Farmers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are bracing for a tough season ahead. After a sudden heatwave in mid-April followed by unexpected freezes just days later, many fruit crops are struggling to recover. Peaches, apples, and even some berries were hit hard, with some farms losing most of their pro
This grass isn’t just sitting around waiting to die—it’s actively planning its next move. Egyptian crowfoot grass, a tough C4 weed, doesn’t play fair with crops like rice or sugarcane. Scientists tested how this plant handles tough conditions like temperature swings, salty soil, and dry spells. Unde
Nebraska has been warmer and drier than usual since the start of the year. This dry spell has helped some areas grow, but it also means farmers and ranchers in the western part of the state are worried. Those places saw large grass fires last summer, and new fires have popped up again in the past we
Florida is rolling out a new history course this fall, one that skips the traditional AP U. S. history route. Instead of using the College Board’s well-known program, the state created its own version called FACT U. S. History. The goal? To give students another way to earn college credit while avoi
Back in 2003, a simple checklist was made to help doctors spot neck pain that shoots down the arm. The checklist looks for four clues: pain that moves when you lift your arm, a specific spot of numbness in one finger, a weak muscle in your arm, and a certain test that makes the pain travel when your
Barley doesn’t always wait to be harvested. Sometimes, rain before cutting triggers premature sprouting in the field, turning starch into sugar and ruining quality. Scientists have now found small genetic differences that help some barley plants resist this problem, called preharvest sprouting. Inst
When someone in the ICU has a breathing tube, their voice box often gets damaged. This can cause big problems like food or liquid going down the wrong way or weak coughs. Normally, doctors check these issues with stethoscopes or guesswork, which isn’t always reliable. But new tools like tiny scopes
Australia’s leaders have voiced worry over a sudden rise in mice numbers across the western wheat belt. The rodents are eating grain and damaging farms, which could hurt the country’s ability to export food. Energy Minister Chris Bowen told a televised interview from Sydney that the government
The U. S. House of Representatives recently approved a new five-year farm bill, but not without first removing a controversial clause that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers from certain lawsuits. The vote moves the bill closer to becoming law, though it still needs Senate approval before h
Colorado’s fruit growers are dealing with a harsh truth this year. A late spring freeze wiped out peach and other stone fruit crops on the Western Slope, even though winter had been unusually warm and dry. One farm, Ela Family Farms, confirmed that none of their peaches survived the sudden drop in t
