The rain delays, sorghum withers; when a storm finally breaks, complaints rise again. To break this cycle of uncertainty, scientists from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, INERA, and the University of Ghana conducted the first large-scale survey on agricultural climate services in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, and Senegal. Published in Frontiers in Climate, the study analyzes the expectations of 1,212 farmers and charts a credible path to turn weather reports into a profitable investment. 

According to the researchers, many studies indicate that, once in the bloodstream, microplastics can reach the bone marrow, potentially disturbing bone metabolism. 

Morin-based powder, extracted from guava leaves, apple peel, and figs, can be slowly released with the help of polymers and serve as an alternative to antibiotics. A platform developed at FOAr-UNESP processes morin to obtain it in the form of a fine powder, similar to powdered milk. The final product is intended for use by people with reduced motor skills, such as older adults and patients with special needs, who are unable to brush their teeth properly.

Study shows that most of the country’s underground reservoirs will lose their capacity for renewal, increasing the risk of water shortages in several regions, especially the Southeast and South. One strategy to address the problem is “managed recharge,” which includes techniques that promote the infiltration of rainwater or even treated sewage.

Analysis of the interaction between ants, plants that secrete sweet substances to attract them, “interested” in defending themselves from leaf-eating animals, and bees indicates that the ants may scare away pollinators. Butterflies, on the other hand, are not bothered.

A study in an animal model analyzed the muscle metabolism of guinea pigs on a high-calorie diet. Ultimately, consumption of the plant extract increased the expression of genes associated with glucose uptake and the activity of an essential metabolic enzyme.

Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama discovered that the matador bug’s hind leg-waving display is more than just a show — it helps protect it from predators.