Plants versus bacteria. Who will win? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Bacteria are sneaky. Sure plants can use enzymes – like BGAL1 – to uncover them. But some bacteria can block those enzymes and stay hidden using a mystery molecule. Scientists knew that this
Continue reading
Beanie Babies are back… on the menu?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Growing food is great! Chemical fertilizers polluting the environment? Not so great. Enter Nicola Cook and team at the John Innes Center in the U-K. They found a way to give plants a
Continue reading
January 10th: Happy Houseplant Appreciation Day! This is Sandra with the Loh Down on Science. You’ve heard: “Don’t water your plants at noon, because they’ll burn!” Botanists from Hungary’s Eotvos University wondered if sun rays and water droplets could actually fry plants. They combined computer models with experimental tests on
Continue reading
Saving energy? We’re talkin’ Little Shop of Horrors! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Consider the carnivorous pitcher plant. It’s a trash bag shaped plant that eats bugs to overcome nutrient deficient soil. That gave Anne-Kristin Lenz and the University of Bristol an idea for
Continue reading
I’m not drinking alone! I’ve got… my plant friends! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Yes, plants have Thirsty Thursday too, especially in droughts. So, scientists want to stabilize crop growth during water restriction. Could the answer be… alcohol? Raise your glass to Khurram Bashir
Continue reading
It’s a bird, it’s a plane . . . it’s a – scientist in a helicopter!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Living beings, like plants, reflect light in unique spiral patterns into the environment. Non-living things — like buildings and bridges – not so
Continue reading
Do our plant babies have FEELINGS too? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying… Our sense of touch is a double edged sword. A pat on the head? Nice. A paper cut? Yowch. Either way, our skin sends a calcium nerve signal to
Continue reading
Can you be-LEAF what your plants are saying? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. If only house plants could just TELL us when they need water! Or can they? Itzhak Khait from Tel-Aviv University and team investigated. Researchers put plants near microphones that pick up
Continue reading
Does like cure like when it comes to… WILDFIRES? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fire season is coming! One way to help avoid the destruction? Prescribed burns! This technique has been used to control wildfires for years. But it can cause the soil to
Continue reading
Reducing carbon emissions? That’s gonna take a LEAF of faith! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ever drive past a few stringy trees planted in the middle of the road, and wonder – “What’s the point?” Well… COULD urban greenery ACTUALLY make an impact on
Continue reading