With the advent of Memorial Day, the treescape in the Northeast has turned mostly green again, the ornamentals’ early spring flowers long dried and scattered. But there’s an exception. The vivid pink Scarlet Fire® dogwood tree, produced through decades of research by Rutgers University-New Brunswick plant breeders, is just starting to bloom. Introduced to consumers […]
Research
Mapping Mercury Contamination in Penguins of the Southern Ocean
Rutgers research sheds light on the prevalence of mercury pollution in the world’s polar regions In 1962, when environmentalist and author Rachel Carson penned Silent Spring, alerting the world to the dangers of the pesticide DDT, it was the reproductive threat to birds – the bald eagle in particular – that spurred people to action. Six […]
Live From Antarctica: Rutgers Opens a Portal to One of Earth’s Most Remote Places
The innovative program connects students with researchers in the Antarctic, inspiring a love of science Wearing overalls, layered sweatshirts, and a knit cap to fend off the chilly weather, Rutgers biological oceanographer Mya Sharpe stood on a deck of Palmer Station on Anvers Island near the Antarctic Peninsula, broadcasting live to students, some more than 6,000 miles away. As […]
Not Mushroom for Debate – “The Last of Us” Spores Interest in Mycological Research
In the HBO hit series, The Last of Us, a global pandemic fueled by a mutated Cordyceps fungus turns people into zombies – a scenario seemingly realistic to anyone who watched nature documentaries under quarantine. While Cordyceps is a real fungus that affects insects, famously seen parasitizing ants in BBC’s Planet Earth hijacking their brains […]
Scientists Witness Plant Cells Generate Cellulose and Form Cell Walls for First Time
In a discovery with potential practical applications, a team of Rutgers biophysicists, bioengineers and plant biologists capture first live images In a groundbreaking study on the synthesis of cellulose – a major constituent of all plant cell walls – a team of Rutgers University-New Brunswick researchers has captured images of the microscopic process of cell-wall […]
Rising to a Global Challenge, Scientists Win Acclaim for Developing Ways to Measure Rainforest Biodiversity
Rutgers researchers shine in competition designed to produce rapid and autonomous technologies to identify vanishing species The challenge posed by organizers of the XPRIZE Rainforest competition to the international scientific community was formidable. Devise a way to document the biodiversity within a remote Amazonian rainforest without stepping foot within, they said. Design a tent-size, portable […]
Micronesia’s Pohnpei State Endorses Landmark Food Security Policy Developed in Collaboration with SEBS Science Team
The expansive Pacific Island nation of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is taking bold steps to develop sustainable local food production with support from an interdisciplinary food system science team from the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Pohnpei State is home to FSM’s most biodiverse ecosystems that includes many endemic species and […]
The Most Cost-Effective Approaches to Protect Against Rising Seas Are Flexible, Adaptable
In an artificial intelligence study, Rutgers and Princeton scientists conclude that solutions with built-in flexibility are superior to one-shot tactics Public officials designing seawalls, levees and other safeguards against rising seas can save money if their solutions are flexible, adapting to sea-level increases over time, according to an analysis by scientists at Rutgers and Princeton […]
Study of Female Genital Tract Reveals Key Findings
Insights from an international team including a Rutgers researcher include identification of beneficial bacteria that thwart disease Seeking to understand what constitutes a healthy vaginal microbiome, a global research collaboration that includes a Rutgers-New Brunswick scientist has reported a series of findings, including identifying which bacteria thwart vaginal disease and determining that microbiomes vary significantly […]
Scientists Harness AI to Help Protect Whales, Advancing Ocean Conservation and Planning
Using machine learning, Rutgers researchers develop a “probability map” from databases that combines whale monitoring and environmental data Researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that will help predict endangered whale habitat, guiding ships along the Atlantic coast to avoid them. The tool is designed to prevent deadly accidents and […]
