Healthy land
Land has a wide variety of uses: agricultural, residential, industrial, and recreational. Microbes play a key role in the terrestrial ecosystem, providing symbiotic relationships with plants. Human use of land has led to the exhaustion of nutrients in soils, contamination of land, and a reduction in biodiversity. Applying our knowledge of microbes will be essential in restoring the biodiversity of affected ecosystems. Greater research into how microbes impact human life on land could all have a positive impact, by increasing crop production, repurposing areas of land and improving microbial biodiversity in soil, land, and water.
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Horizon Awards 2025: Professor Joana Falcao Salles named as winner of Basil Jarvis Award
Professor Joana Falcao Salles, a professor of Microbial Community Ecology at the University of Groningen, has been named as the newest winner of the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award.
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NewsScientists reveal how cyanobacteria use ’sunscreen’ to adapt to climate
Using single particle spectroscopy, researchers revealed insights into how different types of photosynthetic bacteria can use a shared mechanism to protect themselves from too much sunlight.
NewsHow life first got moving: nature’s motor from billions of years ago
Research has cast light on the evolutionary origins of one of nature’s first motors, which developed 3.5 billion to 4 billion years ago to propel bacteria. Scientists have created the most comprehensive picture yet of the evolution of bacterial stators.
NewsScientists uncover global patterns and drivers of orchid mycorrhizal interactions
A global meta-analysis of orchid-fungal associations leads to a general conclusion: an orchid’s fungal community is driven more strongly by its ecophysiology and biogeography than by its phylogeny.
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Could tiny airborne plastics help viruses spread? Scientists warn of a hidden infection risk
While plastics are already recognized as a global environmental threat, a new commentary highlights that their microscopic airborne forms could also play a hidden role in human infection.
NewsHow are metabolism and cell growth connected? — A mystery over 180 years old
A research team has identified a novel principle in biology that mathematically explains why the growth of organisms slows as nutrients become more abundant—a phenomenon known as “the law of diminishing returns.”
NewsResearchers reveal novel mechanisms for decoding bacterial frequency modulation in signal processing
A study reveals the fundamental physical principles underlying bacterial FM signal processing, and demonstrated that FM decoding mechanisms enable bacteria to increase information entropy by approximately 2 bits compared to traditional AM in three-gene regulatory systems.
NewsHeatproof microbes reveal molecular secrets of nature’s hottest recycling system
This study reveals how thermophilic bacterial communities withstand temperatures of up to 87°C by remodeling their molecular machinery. Scientists uncovered a heat-defense network centered on heat shock proteins that refold damaged enzymes and preserve protein structure.
NewsFirst detection of zoonotic Rickettsia species in dog ticks from Malawi reveals potential public health risk
An international research team has reported the first molecular detection of Rickettsia bacteria in ticks collected from domestic dogs in Malawi, addressing a significant knowledge gap in understanding tick-borne disease risks in southeastern Africa.
NewsMicrobiome around Xanthomonas infection in tomato plants signposts scientists to the bacterium of its downfall
Scientists have uncovered a bacterium in the microbiome of tomato leaves that can be used to fight back against infection by Xanthomonas, a disease that poses a major challenge to tomato growers worldwide.
NewsTwo amino acids help plants decide whether to welcome or repel nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Researchers are one step closer to understanding how some plants survive without nitrogen - a breakthrough that could eventually reduce the need for artificial fertilizer in crops such as wheat, maize, or rice.
NewsCARBIOS and Wankai New Materials to build PET biorecycling plant in China
CARBIOS and Wankai New Materials, a subsidiary of Zhink Group, are committed to the large-scale deployment of CARBIOS’ PET biorecycling technology in Asia, with the first step being the construction of a PET biorecycling plant in China.
NewsFoxtail barley serves as a host for fungal pathogens attacking barley
Researchers report that foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), a wild relative of the cultivated crop, can harbor several fungal pathogens and may play a role in the disease epidemiology of barley, potentially serving as reservoirs of inoculum to initiate some diseases.
NewsNew approach expands possibilities for studying viruses in the environment
A new method vastly improves on the existing approach for single-cell genetic sequencing, enabling scientists to read the genomes of individual cells and viral particles in the environment more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
NewsTiles, leaves and cotton strips offer practical, affordable method for measuring river health
With the aim of standardising methods for assessing river health and providing a simple, accessible guide for environmental management bodies, researchers analysed the performance of different materials that enable the decomposition processes and organic matter production to be measured.
NewsNovel technique reveals insights into soil microbe alarm clock
A new study yields clues about when dormant microscopic bacteria and fungi in soil ‘wake up’ and colonize roots, which influences plant growth and health.
NewsReview probes mechanical and durability properties of microorganism based self-healing concrete
Microorganism-based self-healing concrete, which uses bacteria to induce calcite precipitation for crack sealing, has emerged as a promising solution, but existing studies lack systematic reviews of its mechanical properties and durability performance.
NewsNew study reveals not all bats carry equal viral risk
A groundbreaking study sheds new light on the relationship between bats and dangerous viruses, showing that contrary to widespread assumptions, not all bats carry viruses with high epidemic potential, only specific groups of species.
NewsStudy unveils effects of microplastics on the Nu River sediment microbial community and greenhouse gas emissions:
Microplastics (MPs) in river ecosystems significantly affect sediment microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling. This study compared the effects of conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) on sediment microbial communities and GHG emissions.
NewsLichens and drones reveal dinosaur bones
Scientists have found that certain lichen species preferentially colonise exposed dinosaur bones, creating distinctive spectral signatures that can be detected from 30 metres above ground using drones.
NewsAntimicrobial peptides can reduce salmonella in chickens
A new study has found that antimicrobial peptides can combat Salmonella infections in chickens, a major cause of foodborne disease in the U.S. This discovery could help improve food safety and protect public health without relying on antibiotic use.
NewsGlobal study reveals how bacteria shape the health of lakes and reservoirs
A sweeping new study has uncovered global patterns in how bacteria thrive and interact within lakes and reservoirs, offering new insights into the invisible forces that sustain freshwater ecosystems.
NewsHorizon Awards 2025: Professor Thomas Crowther named as winner of Rachel Carson Award 2025
British ecologist Professor Thomas Crowther has been named as the newest winner of the Rachel Carson Environmental Conservation Excellence Award.