Soil and the Human Gut Biome: They Are More Related Than You Think
By Larina Evstafyeva Key words: soil microbiome, gut microbiome, microorganism diversity, soil health, gut health, soil management A lot of the latest dietary advice is pointing to the importance of the human gut biome. People are now more interested in what foods they should eat to keep a healthy gut biome or what liquids help […]
Stress is Good? Mycorrhizal Fungi Feel Stressed Too
By: Alexis Billings As humans, we understand stress as something we commonly experience, and other species on this planet also experience it, affecting us all physically. We humans also either own plants or have some knowledge of how they work; we know they react to a lack of basic needs in the way we would […]
Why Can’t we “Bee” Friends? Plants Compete for Pollinators
By: Abby Satterwhite Growing up in the Midwest, I came face-to-face with my first pollinator while laying underneath a trampoline located on a bed of dandelions and wild violets. My sisters and I liked to take turns performing solo dances and one-woman-shows on top of the trampoline while the spectators laid below on their backs, […]
Folk Medicine in Nepal Claimed to Prevent COVID-19
By Ashley Washington Folk medicine, also known as ethnomedicine, has been a long-standing tradition in the Eastern hemisphere. On the other side of the world in Nepal, India, Nepalese people has gained scrutinized attention after claiming that medicinal plants can prevent and cure COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The World Health Organization (WHO) has come out and warned […]
Stop Taking Turns: Your Garden Will Thank You for Cover Crops!
By Kayla Humphries Let’s say that you have just started a fruit and vegetable garden in your backyard. You’ve sown your seeds and done most of the preparation. But, there’s one problem- you’ve left massive patches between your plants bare! Think about it- what happens to patches of bare soil? Weeds will invade the area. […]
How do plants communicate?
By: Akshith Ragukumar MicroRNA (miRNA) plays an important role in plant communication. miRNA trafficking has been described between the plants and the host for communication. It is found that the presence of miRNA in the phloem sap helps transport the miRNA to the entire plant and plays an important role in long distance signaling. It […]
Climate Change is NOT the Bees Knees—How will pollinators and plants be affected by increasing global temperatures?
By Alannah Burrill In June of 2022, I took a trip to Mount Mitchell—the highest peak in North Carolina and west of the Mississippi River. The mountain has a unique ecosystem because of its high elevation and it hosts many unique plant species. When I visited, I found an informational plaque that was probably a […]
Morphological Changes Happen to Maize Over Time
By: Akshaya Ragukumar Ajitha We all know that maize is juicy and its color is yellow but over time its taste, juiciness, size, color, and shape all are changing – why is this happening? Teosinte is a weedy grass that thrives in Mexico. It is the ancestor of modern maize. It is important because the […]
Grasslands Need To Be Eaten!
By: Percival Knight Grasslands are an extremely important ecosystem, as they help support a diversity of life and act as a base for many local food webs. A significant portion of all land area is made up of these ecosystems, and they can be found on virtually every continent. But what if I told you […]
Fermented Drinks Span Way Back to Ancient China
By Christian Hammer If you’re into beverages that aid in healthy digestion, you’ve probably tried popular drinks such as kombucha, ginger beer, or even alcohols like kvass. The taste of these drinks for many people might be sweet and sour– or if you’re like me, ascribe most as really bitter. Ever since trying these types […]