Plants
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Ecosystems
Exxon Valdez: Tidal waters still troubled
From birds and clams to herring, many species continue to show persistent impacts of an oil spill that occurred two decades ago.
By Janet Raloff -
Plants
Plants reveal pollen-luring secrets
Scientists finally pin down the proteins one plant uses to lure pollen tubes to its plant ovaries.
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Tech
Whiz Kids: The Movie
New independent film showcases the arduous path by which extraodinary high school researchers reach the Science Talent Search competition in Washington, D.C.
By Janet Raloff -
Plants
Animals’ jaundice pigment found in plants
Bilirubin, a compound well known in animals, gives seed fuzz its intense orange.
By Susan Milius -
Agriculture
AAAS: Stress Can Make Plants More Nutritious
People who aren't veggie lovers might want to seek out types of produce that deliver an especially big nutrient bang for the gram.
By Janet Raloff -
Ecosystems
Flowering plants welcome other life
When angiosperms diversified 100 million years ago, they opened new niches for ants, plants and frogs.
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Agriculture
Candy cane strategy sweetens life for goldenrods
Goldenrods temporarily duck their heads during pest season
By Susan Milius -
Life
Buzzing bees protect plant leaves
Honeybee air traffic can interrupt caterpillars' relentless munching.
By Susan Milius -
Plants
Don’t Touch That: The Book of Gross, Poisonous, and Downright Icky Plants and Critters by Jeff Day
Chicago Review Press, 2008, 108 p., $9.95.
By Science News -
Earth
An electronic nose that smells plants’ pain
Device can detect distress signals from plants that are harmed, under attack.
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Climate
Heat waves stunt grassland growth
An abnormally hot year can significantly suppress growth in grasslands, a stifling effect that lingers well into the next year even if temperatures return to normal. It can also hinder how well the grasslands absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
By Sid Perkins -
Plants
Bittersweet fruits
A new study provides strong evidence that fruits harm predators with the same chemicals that, for example, give chili peppers their spice.