Water scarcity is no longer a future threat for Greece; it’s a pressing reality worsening with each passing year. The nation, particularly its most populous regions, is confronting a critical shortage, driven by dwindling reserves and unsustainable practices. For the Athens metropolitan area (Attica), home to approximately half of Greece’s population, solutions have been urgently…
Macquarie University research shows a chemical banned in Europe but still sprayed on Australian produce to kill fungus also wipes out beneficial insects and pollinators, potentially fuelling global insect decline. A widely-used agricultural chemical sprayed on fruits and vegetables to prevent fungal disease is also killing beneficial insects that play a critical role in pollination…
Plants can “remember” Surprising to many readers of Leopold’s commentary is that plants have a kind of memory. For example, sunflowers track the sun throughout the day, return to their starting position at night, and anticipate sunrise even in total darkness. Similarly, albizia tree leaves open and close in rhythm with daylight cycles, continuing their…
On July 11 and 12, Lesvos plans to host the Sappho Lesvos Festival 2025, a modern cultural institution named after the greatest lyric poet of antiquity, highlighting the island’s connection to its literary and cultural heritage. The festival aspires to act as a cultural ambassador for Lesvos and Greece, showcasing the island and the North…
Quarter-sized white button mushrooms, which are typically found on pizza slices and in grocery produce aisles, are close relatives of what some consider the world’s largest organism. Their cousin? A single, massive organism, Armillaria ostoyae, is located in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest. Also known as the “humongous fungus,” many experts consider this vast honey mushroom…
A study in Tunisia examined physical characteristics of five olive cultivars for use in olive grove design and management, analyzing traits such as branching patterns, shoot length, and fruit production. The researchers believe that architectural analysis can inform decisions on cultivar selection, orchard layout, and pruning, potentially improving sustainable olive production when combined with sensor…
Years after wildfires burn forests and watersheds, the contaminants left behind continue to poison rivers and streams across the Western U.S. — much longer than scientists estimated. A new study led by CIRES researchers, published today in Nature Communications Earth & Environment,analyzed water quality in more than 500 watersheds across the Western U.S., and is the…
For more than a century, a patch of cold water south of Greenland has resisted the Atlantic Ocean’s overall warming, fueling debate amongst scientists. A new study identifies the cause as the long-term weakening of a major ocean circulation system. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside show that only one explanation fits both observed…
Denisgo/Getty Images Everyone everywhere eats for survival, and hopefully sometimes for enjoyment. Food is universal, and it unites us. Food is part of our cultural identities, an element of religious rites, and an always significant component of celebrations. In some cases, the foods we eat today have not changed much since those their origins. Grains…
Plants and trees extend their roots into the earth in order to draw nutrients and water from the soil—however, these roots are thought to decline as they move deeper underground. But a new study by a multi-institutional team of scientists shows that many plants develop a second, deeper layer of roots—often more than three feet…