Plants face changing weather every day, so they must turn short‑term stress into lasting growth plans. A new idea calls this process an “epigenetic set‑point, ” where the structure of DNA and its associated proteins works like a smart switch. The switch gathers two kinds of signals: the plant’s ener
Plants close their tiny pores, called stomata, to keep water from escaping during dry spells. Even then, a small amount of moisture still drips out – this is called minimum conductance or gmin. Scientists measured gmin in 101 different plant species, ranging from ferns to flowering trees, and found
Plans are in motion for the United States to team up with Iran to gather enriched uranium from the country and transport it back home. The plan was shared by a top US official who spoke to the press recently. The official described the process as a slow-moving operation involving large machinery to
Plants rely on surface sensors to spot invading bacteria. One key sensor is called FLS2. The cell keeps the right amount of this protein on its surface by using an internal transport system. A plant protein named PRA1. F3 helps FLS2 reach the surface. When PRA1. F3 works well, many FLS2 molecules a
Planning a final tribute for someone special often starts with paperwork and payments, not just emotions. Many families face a maze of rules and fees when arranging an obituary—some required, some optional. A basic notice costs at least $162 for a short write-up, while adding a photo can push the pr
Plants contain tiny molecules called saponins that do more than just add a bitter taste to foods like soybeans or ginseng. These compounds have caught scientists' attention because they can tweak a crucial cell signaling system called PI3K/Akt. This system acts like a control panel for how cells han
Planning ahead for extreme weather isn’t just smart—it can save lives. Recent climate research shows that the chance of hitting a disaster has doubled since 1960, and U. S. disasters already cost more than \$100 billion in the first half of 2025. As heat waves, floods and wildfires grow more common,
Plano Library is set to host an interactive STEM workshop, brought to you by Aurora’s SciTech Museum. This event is all about exploring the science behind flight. Kids will get to design and test their own paper helicopters in a wind tunnel. It's a fun way to see how things fly and how they can be i
Plants have a clever chemical called salicylic acid that acts like an alarm system when attackers arrive. In the common lab plant Arabidopsis, scientists first mapped out how this alarm works: a special route called the isochorismate pathway makes salicylic acid, proteins named NPR bind to it, an
Plants use a tagging system called ubiquitination to control the life span of many proteins. In the case of phenylpropanoid production, which supplies important compounds like lignin and flavonoids, several enzymes are marked for destruction by this system. F‑box proteins act as the taggers. They
