California Scientists Discover Metabolite That Boosts Plant Growth Immensely
Scientists recently discovered a molecule known for protecting animal immune systems exists in plants as well, itaconate. The molecule even stimulates plant growth, proven by an experiment at Dickinson Lab, UC San Diego that involved watering corn seedlings with the substance alongside a control group. The results were noticeably taller seedling growth in the itaconate watered plants. Researchers at the School of Biological Sciences of the University of California San Diego partnered with colleagues at Stanford University, Peking University, Carnegie Institute of Science and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México to use chemical imaging to reveal itaconate's significant role in stimulating plant growth and the potential for further use and exploration of the molecule. Jazz Dickinson, an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and the study's author, said, "this discovery could lead to nature-inspired solutions to improve the growth of crops, like corn. We also hope that developing a better understanding of the connections between plant and animal biology will reveal new insights that can help both plant and human health."
Australian Science Company Experiments With Growing Mushrooms In Space For Austronauts
Image Source: Keira Joyce
FOODiQ Glogal, an Australian food science company, has launched an experiment where astronauts monitor how oyster mushrooms grow in microgravity. The company hopes to prove mushrooms are a viable, sustainable food source for long space missions. They are calling it 'Mission MushVroom', and CEO Dr Flávia Fayet-Moore is leading the mission, which is taking place via a SpaceX rocket. “Oyster mushrooms rapidly grow in small spaces, doubling in size daily, and are packed with a rich nutrient profile. Uniquely, they produce 100% of astronauts’ daily dose of vitamin D when exposed to UV light, potentially replacing one of the key supplements currently given to them on the International Space Station,” she said. “Successfully growing edible mushrooms in space represents a significant milestone for space exploration and sustainable nutrition,” says Ralph Fritsche, NASA's former space crop production/exploration food systems project manager.
Scientists Make Foie Gras Without Force-Feeding Ducks Or Geese
Image Source: Thomas A. Vilgis / New Scientist
Foie gras is one of the world's most controversial delicacies. Traditionally, foie gras is made by force-feeding ducks until the liver swells with excess fats, then using the enlarged liver in pâtés and other foods. Consumers have long argued against the practice, but there could be a new way to produce this unique treat. Scientist Thomas Vilgis of Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has uncovered a much more sustainable way to produce foie gras. His team of researchers developed a process that extracts fats from the pancreas to blend them with a normal healthy liver, creating an imitated foie gras that sidesteps the practice of force-feeding.
New Tech Products Change The Way We Grocery Shop
Image Source: Janet Jones Kendalla
At the Food Industry Association's Midwinter Executive Conference held in Florida this year, food tech companies showcased their innovations. Brain Corp improved upon robotics machinery that scans inventory with updated mechanics allowing machines to pick up items from shelves, freeing hands on the floor so employees can focus on customer-facing tasks. Badge, the winner of the FMItech Pitch Competition last year, showcased its mobile wallet platform that allows grocery store staff to connect with shoppers and collect data on purchasing habits without users downloading any apps or creating any accounts. Honorable mentions include VusionGroup's digital tagging system with electronic shelf labels and Augmodo, which offers a SmartBadge that automates item scanning for employees.
More Science News
Scientists Explain The Toxic Compounds In Tomatoes
Engineers Create Electronic Tongue That Lets You Taste In VR
The Textbooks Were Wrong About How Your Tongue Works
Image Source: Alamy
We taste sweetness mostly at the front of our tongues and bitterness at the back, right? Wrong. The widely disseminated "tongue map" shown above is from a 1901 study conducted by German scientist David Hanig. Decades of research have since debunked this myth, according to an in-depth review published this month in The New England Journal of Medicine. Also wrong: the notion that taste is limited to the mouth. Taste receptors are found all over the body, in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, lungs, thyroid, fat cells, muscle cells, and the brain. I'm waiting for a study to reveal that we have taste receptors on our eyeballs. That would lend some scientific weight to the old adage "We eat with our eyes first."
