24/7 Farm  News Coverage
January 18, 2018
FARM NEWS
In sweet corn, workhorses win



Urbana, IL (SPX) Jan 17, 2018
When deciding which sweet corn hybrids to plant, vegetable processors need to consider whether they want their contract growers using a workhorse or a racehorse. Is it better to choose a hybrid with exceptional yields under ideal growing conditions (i.e., the racehorse) or one that performs consistently well across ideal and less-than-ideal conditions (i.e., the workhorse)? New research from the University of Illinois suggests the workhorse is the winner in processing sweet corn. "Experts say the ... read more

FARM NEWS
New process could slash energy needs of fertilizer, nitrogen-based chemicals
Princeton NJ (SPX) Jan 17, 2018
Nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizer forms the backbone of the world food supply, but its manufacture requires a tremendous amount of energy. Now, computer modeling at Princeton University points to ... more
WATER WORLD
Drought-stricken Cape Town faces dry taps by April 21
Cape Town (AFP) Jan 16, 2018
As Cape Town suffers its worst drought in a century, residents were warned by the mayor on Tuesday that they face losing piped water to their homes by April 21. ... more
FARM NEWS
Setback for Romanian farmer's bid to graze sheep near NATO base
Bucharest (AFP) Jan 17, 2018
A Romanian farmer who has waged a years-long legal battle against the state to graze his sheep near a NATO military base suffered as setback Wednesday when he was denied a permit for a structure housing the animals. ... more
FARM NEWS
'World's ugliest pig' spotted in Indonesia
Jakarta (AFP) Jan 5, 2018
Rare images of the "world's ugliest pig" have been captured in Indonesia, researchers said Friday, offering a window into a little-known species believed to be on the brink of extinction. ... more
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WATER WORLD
Sisi vows to protect Egypt's water supply
Cairo (AFP) Jan 15, 2018
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowed Monday to protect Egypt's water supply while striving for peace with the Nile upstream countries of Sudan and Ethiopia, which is building a controversial dam. ... more
BIO FUEL
Malaysia protest against EU push to ban palm oil in biofuels
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Jan 16, 2018
Hundreds of Malaysian palm oil farmers protested Tuesday against a push by the European Parliament to ban the use of the commodity in biofuels, saying it would devastate rural people's livelihoods. ... more
FARM NEWS
Genetic mechanism that could enhance yield in cereal crops
St. Louis MO (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Solving the world's food, feed and bioenergy challenges requires integration of multiple approaches and diverse skills. Andrea Eveland, Ph.D., assistant member at the Donald Danforth Plant Science C ... more
FARM NEWS
Wearable sensors for plants enable measurements of water use in crops
Ames IA (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Iowa State University plant scientist Patrick Schnable quickly described how he measured the time it takes for two kinds of corn plants to move water from their roots, to their lower leaves and then ... more
FARM NEWS
Lightening Up Soybean Leaves May Boost Food Supply
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 05, 2018
A new university-led study has shown that lightening the color of soybean leaves may increase the growth and yield of this major world food crop. The finding offers a strategy to help address Earth' ... more
FARM NEWS
Annual forage crops offset losses from alfalfa winterkill
Washington DC (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Meet alfalfa, a perennial legume used mainly as high-quality feed for dairy cattle. Alfalfa is also used as feed for beef cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. It's high in protein (16-20% crude protein ... more
FARM NEWS
Predicting the effect of climate change on crop yields
Urbana IL (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Scientists now have a new tool to predict the future effects of climate change on crop yields. Researchers from University of Illinois are attempting to bridge two types of computational crop ... more


New research reveals how gardeners can dig for health, not injury

FARM NEWS
Self-defense for plants
La Jolla CA (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
When you see brown spots on otherwise healthy green leaves, you may be witnessing a plant's immune response as it tries to keep a bacterial infection from spreading. Some plants are more resistant t ... more
FARM NEWS
Did ancient irrigation technology travel Silk Road?
St. Louis MO (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Using satellite imaging and drone reconnaissance, archaeologists from Washington University in St. Louis have discovered an ancient irrigation system that allowed a farming community in arid northwe ... more
FARM NEWS
Research outlines the interconnected benefits of urban agriculture
Tempe AZ (SPX) Jan 11, 2018
From a vacant plot in a blighted neighborhood springs neatly combed rows of plants put in by the neighbors. They meticulously care for this small piece of land and among the drab looking buildings s ... more





Space News from SpaceDaily.com
CLIMATE SCIENCE
Researchers use global thermometer to track temperature extremes, droughts
Corvallis OR (SPX) Jan 04, 2018
Large areas of the Earth's surface are experiencing rising maximum temperatures, which affect virtually every ecosystem on the planet, including ice sheets and tropical forests that play major roles ... more
FARM NEWS
Robotic weeders: to a farm near you?
Washington DC (SPX) Jan 11, 2018
The future of weeding is here, and it comes in the form of a robot. The growing popularity of robotic weeders for specialty crops has grown partly out of necessity, says Steven Fennimore, an extensi ... more
FARM NEWS
French beef producers cheer chance for return to China
Paris (AFP) Jan 9, 2018
French beef producers on Tuesday hailed a deal reached by President Emmanuel Macron and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to end China's 16-year-old embargo on French beef. ... more
WATER WORLD
Poisonous and running out: Pakistan's water crisis
Islamabad (AFP) Jan 8, 2018
Barely 15 days old, Kinza whimpers at an Islamabad hospital where she is suffering from diarrhoea and a blood infection, a tiny victim among thousands afflicted by Pakistan's severely polluted and decreasing water supplies. ... more
WATER WORLD
US rivers and streams are compromised by increasing salt loads
Millbrook, NY (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Human activities are exposing US rivers and streams to a cocktail of salts, with consequences for infrastructure and drinking water supplies. So reports a new study in the Proceedings of the Nationa ... more
WATER WORLD
European sampling sheds light on massive diversity of freshwater plankton
bLondon, UK (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
In a major pan-European study, a research team from Germany have successfully extracted environmental DNA (eDNA) from as many as 218 lakes to refute a long-year belief that vital microorganisms do n ... more
BIO FUEL
Rice U.'s one-step catalyst turns nitrates into water and air
Houston TX (SPX) Jan 09, 2018
Engineers at Rice University's Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) Center have found a catalyst that cleans toxic nitrates from drinking water by converting them into air and water. ... more


Florida takes on Georgia in US Supreme Court over water

WATER WORLD
Egypt building huge water treatment plant amid supply concerns
Cairo (AFP) Jan 8, 2018
Egypt is building a major water treatment and desalination plant, the president said Monday, as the Nile-dependent nation plans for any fallout from an upstream dam being built by Ethiopia. ... more
FARM NEWS
Warming to force winemakers, growers to plant different varieties
(UPI) Jan 2, 2018
Global warming is likely to force many winemakers and winegrowers to cultivate new grape varieties, according to a new study. ... more
FARM NEWS
Speed breeding technique sows seeds of new green revolution
Norwich UK (SPX) Jan 02, 2018
Speed breeding technique sows seeds of new green revolution Pioneering new technology is set to accelerate the global quest for crop improvement in a development which echoes the Green Revolut ... more





'First Light' images from CERES FM6 Earth-observing instrument
Hampton VA (SPX) Jan 18, 2018
It's working! The covers on the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System Flight Model 6 (CERES FM6) opened Jan. 5, allowing it to scan Earth for the first time. The instrument was one of five that launched Nov. 18, 2017, on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration's (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System 1 (JPSS-1). After reaching polar orbit Nov. 18, the satellite became known ... more
+ Himawari-8 data simulation allows 10-min updates of rain and flood predictions
+ Earth-i launches prototype of world's first full-colour, full-motion video satellite constellation
+ NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission surpasses expectations flying to new heights in 2017
+ NASA Calculated Heavy Rainfall Leading to California Mudslides
+ GeoCarb: A New View of Carbon Over the Americas
+ Unexpected environmental source of methane discovered
+ Japan forecasting breakthrough could improve weather warnings
China sends twin BeiDou-3 navigation satellites into space
Xichang, China (XNA) Jan 15, 2018
China on Friday sent twin satellites into space on a single carrier rocket to help its BeiDou system provide navigation and positioning services to countries along the Belt and Road by late 2018. The Long March-3B carrier rocket took off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan at 7:18 a.m. The twin satellites are coded as the 26th and 27th satelli ... more
+ 18 satellites in exactEarth's real-time constellation now in service
+ 'Quantum radio' may aid communications and mapping indoors, underground and underwater
+ Raytheon to provide GPS-guided artillery shells
+ DARPA Subterranean Challenge Aims to Revolutionize Underground Capabilities
+ New satellite tracking of in-flight aircraft to improve safety
+ US military imagines war without GPS
+ First GPS 3 satellite receives commands from new OCX ground control segment


Study shows European forest coverage has halved over 6,000 years
Plymouth UK (SPX) Jan 17, 2018
More than half of Europe's forests have disappeared over the past 6,000 years thanks to increasing demand for agricultural land and the use of wood as a source of fuel, new research led by the University of Plymouth suggests. Using pollen analysis from more than 1,000 sites, scientists showed that more than two thirds of central and northern Europe would once have been covered by trees. ... more
+ Senegal forest massacre: what we know
+ Senegal in crackdown on timber trafficking after massacre
+ North Atlantic Oscillation dictates timing of tree reproduction in Europe
+ African deforestation not as great as feared
+ Cascading use is also beneficial for wood
+ New maps show shrinking wilderness being ignored at our peril
+ Forests are the key to fresh water
Malaysia protest against EU push to ban palm oil in biofuels
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Jan 16, 2018
Hundreds of Malaysian palm oil farmers protested Tuesday against a push by the European Parliament to ban the use of the commodity in biofuels, saying it would devastate rural people's livelihoods. Waving banners that read "Stop the Palm Oil Ban" and "Palm oil provides food for my family", the smallholders gathered in downtown Kuala Lumpur and marched to the European Union's mission to deliv ... more
+ New catalyst for hydrogen production is a step toward clean fuel
+ New study shows producers where and how to grow cellulosic biofuel crops
+ Solid-state physics offers insights into dielectric properties of biomaterials
+ Rice U.'s one-step catalyst turns nitrates into water and air
+ Less chewing the cud, more greening the fuel
+ A new strategy for efficient hydrogen production
+ A catalytic balancing act


About half of new U.S. power came from renewables last year
Washington (UPI) Jan 10, 2018
About half of the new utility-scale power on the U.S. grid last year came from renewables and most of that was in the fourth quarter, the government said. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said its data combing so far shows 25 gigawatts of new electricity was added to the grid last year, with about half of that coming from renewable energy resources like wind and solar. ... more
+ Chinese solar boom sparks global renewables boon: study
+ Building a new generation of self-healing solar cells
+ New gas-solid reaction for high-speed perovskite photodetector proposed
+ Slow 'hot electrons' could improve solar cell efficiency
+ NEXTracker to supply smart trackers to massive North Africa solar farm
+ Renewables and cooling tech critical to water use in India's power sector
+ Perovskite solar cells: Perfection not required
German offshore wind farm closer to powering mainland
(UPI) Jan 17, 2018
Construction of a wind farm in the German waters of the Baltic Sea, set to supply power for 400,000 homes, is ahead of schedule, the head company said. German utility E.ON said Wednesday that construction of its Arkona wind farm is moving into its second phase a bit early, with the 60 foundations already set in place for their Siemens turbines. The 60-turbine wind farm is set abo ... more
+ The wave power farm off Mutriku could improve its efficiency
+ Turkey gets European loan for renewable energy
+ Oil-rich Alberta sees momentum for wind energy
+ Construction to start on $160 million Kennedy Energy Park in North Queensland
+ U.S. wind turbines getting taller and more efficient
+ New wind farm in service off the British coast
+ End tax credits for wind energy, Tennessee Republican says


New York unveils plans for fossil fuel divestment
New York (AFP) Jan 10, 2018
New York announced plans Wednesday to sell off $5 billion in fossil fuel investments from city pension funds after suing for billions of dollars in damages from oil companies to help fund protection against climate change. While other cities in Europe and the United States have already taken similar steps, New York hailed its move as significant as it is the biggest metropolis in the country ... more
+ French energy company EDF to replace coal in China
+ Poland opens Europe's largest coal-fired power unit
+ BHP to exit global coal body over climate change policy
+ Coal demand falling, IEA says
+ Adani drops contractor for contentious Australia mega mine
+ Scientists develop new mode of energy generation from bituminous coal
+ Battle lines drawn over coal at UN climate talks
China demolishes Christian megachurch
Beijing (AFP) Jan 13, 2018
Authorities in northern China have demolished a Christian megachurch in a move denounced by a religious rights group as "Taliban-style persecution". China's officially atheist Communist authorities are wary of any organised movements outside their control, including religious ones. The huge evangelical Jindengtai ("Golden Lampstand") Church, painted grey and surmounted by turrets and a l ... more
+ Qantas changes website to recognise Chinese territories
+ Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong jailed over protest
+ Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong jailed over protest
+ Former Chinese military chief of staff under investigation
+ China shuts Marriott website over Tibet mistake
+ 'Frost Boy' stirs poverty debate in China
+ China jails two for life for $2.4 bn pyramid scam


Stingray soft robot could lead to bio-inspired robotics
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2018
UCLA bioengineering professor Ali Khademhosseini has led the development of a tissue-based soft robot that mimics the biomechanics of a stingray. The new technology could lead to advances in bio-inspired robotics, regenerative medicine and medical diagnostics. The simple body design of stingrays, specifically, a flattened body shape and side fins that start at the head and end at the base ... more
+ Army scientists improve human-agent teaming by making AI agents more transparent
+ Digital assistants duel for dominance at major electronics show
+ Old dog, new tricks: Sony unleashes 'intelligent' robot pet
+ Artificial muscles power up with new gel-based robotics
+ New 'emotional' robots aim to read human feelings
+ Virtual aide market a "wildfire" at CES gadget show
+ Scientists teach robots how to respect personal space
US Interior Department welcomes National Park board resignations
Washington (AFP) Jan 17, 2018
The US Interior Department on Wednesday welcomed the resignations of members of a National Park advisory board who claimed they were being frozen out by the Trump administration. Nine of the 12 members of the National Park System Advisory Board abruptly quit on Monday, a move first reported by The Washington Post. Former Alaska governor Tony Knowles, the chairman of the board, said in a ... more
+ Thames paddle-boarders try to turn the tide on plastic
+ EU sets 2030 target for recyclable plastic packaging
+ Bulgaria's smoggy capital cleans up to host EU presidency
+ Campaigners slam UK plans on cutting plastic waste
+ Blue skies in China's capital spark joy, scepticism
+ UK plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042
+ Alpine air at work? Delhi eyes novel ways to battle smog


Charcoal remains could accelerate CO2 emissions after forest fires
Sapporo, Japan (SPX) Jan 02, 2018
Charcoal remains after a forest fire help decompose fine roots in the soil, potentially accelerating CO2 emissions in boreal forests. Boreal forests are a huge carbon sink. The fine roots, not only the leaves, stems and branches of trees, largely contribute to carbon accumulation. The Russian Far East has had an increasing number of forest fires, many of which are believed to be caused by ... more
+ Wet winters may not dampen small wildfires
+ Returning winds churn up heightened alert in fire-hit California
+ Thomas fire mostly contained in charred
+ After the fire, charcoal goes against the grain, with the flow
+ NASA's Aqua satellite captures smoke billowing off California coast
+ Firefighter killed in massive California blaze
+ Monster fire slows as California homeowners pick up pieces
New application for acoustics helps estimate marine life populations
San Diego CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2018
Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego were part of an international team that for the first time used hydroacoustics as a method for comparing the abundance of fishes within and outside marine protected areas (MPAs). They found that the abundance of fishes was four times greater in Mexico's protected Cabo Pulmo National Park than in ar ... more
+ Top European chefs take electric pulse fishing off the menu
+ China lavishes cash on ally Cambodia with eyes on the Mekong
+ Sisi vows to protect Egypt's water supply
+ Drought-stricken Cape Town faces dry taps by April 21
+ Australia offers cash for Great Barrier Reef rescue ideas
+ China lodges protest against Australian 'white elephant' remarks
+ Power stacked against SE Asia's poor as China dams Mekong


Death toll from California mudslides rises to 20
Los Angeles (AFP) Jan 14, 2018
Search and rescue teams combed the aftermath of a deadly mudslide in southern California on Sunday as authorities confirmed another death, raising the number of fatalities to 20, officials said. Four people remained missing after the mudslides, according to an update posted on Santa Barbara County's website, which warned that the figure could "fluctuate significantly." "The unstable envi ... more
+ Dozens still unaccounted for in California mudslides
+ Rescuers search for victims as California mudslide toll hits 17
+ California mudslides demolish homes, killing at least 13
+ Bats' brains boil in Australia heatwave
+ 'Hottest' Ashes Test day on record as Australia swelters
+ Two dead, thousands flee in storm-weary Philippines
+ Philippine storm toll rises to 43 as hopes fade for dozens missing
China economy beat expectations in 2017: AFP survey
Beijing (AFP) Jan 16, 2018
China's economy exceeded Beijing's annual growth target in 2017, analysts said in an AFP survey, overcoming the government's battles against massive debt and pollution-spewing factories. The world's second largest economy expanded 6.8 percent in 2017, much better than the official target of around 6.5 percent, according to the poll of 11 financial experts. The reading is also an improvem ... more
+ Canada hopes G7 summit serves as springboard for new ideas
+ Bangladesh blacklists Chinese firm over alleged bribe
+ Juncker says would like Britain to rejoin EU after Brexit
+ China's US surplus jumps as trade with world picks up
+ Trump tells Xi US trade deficit with China 'not sustainable': W.House
+ China factory gate inflation slows to 13-month low
+ Apple says will pay $38 bn in taxes on repatriated profits
Daily Newsletters - Space - Military - Environment - Energy

Magnetic coil springs accelerate particles on the Sun
Gottingen, Germany (SPX) Jan 12, 2018
Why does the Sun sometimes accelerate preferentially helium-3 and iron into space? Researchers have for the first time observed helical solar flares as a source. In April and July 2014, the Sun emitted three jets of energetic particles into space, that were quite exceptional: the particle streams contained such high amounts of iron and helium-3, a rare variety of helium, as have been obser ... more
+ Sounding rockets study space x-ray emissions and create polar mesospheric cloud
+ Eclipse megamovie projects seeks public's help analyzing 50,000 photos
+ Special star is a Rosetta Stone for understanding the sun's variability and climate effect
+ August eclipse left a wake in ionosphere, researchers reveal
+ Report Highlights Social and Economic Impacts of Space Weather
+ Eclipse 2017: Science from the Moon's Shadow
+ Space weather, EarthScope, and protecting the national electrical grid
Expert unlocks mechanics of how snakes move in a straight line
Cincinnati OH (SPX) Jan 15, 2018
Snakes are known for their iconic S-shaped movements. But they have a less noticeable skill that gives them a unique superpower. Snakes can crawl in a straight line. University of Cincinnati biologist Bruce Jayne studied the mechanics of snake movement to understand exactly how they can propel themselves forward like a train through a tunnel. "It's a very good way to move in confined space ... more
+ New technology will create brain wiring diagrams
+ France's first panda cub makes debut appearance
+ Wolf found in northern Belgium, first time in over 100 years
+ To prevent spreading infections, ants sacrifice their sick peers
+ What species is most fit for life? All have an equal chance, scientists say
+ The tiny treeshrew defies a pair of evolutionary rules
+ Mass extinctions remove species but not ecological variety


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