Bees and other pollinators provide indispensable ecosystem services and are essential for the cultivation of one third of crops worldwide. Yet, this free service may be threatened by the use of insecticides among which neonicotinoids. There is currently a strong debate about banning these pesticides.... click to read more

More than forty million Americans cherish their tail-wagging, face-licking, ball-fetching best friends. But not many people would welcome a wolf into their home. What makes dogs so uniquely friendly? Scientists have studied the unique relationship between humans and domestic dogs for decades, but the role... click to read more

Plants capture sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into food and oxygen. This seemingly simple process is called photosynthesis. Without it we wouldn't be able to eat and breathe. What framed the benignant greenery, how did plants come to paint the Earth emerald and... click to read more

While many people remember the wonderful flavor of a garden-grown heirloom tomato, this flavor is not found in modern commercial tomatoes. Modern tomato breeding has focused on disease resistance, yield, shelf-life and firmness for shipping. While these traits are essential for large scale year-round production... click to read more

Whether or not you like your sprouts, plants will likely form a major component of your diet: cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, chips, etc. all come from plants. Rice, maize and wheat alone make up 60% of the world's food intake. Not only are plants... click to read more