Studying plant vegetative reproduction is key to increasing crop yield and for bioengineering. Kobe University research is making progress on studying the genetic regulation of the process in liverworts, which are ideal model plants and even a candidate for space crops.

Since the beginning of Earth's history, tiny particles of rock and metal from space have been hitting our planet. On clear nights, we can even see their traces as shooting stars. Trapped in layers of rock, these micrometeorites can remain preserved for billions of years. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen and including the Open University, the University of Pisa, and Leibniz University Hannover has developed a method that allows them to reconstruct the atmosphere of the past using fossilized micrometeorites. The results were published in Communications Earth & Environment.

A new paper led by a York University professor and published today in Nature Astronomy introduces a simple theoretical framework to describe the evolution of the coupled interior–atmosphere system of hot rocky exoplanets known as “lava planets.” The study combines expertise in geophysical fluid mechanics, exoplanetary atmospheres, and mineralogy to explore how the compositions of lava planets evolve through a process akin to distillation. What began as an exploratory study has since opened a promising new line of research. The predictions outlined in this work helped secure 100 hours of observation time on the James Webb Space Telescope. 

The new dataset introduces a seamless, annual Leaf-On Landsat composite data cube for China, spanning from 1985 to 2023.

Scientists have been able to recreate the extreme conditions found on icy moons in deep space - and revealed the unstable behaviour of water.