providing insights into complex diploid body evolution. This discovery could lead to the development of apomixis, a technique for producing high-yielding hybrid crops more easily and cheaply.

Early land plants: Early adopters!

A new species of liverwort, Frullania knightbridgei, is discovered in New Zealand and described using revolutionary electronic publishing rules. The publication accelerates scientific discovery and description of new plant species, crucial for understanding early land plant evolution and conserving biodiversity.

Adjustable valves gave ancient plants the edge

Researchers discovered that ancient plants like spikemosses had stomata that could open and close in response to light, carbon dioxide, and abscisic acid, a key plant hormone. This finding suggests that water-conserving innovations occurred early in plant evolution.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Ancestors of land plants revealed

New research reveals that conjugating green algae, such as Spirogyra, are the closest living relatives to land plants, contrary to the previously accepted theory. The study analyzed genetic divergence in 129 genes from 40 different green plant taxa and found significant evidence supporting this new finding.

New research reveals insight into lignin biosynthesis

Laccase enzymes have been found to contribute significantly to lignification in Arabidopsis, playing a central role in the formation of this biopolymer. The study's findings suggest that genetic engineering of laccases could lead to improved saccharification and biofuel production.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

DNA barcoding exposes fake ferns in international plant trade

A new DNA barcoding technique has found that many garden ferns sold at nurseries are actually exotic species from other parts of the world. The technique identified three species of ferns as mistakenly labeled, with over 50% of collected plants being incorrectly identified.

New afforestation techniques increase tree growth in Mediterranean farmlands

Researchers from the University of Granada developed new farmland afforestation techniques that enhance young plant survival and development in Mediterranean environments. These techniques focus on relationships between land and plant to promote successful implementation of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

UBC researchers help push for standard DNA barcodes for plants

Two UBC researchers are part of an international team recommending standards for DNA barcoding of land plants. They selected two genomic regions as the best candidates for generating barcode data, with a near-unique signature for barcoding and high accuracy in identifying plant species.

Plants save the earth from an icy doom

Researchers at Yale University found that land plants stabilized atmospheric CO2 levels, preventing a deep frozen fate. This discovery supports the emerging view that plants should be recognized as a geologic force of nature, with important consequences for all life on Earth.

When palm trees gave way to spruce trees

Fossils of land plants provide key insights into past climates, revealing that summer temperatures on land remained relatively warm during the Eocene/Oligocene transition, but with increasing seasonality. The researchers found that temperate climate trees such as spruces and hemlock replaced subtropical trees like palms and swamp cypress

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

DOE JGI releases expanded version of Phytozome.net

The DOE JGI has released an enhanced version of Phytozome.net, a web portal providing access to over fourteen plant genomes, including eight sequenced at the JGI. This expansion bolsters comparative plant genomics data for biofuel and agriculture research.

Cracking the species code for plants

Scientists have identified six gene regions suitable for automated plant species identification, promising to aid in biodiversity protection and pharmaceutical discovery. A large-scale test is underway to validate these regions against a vast number of plants.

WUSTL researchers spearhead key genome initiative

The complete genome of Physcomitrella patens has been sequenced, providing insights into the conquest of land by plants. The research reveals unique gene products and metabolic pathways that enable mosses to protect themselves against stresses associated with living on land.

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Green algae -- the nexus of plant/animal ancestry

A study on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a tiny green alga, has found that it shares genes with both plants and animals, including humans. The research provides new insights into photosynthesis, flagellar movement, and human diseases related to ciliary dysfunction.

Bad Mileage: 98 tons of plants per gallon

A study by ecologist Jeff Dukes calculates that 98 tons of plants per gallon are needed to produce modern fossil fuels. The research found that the amount of carbon in ancient plant matter required to form coal, oil, and gas is equivalent to all the plant growth on Earth over 13,300 years.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Unfolding how to make a leaf

Researchers found that KNOX1 genes are expressed in all plants with complex leaves, such as tomatoes and ferns. The study revealed that some simple-leaved plants, like maize, have previously grown complex leaves but evolved to have simpler ones.

Plant stems and leaves are always proportional to roots

Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Arizona found that plant stem and leaf biomass are proportional to root biomass across various plant species. This discovery provides environmental researchers with clues to estimate global carbon sequestration in plants.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.