Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S.<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/"> Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Acaena exigua is an extinct species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common name liliwai. It was endemic to Hawaii, where it was known from Kauaʻi and west Maui. It had not been seen or collected since 1957 and was feared extinct until 1997, when one plant was discovered in a remote montane bog on <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=maui&amp;cvid=11f593b142284a109c4b71b63cd85874&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Maui</a>. The plant died in 2000, and the species is now considered extinct.Acaena exigua A. Gray var. subtusstrigulosa Bitter: Classification. Click on a scientific name below to expand it in the PLANTS Classification Report. Rank Scientific Name and Common Name; Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta

Acaena exigua

Acaena exigua NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation...

Abies guatemalensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.A. guatemalensis is a conical tree growing 20 to 35 meters tall and 60 to 90 cm in girth. The branches grow largely horizontally. The <a title="Bark (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bark_(botany)">bark</a> is a blackish-brown and is divided into plates. The branchlets are reddish-brown to deep blackish-red and pubescent. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Buds" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buds">buds</a> are globular-ovoid, resinous, and roughly 5 mm in length. The <a class="mw-redirect" title="Leaves" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaves">leaves</a> are somewhat comb-like or nearly pectinate in arrangement. They are unequal and deep green above and waxy in texture underneath. They measure 1.5 to 5.5 cm long by 1.2 to 2 mm wide. <a title="Stoma" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma">Stomata</a> are usually absent above, but appear in 8 to 10 lines below. They contain two marginal resin canals and the apex of the leaf is notched and emarginate. The female <a title="Conifer cone" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer_cone">cones</a> are oblong-cylindric and the apex is pointed to somewhat flattened. They are yellowish-brown in colour with a violet bloom and measure 8 to 11.5 cm long by 4 to 4.5 cm wide. The scales are oblong, or broader than long. The <a title="Bract" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bract">bracts</a> are hidden, about one half the height of the scale and are cuneate-obovoid in shape. The <a title="Seed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed">seeds</a> are a light brown nut to 9 mm in length with a wing to 1.5 cm long"

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Abies guatemalensis

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Abronia macrocarpa NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Abronia macrocarpa is a perennial herb with a hairy, glandular stem growing up to half a meter tall. The glandular oval leaf blades are up to 5 centimeters long by 3.5 wide and are borne on relatively long <a title="Petiole (botany)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petiole_(botany)">petioles</a>. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> is a cluster of up to 75 magenta or light purple flowers each up to 3 centimeters long. The tubular, strongly fragrant flowers open at dusk and are <a title="Pollination" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination">pollinated</a> by <a title="Moth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moth">moths</a>. The winged fruit is up to 1.5 centimeters long. It is <a title="Biological dispersal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_dispersal">dispersed</a> by wind.

Its natural habitat is sandy soils with little other vegetation, often in openings of post-oak woodlands

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Abronia macrocarpa

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Abutilon eremitopetalum NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Abutilon eremitopetalum ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Abutilon eremitopetalum, commonly known as the hidden-petaled abutilon or hiddenpetal Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering</a> shrub in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae. It is endemic to dry forests and low shrublands on the <a title="Windward and leeward" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windward_and_leeward">windward</a> side of the island of Lānaʻi in <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. It is classified by the IUCN Red List as critically endangered by habitat destruction.The species was first discovered in 1987. Fish are gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits. They form a sister group to the tunicates, together forming the olfactores. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Abutilon eremitopetalum

Abutilon eremitopetalum NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Abutilon menziesii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Abutilon menziesii is <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=endangered+species&amp;cvid=78d216ecaa634aeb936f4769c391ccc9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">endangered</a>.Abutilon menziesii, known as Koʻoloaʻula in Hawaiian, is an endangered species of flowering shrub in the mallow family, Malvaceae,  Malvaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is a sprawling shrub that can reach up to 10 feet in height. The leaves, which range from an inch in width to about five inches, vary in their shapes. They have a velvety feel to them. The small hibiscus-shaped flowers generally hang downward. Though charming up close, the flowers can be hidden by the much larger leaves and not often visible at a distance. Although the Hawaiian name ʻula refers to the more commonly seen red color, koʻoloa ʻula

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Abutilon menziesii

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Abutilon sandwicense NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Abutilon sandwicense, commonly known as the greenflower Indian mallow, is a species of <a title="Flowering plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant">flowering plant</a> in the <a title="Malva" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva">mallow</a> family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to the island of Oʻahu, <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, in the <a title="United States" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States">United States</a>. It inhabits dry forests on the slopes of the Waiʻanae Range at elevations of 400–600 m (1,300–2,000 ft). Associated plants include lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), ēlama (<a title="Diospyros hillebrandii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_hillebrandii">D. hillebrandii</a>), māmaki (Pipturus albidus), kalia (Elaeocarpus <a class="new" title="Elaeocarpus bifidus (page does not exist)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elaeocarpus_bifidus&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1">bifidus</a>), āulu (Sapindus oahuensis), olopua (<a title="Nestegis sandwicensis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestegis_sandwicensis">Nestegis sandwicensis</a>), and alaheʻe (Psydrax odorata). Greenflower Indian mallow is a shrub, reaching a height of 1.5–3 m (4.9–9.8 ft). It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

Abutilon sandwicense

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Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia, known by the common name San Diego thornmint, is a rare species of flowering plant in the <a title="Lamiaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamiaceae">mint family</a>. It is native to <a title="Baja California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California">Baja California</a> and <a title="San Diego County, California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County,_California">San Diego County, California</a>, where it is a resident of the <a title="Chaparral" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaparral">chaparral</a> and <a title="Coastal sage scrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_sage_scrub">coastal sage scrub</a> plant communities and <a title="Vernal pool" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_pool">vernal pools</a>.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia has been <a title="Local extinction" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction">extirpated</a> from many of the sites where it was previously noted in San Diego County. It is a federally listed threatened species in the United States. This species is also listed as endangered under the <a title="California Endangered Species Act" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Endangered_Species_Act">California Endangered Species Act</a> which means that killing or possessing the plants is prohibited within <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a> unless authorized by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia

Acanthomintha ilicifolia. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=e31edaa0953840a0af562f33e9814b78&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.  Acanthomintha duttonii is a species of annual plant endemic to San Mateo County, California in the family Lamiaceae. It is commonly called San Mateo thornmint and is found growing on serpentine soils near the Crystal Springs Reservoir in a six-mile long strip on the east side of Montara Mountain at elevations of approximately 150 to 300 meters. an annual herb that is native to California and and is endemic (limited) to California. also called Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1 ( rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere ).

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Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii

Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/"> Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.Achyranthes mutica A. Gray – blunt chaff flower Subordinate Taxa. This plant has no children Legal Status. Threatened and Endangered Information: This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+america&amp;cvid=43301dd515c748d8ad14055801b02e2c&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North America</a> and the world.Achyranthes mutica (also called blunt chaff flower) is a species of <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> in the family <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a> and subtropical or tropical dry <a title="Shrubland" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubland">shrubland</a>. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Achyranthes mutica

Achyranthes mutica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-investigate-the-mysterious-origin-of-flowering-plants/">plants</a> and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata Genus is derived from the Greek achyron, chaff, and anthos, flower, referring to the chaffy parts of the flower. The Latin ephithet splendens means shining

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.Achyranthes splendens (ʻEwa hinahina; also called Maui chaff flower, round chaff flower, round-leaf chaff flower, or round-leaved chaff flower) is a species of flowering plant in the <a title="Amaranth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth">pigweed</a> family, <a title="Amaranthaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthaceae">Amaranthaceae</a>, that is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaiʻi</a>. Its natural <a title="Habitat" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat">habitats</a> are <a title="Hawaiian tropical dry forests" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_dry_forests">dry forests</a>, <a title="Hawaiian tropical low shrublands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_tropical_low_shrublands">low shrublands</a>, and <a title="Sand" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand">sandy</a> shores. It is threatened by <a class="mw-redirect" title="Habitat loss" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_loss">habitat loss</a>. Native Hawaiians have, for centuries, considered its extract to be an effective natural cure for constipation.

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata

Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe...

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Syrmatium veatchii, <a title="Synonym (taxonomy)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synonym_(taxonomy)">synonyms</a> Lotus dendroideus and Acmispon dendroideus, is a species of <a title="Faboideae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faboideae">legume</a> native to <a title="California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California">California</a>. It is known by the common name island broom. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Channel Islands of California" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_of_California">Channel Islands of California</a>, where it grows on coastal bluffs and cliffs. It is a spreading perennial herb or erect <a title="Shrub" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub">shrub</a> approaching 2 meters in height. It is hairless to hairy and gray-green in color. The branches lined with leaves each made up of a few oval leaflike leaflets up to 1.5 centimeters long each. The <a title="Inflorescence" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence">inflorescence</a> bears up to 10 yellow pealike flowers, each roughly a centimeter long and fading red as they age

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Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae)

Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae (=Lotus d. ssp. traskiae) NatureServe Explorer...

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Aconitum noveboracense, also known as northern blue monkshood or northern wild monkshood, is a flowering <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> belonging to the buttercup family (<a title="Ranunculaceae" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculaceae">Ranunculaceae</a>). Members of its genus (<a title="Aconitum" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum">Aconitum</a>) are also known as wolfsbane.

The <a title="United States Fish and Wildlife Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service">United States Fish and Wildlife Service</a> government lists it as a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Threatened" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threatened">threatened</a> species.<a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum_noveboracense#endnote_ecos.fws.gov.129">[1]</a> It grows in rare portions of <a class="mw-redirect" title="New York State" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State">New York State</a> and in portions of the <a title="Driftless Area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftless_Area">Driftless Area</a>.

Northern monkshood is noted for its very distinctive, blue hood-shaped flowers. The flowers are about 1 inch in length, and a single stem may have many flowers. Stems range from about 1 to 4 feet in length. The leaves are broad with coarse, toothed lobes.
<ul>
 	<li>Only found in Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York.</li>
 	<li>Typically found on shaded to partially shaded cliffs, <a class="mw-redirect" title="Algific talus slopes" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algific_talus_slopes">algific talus slopes</a>, or on cool, streamside sites. These areas have cool soil conditions, cold air drainage, or cold groundwater flowage. On algific talus slopes, these conditions are caused by the outflow of cool air and water from ice contained in underground fissures. These fissures are connected to sinkholes and are a conduit for the air flows.</li>
</ul>
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Aconitum noveboracense

Aconitum noveboracense. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Adenophorus periens NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fish&amp;cvid=051056fee95547398bc5795d84ee6725&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Adenophorus periens is a rare species of <a title="Fern" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern">fern</a> known by the common name pendant kihi fern. It is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii">Hawaii</a>, where it is known from one population in <a title="Puna, Hawaii" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puna,_Hawaii">Puna</a> on the island of <a title="Hawaii (island)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(island)">Hawaii</a> and a few occurrences on <a title="Kauai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai">Kauai</a> and <a title="Molokai" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molokai">Molokai</a>. The fern occurs in wet mountain forests on volcanic slopes. It grows on trees. There are perhaps 2000 individual plants remaining. This is a federally listed <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of the United States.

This fern is easily distinguished from others in its genus, with its long, hanging fronds that may exceed 40 centimeters in length, twice as long as other Adenophorus. The leaflets on the fronds are twisted at an angle to the <a title="Rachis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachis">rachis</a> and the leaf edges are lined with unique hairs. <a title="Genetic analysis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_analysis">Genetic analysis</a> reveals that the fern has a high <a title="Genetic diversity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_diversity">genetic diversity</a> for such a rare species.

Threats to the species include <a title="Lava" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava">lava</a> and <a title="Volcanic gas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas">gas</a> from the volcanoes on which it grows, as well as the death of its host trees, <a title="Introduced species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_species">introduced species</a> including <a title="Weed" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed">weeds</a> and <a title="Feral pig" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pig">feral pigs</a>, and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Geothermal electricity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_electricity">geothermal development</a>.

Adenophorus periens

Adenophorus periens NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/plants-cannot-keep-up-with-rising-co2-levels/">plants</a>, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Adiantum vivesii is <a title="Endemism" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemism">endemic</a> to <a title="Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico">Puerto Rico</a>, where it is known from a single population made up of perhaps 1000 individuals near <a title="Quebradillas, Puerto Rico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebradillas,_Puerto_Rico">Quebradillas</a>, in the <a class="mw-redirect" title="San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_%E2%80%93_Caguas_%E2%80%93_Guaynabo_metropolitan_area">San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo metropolitan area</a> on the northern side of the island.The fern was discovered in 1985 and described to science as a new species in 1989. Soon after, it was listed as an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a>. It is a putative hybrid between Adiantum obliquum and A. tetraphyllum. In 2003 a specimen that most likely represents this species was collected on Petit Morne in Martinique by botanist <a class="mw-redirect" title="Maarten Christenhusz" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarten_Christenhusz">Maarten Christenhusz</a> collection number 2678 (BM, SP, TUR, U, UC), which means that the hybrid has occurred twice independently.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Adiantum vivesii

Adiantum vivesii. NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Aeschynomene virginica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Aeschynomene virginica is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Virginia jointvetch and sensitive jointvetch. It is native to a small section of the East Coast of the United States, where it has a fluctuating annual global population scattered in about 20 mostly small occurrences. Counts and estimates revealed two populations in New Jersey including several thousand individuals, one population of a few hundred plants in Maryland, several variable and unstable populations in ditches in North Carolina, and several populations including about 5000 individuals in Virginia. Habitat

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Aeschynomene virginica

Aeschynomene virginica NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Agalinis acuta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Agalinis acuta is an annual hemiparasitic plant native to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flash-flooding-devastates-maryland/">Maryland</a>, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York. Common names include sandplain gerardia and sandplain false foxglove. It is one of about 70 species that comprise genus Agalinis. It currently resides within the family Orobanchaceae, but historically was aligned with members of the Scrophulariaceae. This was one of several re-alignments that were the consequence of the disintegration of the Scrophulariaceae as the result of conclusions based on molecular phylogeny data from the chloroplast genome. While historically regarded as a separate species, molecular phylogenetic data indicates that Agalinis acuta should be consolidated as part of the species Agalinis decemloba.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Agalinis acuta

Agalinis acuta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=canada&amp;cvid=b3d93bdc390d43a7878fe6e35c4015bf&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Canada</a>. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network. Agave eggersiana

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.Agave eggersiana, Eggers' century plant, is an <a title="Endangered species" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> of spiky <a title="Plant" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant">plant</a> which grows in the <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a>, in dry, exposed areas. Agave eggersiana is a perennial herb known in the wild only from the island of <a class="mw-redirect" title="St. Croix" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix">St. Croix</a> of the U.S. <a title="Virgin Islands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands">Virgin Islands</a> (USFWS 1998a).A small number of plants remain on private land and are threatened by tourist development (USFWS 1998b). Other threats include feral pigs and goats on <a title="National Park Service" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service">National Park Service</a> land (USFWS 1998b). Research needs include distribution and abundance, general biology and ecology (USFWS 1998a). The U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-surface-slicks-create-superhighway-for-fish/">Fish</a> and Wildlife Service requests that any interested parties (concerned government agencies, the scientific community and/or industry) submit data or suggestions concerning this species (USFWS 1998b). The plant is being cultivated at the <a title="St. George Village Botanical Garden" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Village_Botanical_Garden">St. George Village Botanical Garden</a> in St. Croix U.S.V.I.(USFWS 1998a) and at <a class="mw-redirect" title="Fairchild Botanical Gardens" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Botanical_Gardens">Fairchild Botanical Gardens</a> in south <a title="Florida" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida">Florida</a>.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Agave eggersiana

Agave eggersiana NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/intense-wildfires-in-manitoba-canada/">Canada.</a> NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north%20america&amp;qs=n&amp;form=QBRE&amp;sp=-1&amp;pq=&amp;sc=0-0&amp;sk=&amp;cvid=2A486C7EEB7F4DC9A48B1971A274D39A">North America</a> and the world. North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. It can also be described as the northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean. Because it is on the North American Tectonic Plate, Greenland is included as part of North America geographically. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 16.5% of the Earth's land area and about 4.8% of its total surface. North America is the third-largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 579 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5% of the world's population.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Alectryon macrococcus

Alectryon macrococcus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a> too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Allium munzii is an onion that grows from a reddish-brown <a title="Bulb" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulb">bulb</a> just over a centimeter long. It produces an erect stem up to about 35 centimeters in maximum height and a single leaf which is usually a bit longer. The <a title="Umbel" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbel">umbel</a> contains up to 35 flowers each under a centimeter long. They have <a title="Tepal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepal">tepals</a> that are white with a dark green midvein, turning red with age. Pollen and anthers are yellow

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. Munz’s onion is a California threatened plant species, which means that killing or possessing the plant is prohibited by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). It is also listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Allium munzii

Allium munzii NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is...

Many warming experiments may be painting an incomplete picture. Michigan State University researchers found that studies focusing only on summer heatwaves could be underestimate the effects of climate change. 



Plants live through winter too. Ignoring cold-season warming misses key processes like root growth and nutrient cycling.



Their latest global meta-analysis, published in Global Change Biology, analyzed 126 open-top chamber experiments. These covered 13 plant traits across varied ecosystems, from Antarctica to Michigan. 



The massive dataset helped identify how traits like biomass, nitrogen content, and flowering respond to warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summer-only-experiments-fall-short">Summer-only experiments fall short</h2>



“This important global synthesis of warming effects on plants across many ecosystems can be used to inform models of future impacts,” said Phoebe Zarnetske, professor in MSU’s <a href="https://integrativebiology.natsci.msu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Integrative Biology</a> department.



Year-round warming triggered stronger changes. Aboveground biomass, fruit weight, and leaf growth all showed greater increases. In contrast, seasonal (summer-only) warming produced muted effects. 



For instance, aboveground nitrogen content only dropped significantly under year-round warming.



Experiments that ignore winter might miss crucial ecological shifts. The study suggests that many past experiments may underpredict plant responses to climate warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-changes-plant-traits">Warming changes plant traits</h2>



The researchers categorized plant responses into growth, reproductive, chemical, and phenological traits. Some responses were predictable. 



Warming increased leaf growth (Hedges’ g = 0.54) and belowground biomass (g = 0.60). It also led to earlier spring phenophases, though the effect was marginal (g = −0.12).



However, not all changes were positive. Aboveground nitrogen content fell (g = −0.41), likely due to nutrient dilution effects. Fruit weight increased with latitude, showing stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-may-trigger-rapid-release-of-soil-carbon/">responses</a> at colder sites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-colder-areas-show-bigger-plant-changes">Colder areas show bigger plant changes</h2>



As latitude increased, reproductive traits became more sensitive. Number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-say-this-is-the-best-fruit-to-eat-for-a-healthier-liver/">fruits</a> and fruit weight rose significantly in higher latitudes. Spring timing advanced more sharply near the poles.



Plants near their northern range edges also grew more under warming. These range-edge plants likely experience more variable climates. 



That variability may help them adapt quickly. Species farther from the edge showed smaller or even negative changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-responses-stabilize-over-time">Warming responses stabilize over time</h2>



Short-term experiments produced stronger trait shifts. Over time, communities may adjust, leading to smaller visible effects. For example, flower lifespan and fruit number showed weaker changes in longer experiments.



This pattern suggests plastic responses may fade or stabilize. Year-round warming more accurately mimics future conditions, especially with expected winter temperature increases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-all-species-react-alike">Not all species react alike</h2>



Growth forms made a big difference. Graminoids, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-lawn-plays-a-key-role-in-absorbing-urban-carbon-emissions/">grasses</a>, responded to 9 of 13 traits. Shrubs followed, showing warming-related boosts in percent cover and fruit output.



Bryophytes and lichens, on the other hand, declined under warming. Their percent cover dropped, while vascular plants thrived. This contrast could offset community-level trends, masking specific plant changes in smaller species.



“Non-native species may benefit from future climate conditions,” the study noted. Yet, research on these species remains limited. Data on non-native responses were often too sparse for solid conclusions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-studies-need-more-plants">Warming studies need more plants</h2>



Phoebe Zarnetske’s SpaCE Lab contributed one of the 126 datasets. Their long-term warming plots at the Kellogg Biological Station captured seasonal changes often missed by others.



“This study is unique in terms of the size of the dataset we collected,” said Kara Dobson. “It brings together data from experiments across the globe and from all continents, including Antarctica.”



The team recommends a broader inclusion of species types. Non-native and non-vascular plants need more attention. Without them, predictions will remain skewed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-requires-better-models">Climate change requires better models</h2>



Many past warming studies looked only at one context, such as summer, certain species, or specific regions. This analysis shows that no single trait tells the whole story.



Warming affects plants differently depending on latitude, plant type, and experiment duration. The good news is that coordinated global efforts, like the LTER and WaRM networks, are beginning to close these gaps.



Plants are not passive players. They adapt, decline, or thrive, sometimes all at once. But to understand these shifts, we need to look through all seasons and across all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-environmental-stress-strengthens-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a>. Not just when the sun shines brightest.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70306" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Warming winters may reshape global plant communities

Many warming experiments may be painting an incomplete picture. Michigan...

Scientists recently discovered that certain changes in the roots of teeth can reveal whether someone is a current or former smoker. 



This breakthrough came from a team at <a href="https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northumbria University</a>, working alongside scientists from the <a href="https://le.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>. Their findings could offer powerful tools for both forensic science and archaeology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-teeth-can-tell-us">What teeth can tell us</h2>



Your teeth aren’t just for chewing. They carry a hidden timeline of your life. Teeth are made up of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tooth-enamel-holds-a-record-of-human-health/">enamel</a>, dentine, and cementum. 



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/cementum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cementum</a> is the hard tissue that coats the tooth’s root, and it grows in layers - similar to the way trees deposit annual growth rings. Every year, a new layer forms.



The research team originally set out to use these cementum rings to estimate a person’s age. That kind of analysis can help identify victims of disasters when DNA samples aren’t available.



“By looking at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-reveal-the-carbon-storage-capacity-of-a-forest/">growth rings</a> in the teeth, we can also estimate a person’s age when the tooth was removed, or when they died,” said Dr. Ed Schwalbe, coauthor and professor in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University.



“Together, this information could help identify unknown individuals - such as disaster victims or those buried in mass graves - and offer new tools for forensic and historical investigations,” he confirmed.



But they also found something unexpected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-marks-teeth-as-well">Smoking marks teeth as well</h2>



They examined 88 teeth from both living dental patients and archaeological remains. In many cases, the cementum rings weren’t smooth and regular. Some had disruptions - changes in thickness or shape that didn’t line up with the typical growth pattern.



They looked more closely. These disruptions weren’t random. They were consistently found in the teeth of people who smoked or used to smoke.



“Our research shows that it’s possible to tell if someone was a smoker just by examining their teeth,” said Dr. Schwalbe. 



“We found that the regular annual deposition of rings was disrupted for some individuals and realised that these disruptions were associated with current or ex-smokers, but were very rare in non-smokers.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-s-undeniable-signature-in-teeth">Smoking's undeniable signature in teeth</h2>



In teeth from former <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smokers-have-weaker-hearts-that-pump-less-blood/">smokers</a>, the team saw thick layers of cementum built up over disrupted rings. They believe that when someone quits <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quitting-smoking-at-any-age-brings-big-and-immediate-health-benefits/">smoking</a>, the cementum begins to return to a normal growth pattern, forming denser layers on top of the older, damaged ones. 



That may explain why ex-smokers’ teeth showed thicker cementum than was found in the teeth of current smokers.



The numbers were striking. Disrupted cementum appeared in 70% of ex-smokers and 33% of current smokers - but in only 3% of people who had never smoked.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/smoking_teeth-stains-damage_cementum-rings_credit-NorthumbriaU_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/smoking_teeth-stains-damage_cementum-rings_credit-NorthumbriaU_1s.webp" alt="Example of smoking damage in an archaeological tooth. The magnified image shows variations in the tooth's cementum rings from smoking. Credit: Northumbria University" class="wp-image-1975125"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Example of smoking damage in an archaeological tooth. The magnified image shows variations in the tooth's cementum rings from smoking. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Northumbria University</figcaption></figure>



“We compared the cemental deposition of smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers visually and statistically to identify irregularities that were potentially connected to smoking activity,” said Dr. Valentina Perrone, lead author on the study. 



“We found that individuals with a history of smoking - whether as a current or former smoker – were significantly more likely to have disruption to their cementum than those who did not."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quitting-doesn-t-remove-smoking-markers">Quitting doesn't remove smoking markers</h2>



The study included 46 living participants who needed teeth extracted as part of routine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brushing-your-teeth-regularly-can-prevent-deadly-liver-disease/">dental care</a>. In one standout case, a participant’s tooth showed damage estimated to have occurred between the ages of 22 and 41.



When the researchers reviewed the patient’s history, they found that the individual, who was aged 58 at the time, had smoked between the ages of 28 and 38.



That matched the evidence exactly.



“Smoking is known to have a systemic impact on the body and numerous studies have highlighted the correlation between smoking, <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/periodontitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354473" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">periodontitis</a> and tooth loss,” Dr Perrone added. 



“This study shows, for the first time, the biological record of smoking-related oral health damage within the dental structure.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-echoes-from-past-centuries">Echoes from past centuries</h2>



To test whether these markers of smoking could be found in much older remains, the team worked with Dr. Sarah Inskip, UKRI Fellow at the University of Leicester’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History. They examined 18 archaeological teeth dating from between 1776 and 1890.



Some of these teeth came from individuals known to have smoked. Signs included discoloration and even physical notches worn into the teeth by clay pipes.



Even after centuries underground, the cementum in those teeth still bore the same disruption patterns as found in the teeth of modern smokers.



“This could help us learn more about people’s lifestyles in the past, especially in archaeological studies where patterns of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tobacco-bans-could-help-prevent-1-2-million-lung-cancer-deaths/">tobacco</a> use can reveal important cultural insights,” said Dr. Schwalbe.



“The identification of 'smoking damage' in archaeological teeth opens up further avenues to understand how the long-term consumption of tobacco in populations has affected our health through time,” Dr. Inskip added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-teeth-don-t-lie">Your teeth don’t lie</h2>



These findings show that even if someone quits smoking, their teeth may carry the evidence for life. 



That insight has major implications - not just for understanding personal health histories, but for reconstructing the lives of people long gone.



The next time you smile, remember that your teeth are holding a history of some of your lifestyle choices.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Smoking leaves permanent traces in teeth deep below the surface - a new forensic

Scientists recently discovered that certain changes in the roots of...

In the sweltering crown of the Amazon rainforest, nearly 200 feet above the forest floor, researchers have spent years chasing a deceptively complex question: How do tropical canopy trees keep from frying in the very sunlight they rely on?



A new study led by <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) has found that Amazonian trees juggle sunlight with remarkable finesse - yet that balance may falter as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-foundation-of-life-is-at-risk-from-climate-change/">climate change</a> turns the forest hotter, drier, and brighter.



Doctoral candidate Leonardo Ziccardi led the study under the guidance of forestry ecophysiologist Scott Stark. 



Since 2019, the team has mounted multiple field campaigns near Manaus, Brazil. They carried handheld photosynthesis instruments and ropes strong enough to haul scientists and gear into the leafy heights.



“It’s been a long journey,” Ziccardi said, recalling hundreds of hours spent aloft, recording minute-by-minute fluctuations in leaf temperature, humidity, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-dance-entangled-photons-wave-functions-captured-real-time/">photon</a> capture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-manage-light-like-solar-panels">Trees manage light like solar panels</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-inspired-energy-lessons-from-leaves-and-raindrops/">Leaves</a> are biological solar panels, absorbing photons to power photosynthesis. But excess light can scorch the photosynthetic machinery unless trees convert the overload to harmless heat or a faint red glow known as chlorophyll fluorescence.



For decades, ecologists have used satellite-detected “solar-induced fluorescence” (SIF) as a stand-in for photosynthesis across vast regions.



Until now, however, no one had mapped in detail how individual canopy leaves partition light between photosynthetic work and protective dissipation in the ever-shifting conditions of an Amazon dry season.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-every-photon">Tracking every photon</h2>



Using the MultispeQ - a portable device created at <a href="https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/about/index.aspx">MSU’s DOE-funded Plant Research Laboratory</a> by co-author David Kramer - the team clipped onto thousands of leaves spanning dozens of tree species and all levels of the canopy.



The instrument measures absorbed light, photosynthetic electron flow, heat loss, and real-time fluorescence, letting the scientists trace every photon’s fate.



The data reveal canopy leaves acting as huge, sensitive antennas. Under mild conditions, leaves direct most light to carbon fixation, releasing only small amounts as heat and fluorescence.



As midday sun or dry-season humidity deficits intensify, the balance shifts. Leaves ratchet up safety valves that vent surplus energy as heat.



When those safeguards max out, fluorescence surges as a last-ditch outlet, even while photosynthetic rates plunge - an early warning that cell machinery is approaching burnout.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-three-phase-stress-signature"><a></a>A three-phase stress signature</h2>



This nuanced response emerged as a consistent three-phase pattern across species and canopy positions.



In a balanced phase, at low to moderate light, photosynthesis and fluorescence rise in tandem. Leaves are using energy efficiently, and protective heat dissipation remains secondary.



In the transition phase, higher light or drier air forces leaves to divert more absorption into heat. In this stage, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/revealing-the-secrets-of-photosynthesis-through-pep/">photosynthesis</a> plateaus and fluorescence begins to decouple from it.



Finally, in the overload phase, heat dissipation hits its ceiling. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluorescent-caves-on-earth-can-teach-us-about-extraterrestrial-life-environments/">Fluorescence</a> spikes even higher, signaling potential photodamage, while photosynthesis collapses.



Such high-resolution leaf physiology had never before been charted in Amazonian forests. For Ziccardi, the breakthrough sprang from relentless canopy work.



“Since 2019, we’ve run multiple field campaigns across seasons, climbing giant trees in the heart of the Amazon to understand how these forests respond to environmental changes," he said. "We’ve spent hundreds of hours up in the canopy doing measurements - some of the most intense and rewarding work I’ve ever done."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-may-misread-tree-stress">Satellites may misread tree stress</h2>



The discovery carries a caution for global remote-sensing efforts. Researchers often map SIF from space to estimate gross primary productivity. This key metric tracks how much carbon dioxide vegetation converts into biomass each year.



The study shows that during severe droughts - when cloud cover thins and sunlight becomes harsher - canopy leaves may glow brightly even as their photosynthetic capacity craters. Relying on SIF alone could therefore exaggerate the forest’s true productivity at precisely the times it is most stressed.



As the Amazon’s dry season lengthens under warming temperatures and regional deforestation, clouds are thinning, and insolation is rising. Whether canopy leaves can sustain their intricate balancing act under these compound pressures remains an open question.



The team’s measurements suggest resilience but not invincibility: energy-dissipating pathways can adjust, yet they have limits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-amazon-trees-up-close">Studying Amazon trees up close</h2>



By combining leaf-level measurements with satellite imagery, researchers can refine algorithms that translate fluorescence into carbon uptake, improving forecasts of the forest’s future. But such calibration requires continued boots - or rather, ropes - in the canopy.



Stark notes that the Amazon’s towering biomes host myriad species, each with distinct physiology. Ongoing field campaigns will probe whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-forests-can-survive-drought-but-it-comes-at-a-high-cost/">drought</a>-adapted trees hold hidden advantages or if a tipping point looms where protective strategies fail en masse.



The work also provides a template for monitoring other tropical forests edging toward hotter, clearer climates.



Integrating handheld devices like the MultispeQ with flux towers, drones, and satellites could provide a multiscale view of photosynthetic health. This is crucial for sounding alarms before irreversible die-back sets in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-delicate-dance-with-light"><a></a>A delicate dance with light</h2>



The Amazon’s canopy trees evolved to thrive in a Goldilocks zone of radiant power. They receive enough sunlight to drive one-fifth of the planet’s photosynthesis, yet it's softened by frequent clouds and moist air. Climate change threatens to tip that balance.



Ziccardi’s data offer a first-hand glimpse of how each leaf on a giant tropical tree responds second by second to light’s bounty and burden. 



The delicate choreography between photosynthesis, heat venting, and fluorescence could determine whether the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainforest-emissions-shape-the-climate-and-cloud-formation/">rainforest</a> continues to trap carbon - or begins to release it back to an already warming world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.70183">New Phytologist</a>.



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Climate change is disrupting how Amazon trees process sunlight

In the sweltering crown of the Amazon rainforest, nearly 200...

In theory, planting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traditional-forest-farming-is-an-overlooked-climate-solution/">trees</a> can wipe away the carbon cost of burning fossil fuels. But a new peer-reviewed analysis shows just how massive that effort would need to be. 



To balance the reserves of the 200 largest oil, gas, and coal companies, the world would have to create an engineered forest covering about 9.4 million square miles - an area larger than all of North America.



“Afforestation on that scale would push people off their land and erase existing habitats,” said Alain Naef, an environmental economist at <a href="https://essec.edu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESSEC Business School</a> and lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-afforestation-alone-cannot-fix-emissions">Afforestation alone cannot fix emissions</h2>



Afforestation, the deliberate creation of new <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/afforestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a>, is often promoted as the cheapest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-now-emit-more-carbon-than-they-store-due-to-wildfires/">natural sink</a> for industrial emissions. 



One gigaton equals one billion metric tons, and the companies’ reserves would release 673 gigatons of carbon dioxide if burned.



The team asked whether trees alone could sponge up that mass before 2050. They calculated how much carbon a newly planted hectare can absorb, then scaled that to the entire fossil portfolio sitting underground. 



The answer was 24.75 million square kilometers, roughly 15 percent of Earth’s land surface.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-scale-of-the-problem">The scale of the problem</h2>



Turning that much ground into forest would match the 9.35 million‑square‑mile footprint of North America. Converting it would mean uprooting farms, towns, and existing ecosystems on every continent except Antarctica.



Even if space were found, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-forests-rose-again-after-the-planets-most-extreme-extinction/">trees</a> would need decades to reach maturity, during which the carbon budget for staying below 1.5 °C keeps shrinking. 



The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change puts the remaining global <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/chapter/technical-summary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon budget</a> at roughly 400 gigatons far less than what Big Oil alone could emit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-afforestation-offsets-cost-more-than-oil-profits">Afforestation offsets cost more than oil profits</h2>



To see whether firms could simply pay for offsets, the researchers applied the 2022 average European Union carbon‑market price of just over €80 (about $90) per ton, a figure confirmed by market analysts. 



At that level, 95 percent of the companies would show a negative “net environmental valuation.”



“It would be more profitable to leave the fuel in the ground than to extract and offset it later,” the researchers concluded. 



They looked at cheaper forestry credits, around $16 per ton, and cutting‑edge direct air‑capture technology, near $1,000 per ton. The first leaves two‑thirds of firms underwater, and the second sinks them all. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-forests-aren-t-free">Why forests aren’t free</h2>



Today, Earth’s woods and soils already soak up about <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/earth/climate-change/examining-the-viability-of-planting-trees-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">30 percent</a> of the carbon we emit each year. Expanding that sink sounds simple, but biology argues back. 



Fast‑growing plantations guzzle water and nutrients, push out biodiversity, and, in dry or fire‑prone regions, can even raise local temperatures.



Most of the land earmarked in the calculation is now cropland or rangeland. Replacing it would tighten food supplies and likely spike prices. 



Meanwhile, one lightning strike, drought, or beetle swarm can send centuries of stored carbon back into the sky in a single season.



Naef’s group tested a <a href="https://www.rff.org/publications/explainers/social-cost-carbon-101/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social cost of carbon</a> of $190 per ton, close to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-12/epa_scghg_2023_report_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a>’s latest estimate. 



At that price, operating any major fossil company produces negative value for society, even before land, labor, or political hurdles are added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-afforestation-land-is-already-in-use">Afforestation land is already in use</h2>



Much of the land assumed to be available for afforestation is already claimed for food production, housing, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-forests-helps-birds-and-humans-in-many-ways/">biodiversity</a> preservation. 



In many regions, open or unforested land is not “unused” but is crucial for pastoralists, indigenous communities, or native species. 



Treating this land as expendable undercuts existing ecosystems and social systems that depend on it.



Global land competition is intensifying as population grows and diets change. Turning millions of square miles into carbon sinks means competing directly with agriculture, which could threaten food security worldwide. 



Even if afforestation were technically feasible, the political and ethical tradeoffs make it an unworkable solution at scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emissions-reductions-must-take-priority">Emissions reductions must take priority </h2>



Offsetting programs have gained popularity among corporations aiming to appear climate-conscious without changing their core operations. But many of these schemes lack transparency, consistency, or verification. 



Critics argue they allow continued pollution under the guise of future cleanup, which often never materializes or is exaggerated in impact.



Naef and colleagues warn that relying on afforestation as a main climate tool distracts from the immediate need to reduce fossil fuel use. They emphasize that while trees can help, carbon math alone shows the gap is too wide. 



Emission reductions must take priority if there's any chance of meeting international climate targets.



Direct air‑capture still matters, and real forest restoration still protects wildlife. But the study shows those tools cannot shoulder the job of burying every barrel’s worth of carbon. 



Keeping proven reserves in the ground costs nothing, buys time for cleaner energy, and avoids an impossible tree‑planting bill.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02394-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Creating forests can't realistically cancel out fossil fuel emissions

In theory, planting trees can wipe away the carbon cost...

Cities are becoming more than just human-built environments. Their light and heat now influence how plants grow. 



A major international study confirms this shift. Artificial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-artificial-light-can-boost-coral-reef-recovery/">lighting</a> lengthens the growing season in urban areas more than heat does.



The researchers analyzed satellite data from 428 cities across the Northern Hemisphere between 2014 and 2020. They found urban plant growth begins earlier and ends later than in nearby rural areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-lights-affect-plant-growth">City lights affect plant growth </h2>



Urban heat islands form when buildings and roads trap warmth. Cities also get brighter each year. 



Artificial light at night (ALAN) has grown nearly 10% annually over the last decade. Both heat and light alter plant growing seasons, but this study reveals light matters more.



"ALAN is a critical driver of vegetation dynamics in cities," noted the researchers. The artificial light changes how plants respond to seasonal cues, especially during autumn when natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-light-disrupts-honeybee-sleep-patterns/">light</a> typically declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-plants-grow-earlier-and-stay-green">Urban plants grow earlier and stay green</h2>



Across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-skyglow-fuels-toxic-algae-and-alters-carbon-cycle-in-lakes/">cities</a>, the growing season starts 12.6 days earlier and ends 11.2 days later than rural zones. That is over three weeks of extended green time.



Spring ALAN levels increased exponentially from rural to urban centers. In contrast, temperature rose more gradually. Spring light intensity climbed from 3.1 to 53.3 nW cm² sr⁻¹ across city gradients. Autumn changes followed similar trends.



The study revealed a strong correlation between higher ALAN and delayed leaf drop. EOS (end of season) was more strongly influenced by ALAN than by temperature in nearly half the cities examined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continents-and-climates-respond-differently">Continents and climates respond differently</h2>



Europe experienced the earliest start to spring, with Asia following and North America close behind.



Despite being the brightest overall, North American cities showed the smallest shift in plant growing season timing. This suggests that more light does not always mean bigger changes in plant behavior.



Different Köppen climate zones responded in varied ways to artificial light. ALAN had the strongest effect in cold climates without dry seasons and in temperate zones with dry summers or winters. 



In these areas, artificial light advanced spring plant growth more than rising temperatures did. This shows that light can override the usual seasonal cues driven by warmth.



However, end-of-season (EOS) patterns were more consistent. In nearly every climate, artificial light delayed the end of plant activity. 



Even in warmer or drier zones, nighttime light caused plants to hold onto their leaves longer. This widespread delay in senescence shows how deeply city lighting alters natural plant rhythms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latitude-and-light-sensitivity">Latitude and light sensitivity</h2>



The farther north a city lies, the more its plants respond to artificial light. In higher latitudes, the natural variation in daylight is more extreme. This makes plants especially sensitive to artificial night lighting.



“ALAN acts as an artificial extension of natural daylight,” wrote the study authors. In high-latitude cities, it disrupts the signals that tell plants when to shed their leaves.



Temperature still plays a role, especially in triggering spring growth. But ALAN’s influence on leaf fall in autumn now appears stronger and more widespread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-led-light-shifts-plant-timing-in-cities">LED light shifts plant timing in cities</h2>



The shift from sodium lamps to white LEDs has intensified ALAN effects. LEDs emit more blue light, which plants detect through specialized receptors. That may change how plants time their seasonal shifts.



“Plants sense different wavelengths through different photoreceptor pathways,” noted the researchers. 



However, most satellites cannot yet detect blue light well. Future monitoring will need to include this spectral range to track ecological impacts accurately.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-greener-cities">Looking beyond greener cities</h2>



Longer growing seasons may sound beneficial. Trees may take up more carbon and offer better shade. But there are downsides. A longer leaf season raises the risk of frost damage, mismatched plant-pollinator cycles, and more severe allergy seasons.



City planners face a complex challenge. Lighting designs must meet safety needs but avoid harming plants. 



A smarter urban lighting strategy could reduce ecosystem disruptions while maintaining livable cities. Urban ecology is shifting under our feet and our lights. It is time we took notice.



The researchers are affiliated with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whu.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wuhan University</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University</a>&nbsp;,&nbsp;<a href="https://nau.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northern Arizona University</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.igb-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Freie Universität Berlin</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ornl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oak Ridge National Laboratory</a>&nbsp;, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucla.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-025-00258-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Cities</a>.



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Plants that live in cities have much longer growing seasons now

Cities are becoming more than just human-built environments. Their light...

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out of our airways without leaving a trace. Yet some of those spores belong to molds that don't respect boundaries.



Many fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake.



Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year.



Most of the time, healthy immune systems swat away dangerous spores and fight off infection. Trouble arises when weakened defenses, rising temperatures, and heavy fungicide use tip the scales. 



Suddenly, the same fungus that quietly decomposes the fallen leaves in your yard can trigger relentless coughs, damage corn silos, and shrug off medicines that once kept it in check.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-easily-adapts">Aspergillus fungus easily adapts</h2>



After studying fungal threats for years, Dr. Norman van Rhijn and colleagues at <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Manchester</a> mapped how three notorious Aspergillus species - A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. niger - might spread through the end of the century. 



They fed climate change scenarios into global models and watched the virtual spores drift. One scenario (SSP585), which assumes a fossil-fuel-dependent future, paints an unsettling picture: habitats across Europe become markedly friendlier to these pathogens.



Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons. Out in the wild, it recycles nutrients, but on farms and in clinics, the story shifts. 



Farmers spray <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-fungus-is-among-us-drug-resistant-fungi-is-thriving-in-every-corner-of-the-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">azole fungicides</a> to protect wheat and peanuts; doctors use nearly identical azole drugs to save patients with lung infections. That overlap nudges Aspergillus toward drug resistance - similar to bacteria evolving against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-rivers-are-highly-saturated-with-human-antibiotics-helping-bacteria-develop-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotics</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-reshapes-global-mold-map">Climate reshapes global mold map</h2>



Temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events dictate where spores settle. 



“Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread,” said Dr. van Rhijn. 



“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-microbes-aerosols-can-travel-thousands-of-miles-through-the-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Candida auris</a> due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information on how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.” 



He added that fungi remain “relatively under-researched compared to viruses and parasites,” yet the new maps show they will likely reach “most areas of the world in the future.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1s.webp" alt="MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Credit: University of Manchester" class="wp-image-1973600"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Manchester</figcaption></figure>



Those maps point to striking numbers. Under the high-emissions pathway, the range of A. flavus in Europe could jump about 16 percent, potentially putting another one million people at risk of infection. 



A. fumigatus - the chief culprit behind invasive aspergillosis - could expand its European footprint by 77.5 percent, threatening up to nine million more residents. 



In Africa, paradoxically, parts of the continent may become too hot for some fungi to survive, hinting at complex regional trade-offs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-aspergillus-fungus-spread">Forecasting Aspergillus fungus spread</h2>



Forecasting pathogens decades ahead may sound speculative, but it builds on earlier warnings. Hospitals already grapple with Aspergillus fungus outbreaks after building renovations or severe dust storms. 



Meanwhile, intensive-care units report stubborn cases in patients recovering from influenza or COVID-19. 



Rising outdoor spore loads could translate to more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-deadly-molds-attack-the-immune-system-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospital admissions</a> and costlier treatments, especially because diagnostics for fungal infections lag far behind those for bacteria or viruses.



Mycotoxin contamination adds another layer. A single year of heavy Aspergillus growth can saddle the U.S. corn industry with losses topping $1 billion. 



Increased heat and humidity extend the window for mold growth in silos and fields, forcing farmers to discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins - strategies that still carry economic and health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-drugs-don-t-work">Current drugs don't work</h2>



Azole resistance has climbed steadily in Europe and Asia. Patients with resistant Aspergillus fungus infections face mortality rates exceeding 50 percent, partly because alternative drugs can damage the kidneys or liver. 



Each hectare treated with agricultural azoles raises the odds that environmental spores will carry resistance genes into hospitals. 



Public-health agencies now track these genes in soil and compost piles, hoping to spot trouble before it reaches intensive care.



Fungicide demand is also changing. As some African regions exceed the thermal limits for certain molds, farmers elsewhere may spray more to protect lengthening growing seasons.



That feedback loop - more fungicide, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stronger resistance</a> - complicates food security and patient care alike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farms-food-and-rising-bills">Farms, food, and rising bills</h2>



Aspergillus isn’t the lone shapeshifter. Fusarium, which devastates wheat and oat fields, and Cryptococcus, an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients, also respond to warming climates. 



“Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse," explains Viv Goosens of <a href="https://wellcome.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wellcome</a>.



"To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-and-human-health">Aspergillus fungus and human health</h2>



Fungi account for an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species, yet fewer than 10 percent carry official descriptions, and only a sliver have sequenced genomes. 



The scarcity of basic data hinders vaccine development and slows the hunt for safer drug targets. 



Recognizing this blind spot, the <a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> added Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list for emerging threats in 2022.



Researchers now call for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-food-safety-ai-can-detect-contamination-early/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coordinated monitoring</a> - combining air quality sensors, agricultural sampling, and hospital surveillance - to trace spore movement in near-real time. 



Such efforts could flag hotspots, guide fungicide regulations, and spark investment in rapid diagnostics. Without them, today’s manageable mold may evolve into tomorrow’s silent pandemic.



No single fix will erase the risk. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions limits the environmental changes that favor Aspergillus fungus. 



Smarter fungicide policies slow resistance on farms. Better ventilation in buildings reduces indoor spore counts, while new antifungal classes extend doctors’ toolkits. 



Piece by piece, these steps can keep an ancient decomposer from becoming an outsized menace in a warming world.



The study has been published on preprint platform Research Square, available <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6545782/v1%20[researchsquare.com]%C2%A0;%20DOI:%20https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6545782/v1%20[doi.org]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Deadly fungus that can "eat you from the inside out" is quickly spreading around the world

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float...

Nanoparticles - microscopic specks released by cars, factories, forest fires, and volcanoes - float through every ecosystem on Earth.



Scientists are also designing these particles to precisely deliver <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilizer-reduces-plant-damage-caused-by-droughts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertilizers</a> to crop roots, target pests with pesticides, or serve as tiny sensors that detect plant stress. 



But new research, led by the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside,</a> shows that once those particles enter a plant cell, they can change in unexpected ways and interfere with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize.



The researchers uncovered a chain reaction: inside the cell, nanoparticles pick up a greasy coating and then cling to RuBisCO, the enzyme that jump-starts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-foundation-of-life-is-at-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a>. The result is a dramatic slowdown in the plant’s carbon-dioxide intake.



The discovery does not condemn the promise of agricultural nanotechnology, but it does force scientists to rethink how particles are designed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unintended-consequences-of-nanoparticles">Unintended consequences of nanoparticles</h2>



While many agricultural scientists see nanotechnology as a key to feeding a growing global population, even its strongest proponents admit that today’s fertilizers and pesticides are wildly inefficient.



Juan Pablo Giraldo is the senior author and an associate professor of plant biology at UC Riverside.



“Half of all fertilizer applied on farms is lost in the environment and pollutes groundwater," he said. "With the most commonly used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-attack-bees-in-multiple-ways-throughout-the-body/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pesticides</a>, it’s even worse -&nbsp;only five percent may reach their intended targets. There’s a lot of room for improvement.” 



Nanoparticles can, in theory, deliver cargo directly to a leaf’s interior and then break down safely. Scientists suspected the traits helping particles enter plants might also cause harmful collisions with sensitive proteins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nanoparticles-enter-plant-cells">Nanoparticles enter plant cells</h2>



To test that idea, the researchers exposed Arabidopsis plants - widely used as a model species - to positively charged nanoparticles. 



Using super-resolution imaging and spectroscopy, they watched the particles move through cell walls and membranes. Eventually, the particles reached the chloroplasts, where photosynthesis occurs.



“Nanoparticles, both natural and anthropogenic, are prevalent in many of Earth’s ecosystems, but scientists are only recently starting to understand how they interact with different parts of the environment,” said Lin He of the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>. 



Inside the plant’s watery interior, the particles experienced a lower pH and quickly attracted lipids from nearby membranes. This new greasy shell altered their surface chemistry and made them stick tightly to RuBisCO.



“The lipid coatings of positively charged nanoparticles enhance their binding to RuBisCO, and don’t allow it to do its job very well,” Giraldo explained.



RuBisCO is responsible for capturing carbon dioxide and turning it into sugar. Blocking even a fraction of its activity can leave a plant starved for energy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-to-photosynthesis">The cost to photosynthesis</h2>



To quantify that effect, the team measured <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-absorb-31-more-co2-than-previously-estimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CO2</a> uptake in living leaves. Outside the cell, nanoparticles had little impact on RuBisCO activity. Inside the cell - after the particles had acquired lipid coats - RuBisCO’s efficiency fell to roughly one-third of normal.



“This is the first time we’ve been able to compare the effect of a nanoparticle on a protein both outside and inside a living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-build-their-cell-walls-is-seen-by-scientists-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant cell</a>” Giraldo said.



At first, the scientists assumed the particle’s electrical charge might be responsible. Deeper analysis showed otherwise.



“Now we know that it’s not the charge necessarily, but the transformation they undergo as they enter plants, and potentially, other organisms as well,” Giraldo added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-greasy-molecular-puzzle">A greasy molecular puzzle</h2>



The team collaborated with chemists at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> to run molecular simulations of the interaction.



“We each bring in complementary techniques that enable deeper insights into a complex system such as a plant cell,” said co-author Rigoberto Hernandez, a scientist at Johns Hopkins.



His lab’s models showed lipid molecules flocking to the nanoparticle surface and forming a sticky layer that fits RuBisCO almost like Velcro.



“Using computer simulations providing a view of the structure and motion at microscopic scales, we resolved how lipids are acquired by nanoparticles in the presence of RuBisCO,” Hernandez said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nanoparticles-for-a-greener-future">Nanoparticles for a greener future</h2>



The researchers emphasize that nanoparticles still hold enormous promise, especially if they can be redesigned to avoid hijacking RuBisCO.



Through the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, researchers from various fields of chemistry and environmental science have collaborated closely. Together, they uncovered how nanoparticles transform and interact with a protein involved in plant photosynthesis.



“In so doing, they have laid the groundwork for the safer and more effective use of nanoparticles for agricultural and biotechnology applications," said Lin He.



Catherine Murphy, a chemistry professor at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois</a> and study co-author, put the challenge bluntly: “This landmark study tells us that we have a long way to go to make nanoparticles that are truly beneficial in the environment,” she said.



“But now that we know the mechanism of action, we can retune our methods to solve these problems.”



Next steps include designing coatings that stay inert in cells or steering particles away from RuBisCO-binding areas. With that knowledge, future nanoparticles could nourish crops, fight <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pests</a>, and measure plant health - without dimming the green engine that feeds the planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-025-01944-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Nanotechnology</a>.



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Nanoparticles are threatening the stability of plant cells

Nanoparticles - microscopic specks released by cars, factories, forest fires,...

Every year, mosquito-borne diseases cut short more than a million lives across the globe, outpacing every other animal threat to humanity. The rising toll has public-health teams scrambling for fresh combat tools, especially as traditional chemical sprays lose their edge.



That loss stems from two hard truths. First, the very <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7692614/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pyrethroid insecticides</a> that once worked wonders now linger in soil and water, nudging delicate ecosystems off balance. 



Second, mosquitoes adapt fast. Larvae soaking in tainted puddles and adults drifting through treated neighborhoods increasingly shrug off doses that once killed them. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquito-repellents-that-actually-work-yes-thanks-to-ai-machine-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Controlling the pests</a> at their waterborne stage is vital, yet options that stay potent without harming everything else remain limited.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-cbd-and-mosquitoes">Cannabis, CBD, and mosquitoes</h2>



Recent research published in the journal Insects points to a solution hiding in plain sight: the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. 



After air-drying and grinding ordinary hemp leaves, scientists at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a> led by Erick Martinez Rodriguez extracted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabidiol (CBD)</a> and added the concentrate to cups of water teeming with yellow fever mosquito larvae. 



Within 48 hours, both a strain that laughs at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-could-make-insect-repellents-less-effective/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common insecticides</a> and a non-resistant strain were wiped out.



“Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world, mainly because as adults they serve as vectors of disease,” Rodriguez explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-resistance-to-vulnerability">From resistance to vulnerability</h2>



Two important findings jumped out. The first was total mortality: every mosquito larva exposed to sufficient CBD died by the two-day mark, regardless of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-how-mosquitoes-use-sound-to-outsmart-and-evade-human-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">its genetic armor</a>. 



The second was efficiency. While industrial chemicals often push resistance higher with every generation, CBD’s effect cut straight through those defenses. Doses varied, but even modest concentrations proved lethal to all mosquito larvae.



“If you compare the amount of hemp extract needed to kill 50 % of the population to other synthetic conventional insecticides, it is on the high side, but when you compare it side by side to other natural extracts we have tested in our lab, only a relatively low amount is required to produce high mortality values in larvae,” said Martinez Rodriguez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-cbd-kills-mosquitoes">How CBD kills mosquitoes</h2>



Chemical sleuthing showed that CBD dominated the hemp extract, and terpene fractions did little damage on their own. 



Larvae were judged dead once they stopped moving under a gentle nudge, confirming the cannabinoid’s direct impact on vital systems.



Insects lack the endocannabinoid receptors that give <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-can-help-ease-chronic-pain-anxiety-and-mood-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CBD its wellness reputation</a> among humans, so the compound must strike different molecular targets - possibly ion channels that govern nerve impulses or enzymes tied to muscle control. 



Whatever the route, CBD skirts the metabolic tricks that shield many larvae from pyrethroids.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hemp-economics-meet-public-health">Hemp economics meet public health</h2>



Hemp is no niche crop. U.S. farmers planted about 27,680 acres in 2023, and the total value of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hemp-seeds-could-be-a-game-changer-as-an-alternative-protein-source/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hemp products</a> topped $291 million.



Leaves, often left as low-value waste after flowers and seeds are harvested, could become raw material for larvicides. 



Turning those leaf cast-offs into mosquito-control pellets would give growers an extra revenue stream while trimming refuse piles.



The crop’s adaptability sweetens the deal. Hemp thrives across a wide climate range, grows quickly, and rarely needs harsh pesticides of its own. 



Rural communities looking to diversify incomes and urban growers cultivating indoor micro-hemp could both feed a supply chain aimed at vector-control programs from Texas to Tanzania.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strains-and-waterway-safety">Strains and waterway safety</h2>



Field trials must still answer hard questions: How long does CBD linger in ponds? Does it bother tadpoles, fish fry, or helpful insects? 



Early lab work hints at selectivity, yet natural habitats are complex. Regulators will demand data showing that CBD pellets, briquettes, or slow-release films silence mosquito larvae without tipping aquatic ecosystems.



A second layer of testing will match different hemp strains for efficacy. Plants bred for fiber deliver more stalk than cannabinoid, while floral varieties boast <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cannabidiol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">richer CBD profiles</a>. 



Selecting cultivars that maximize larvicidal punch and minimize unwanted compounds will keep costs down and environmental margins wide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-cbd-and-mosquito-control">Next steps for CBD and mosquito control</h2>



Scientists plan to refine dosage, explore formulations that stick to the water’s surface, and probe how CBD interacts with other biocontrol measures like Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Combining modes of action could slow resistance even further. 



Teams will also map out manufacturing pipelines - picture hemp-leaf extract concentrated at regional facilities, then shipped as shelf-stable granules to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-people-are-mosquito-magnets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mosquito-control districts</a>.



Policy makers, meanwhile, need clear guidelines. Approving a botanical larvicide means balancing urgent disease threats against conservation goals. Transparent monitoring and community engagement will help keep public trust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-another-weapon-in-the-mosquito-wars">Another weapon in the mosquito wars</h2>



Hemp-derived CBD will not single-handedly end malaria, dengue, or Zika. Yet the discovery that a familiar wellness compound doubles as a larval assassin widens the playbook. 



By uniting agriculture, chemistry, and entomology, researchers have opened <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquito-habitats-are-expanding-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a practical path</a> toward safer mosquito control. 



If larger-scale tests confirm the promise seen in the lab, those humble hemp leaves could soon guard countless backyard birdbaths, drainage ditches, and rice paddies - one cup of water at a time.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/7/517" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Insects</a>.



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Cannabis extract proves to be highly effective at killing the most dangerous animals in the world

Every year, mosquito-borne diseases cut short more than a million...

Plants are far more adventurous underground than scientists once believed. A new study reports that many species extend a second, hidden network of roots more than a meter below the surface.



This discovery could ultimately reshape how researchers model nutrient cycling, water use, and the planet’s carbon budget.



Mingzhen Lu, an assistant professor in <a href="https://as.nyu.edu/departments/environment.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York University’s Department of Environmental Studies</a>, led this multi-institutional project.



“Understanding where plants grow roots is vital, as deeper roots could mean safer and longer-term carbon storage," she said. "Harsher conditions at depth may prevent detritus-feeding microbes from releasing carbon back to the atmosphere."



The findings suggest that plant roots may already be storing climate-warming carbon well below areas tracked by most ecological surveys.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-goes-deeper">Data goes deeper</h2>



Traditional root research stops at roughly 30 centimeters, the depth that shovels and corers reach most easily.



Lu and her colleagues pushed past that limit by tapping into the <a href="https://www.neonscience.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Ecological Observatory Network</a> (NEON), which collects samples down to two meters at dozens of U.S. sites.



From Alaskan tundra to Puerto Rican rainforest, the database provided thousands of soil cores reaching 6.5 feet - deep enough to chart root presence in realms seldom studied.



With those records in hand, the team set out to answer three intertwined questions: How does root density shift as soil gets deeper? Which environmental factors govern that distribution? And are subterranean nutrients being tapped as thoroughly as surface nutrients?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-roots-defy-expectations">Roots defy expectations</h2>



The most eye-opening pattern was “bimodality.” Nearly one-fifth of the ecosystems examined showed two separate peaks in root abundance with depth: one in familiar shallow layers and another much farther down, often aligning with deposits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nitrogen</a>, phosphorus, or moisture.



In other words, plants were quietly plumbing secondary resource pockets, countering the long-held assumption that root activity simply dwindles the deeper one goes.



“The current understanding of roots is literally too shallow. Aboveground, we have eagle vision - thanks to satellites and remote sensing. But belowground, we have mole vision,” Lu said.



That “mole vision,” she argues, has left major gaps in Earth system models that guide climate policy and land-management decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-storage-or-carbon-release"><a></a>Carbon storage - or carbon release?</h2>



The presence of deep roots raises a crucial follow-up: What happens to the carbon that plants ferry into those depths? Avni Malhotra, a co-author and lead investigator on a <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.07.647629v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">companion paper</a>, notes that outcomes could diverge.



“Deep plant roots may cause increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-practices-boost-soil-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil carbon storage</a> in one condition or lead to losses in other conditions due to a stimulation of soil microbes,” she said.



Cool, compacted subsoil tends to slow microbial digestion, potentially locking carbon away for centuries.



Yet in some settings, added root exudates might energize buried microbes, accelerating decomposition. Deciding which scenario dominates will require the kind of stratified sampling that NEON has only begun to provide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-roots-defy-models">Deep roots defy models</h2>



Global climate models often assume that most biologically relevant actions - plant root growth, microbial decay, nutrient turnover - occur in the topsoil.



Lu’s study indicates that a significant share of plant activity, including carbon allocation, happens far below that zone.



If roots can chase nutrients downward during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">droughts</a> or warming events, they may confer more resilience than current simulations capture. Conversely, land-use changes that compact or strip deep horizons could hamper an unseen but vital layer of carbon storage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-putting-root-data-to-work">Putting root data to work</h2>



These subterranean discoveries matter for forestry, agriculture, and conservation. Crop breeders might select varieties with deeper, bimodal rooting patterns to better capture water in arid regions.



Restoration ecologists could prioritize species that drive carbon into stable subsoil pools. 



Policymakers aiming to offset emissions through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-cannot-offset-carbon-emissions-from-harvesting-wood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reforestation</a> or soil-carbon credits will need estimates grounded in full-profile measurements rather than the customary shallow cores.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-roots-store-climate-secrets">Plant roots store climate secrets</h2>



“Scientists and policymakers need to look deeper beneath the Earth’s surface as these overlooked deep soil layers may hold critical keys for understanding and managing ecosystems in a rapidly changing climate,” Lu said. The team envisions denser networks of deep cores, advanced imaging, and sensor arrays able to watch roots grow in real time.



While many unknowns remain - How universal is bimodality? Which soil chemistries foster it? How stable is deep-buried carbon? - the message is cautiously optimistic.



“The good news is plants may already be naturally mitigating climate change more actively than we’ve realized - we just need to dig deeper to fully understand their potential,” Lu concluded.



By illuminating a hidden architecture beneath our feet, the study invites scientists and citizens alike to rethink what lies between the surface and bedrock - and to recognize that the battle against rising CO2 might have powerful, unseen allies in the dark below.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60055-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Plant roots could be key to fighting climate change

Plants are far more adventurous underground than scientists once believed....

Woman,Hand,Holding,Pre-rolled,Cones,For,Smoking,Cannabis,With,Cannabis

Cannabis is everywhere now. It’s in pharmacies, parties, pain clinics, and political speeches. Many use it to sleep better, relax, or deal with pain. Some cannabis users even see it as a natural alternative to pills.



However, while the world embraced cannabis, heart doctors started noticing something else. A new study published in the journal Heart, based on data from over 432 million people, has revealed a clear <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-extract-cbd-proven-highly-effective-at-killing-mosquitoes/">connection</a>. 



People who use cannabis have a much higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and even dying from heart disease. That’s not fear-mongering - it’s data from .



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-people-are-using-stronger-cannabis">More people are using stronger cannabis </h2>



In over half of the states in the U.S., and in some countries in Europe, like France, doctors can give cannabis to patients as medicine, but using it just for fun is still illegal. 



Even though it's not allowed for fun, many young people in France still use it a lot. Germany recently changed its laws and now lets people use cannabis recreationally, starting in April 2024.



Now more people use cannabis, and the products they’re using are stronger than before. Today’s cannabis has more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-reveal-the-most-complete-cannabis-genome-yet/">THC</a>. That means stronger effects on the brain and body - especially the heart.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-linked-to-heart-problems">Cannabis linked to heart problems</h2>



The researchers looked at 3,012 studies. Among them, 24 studies were focused on the link between cannabis and major heart problems.



An analysis of the research showed that people who use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/">cannabis</a> have a 29 percent higher risk of heart attack, a 20 percent higher risk of stroke, and more than double the risk of dying from heart disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regular-use-raises-stroke-risk">Regular use raises stroke risk</h2>



Stroke risk didn’t look the same in every study. A few didn’t find strong links, especially in people who used cannabis once or twice. But when the researchers zoomed in on heavy users or younger adults, the risk became clearer.



In Australia, one study found that people who used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-in-any-form-directly-linked-to-significant-risk-of-heart-damage/">cannabis</a> weekly were nearly five times more likely to suffer a stroke or mini-stroke. A U.S. hospital database also found increased risk, especially in people aged 25 to 34.



These results suggest that occasional cannabis use may not be a red flag. But regular use, especially while young, is when things start looking risky.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-linked-to-more-heart-attacks">Cannabis linked to more heart attacks</h2>



One study showed that cannabis users aged 15 to 22 were 36 percent more likely to have a heart attack. Another found that people using cannabis <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-directly-linked-to-head-and-neck-cancer/">more than once a week</a> had more than double the odds.



That’s after adjusting for tobacco, cocaine, and other drugs. Cannabis came out as the strongest predictor in a French hospital study - even stronger than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-cocaine-tricks-and-hijacks-the-brain/">cocaine</a>.



That’s not the story we usually hear about cannabis. But these numbers speak louder than opinions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-higher-death-risk-from-heart-disease">Higher death risk from heart disease</h2>



The risk of fatal cardiovascular events was also investigated. In one study, young patients who had heart attacks and also used cannabis were far more likely to die. The link remained consistent even after controlling for smoking and other conditions.



Another study conducted in the United States confirmed that cannabis users had a much higher chance of dying from heart-related causes. 



In the UK, a 2024 study revealed an unexpected twist. Women, not men, faced higher risks of heart-related death from heavy cannabis use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-about-the-benefits-of-cannabis">What about the benefits of cannabis?</h2>



Cannabis has shown several proven medical benefits, especially when used under a doctor’s guidance. One of its most recognized uses is for managing chronic pain. 



People with conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or nerve-related injuries often find relief through cannabis-based treatments. 



The plant's compounds - mainly THC and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-extract-cbd-proven-highly-effective-at-killing-mosquitoes/">CBD</a> - can interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system to reduce pain signals and inflammation. 



Medical cannabis also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-may-ease-cancer-symptoms-like-pain-and-nausea/">helps cancer patients</a> by easing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and in some cases, it can stimulate appetite for those struggling with weight loss due to illness.



Doctors have also used cannabis to help patients with neurological disorders. In certain forms of epilepsy, especially in children, CBD-based medications have reduced the number and severity of seizures.



These examples reflect how cannabis, when used appropriately, can provide real and sometimes life-changing benefits for patients, making it easier for some to ignore the overall health implications attached to cannabis use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experts-urge-tobacco-style-warnings">Experts urge tobacco-style warnings</h2>



“Cannabis needs to be incorporated into the framework for prevention of clinical cardiovascular disease. So too must cardiovascular disease prevention be incorporated into the regulation of cannabis markets,” noted Professor Stanton Glantz and Dr. Lynn Silver.



The experts emphasized that today's cannabis is not what it used to be. It now includes potent concentrates, synthetic versions, and a growing variety of edible and inhalable forms. These may carry risks beyond the cannabinoids themselves.



“How these changes affect cardiovascular risk requires clarification, as does the proportion of risk attributable to cannabinoids themselves versus particulate matter, terpenes or other components of the exposure,” the authors noted.



“Specifically, cannabis should be treated like tobacco: not criminalized, but discouraged, with protection of bystanders from secondhand exposure.”



Doctors should ask about cannabis use, particularly when it comes to patients with heart problems. For people using cannabis regularly, it’s time to rethink the idea that it is harmless.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/06/10/heartjnl-2024-325429" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heart</a>.



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Cannabis is worse for heart health than cocaine, according to a startling new study

Cannabis is everywhere now. It’s in pharmacies, parties, pain clinics,...

The Bronze Age cemetery of Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom reveals a remarkable transformation around 1500 BCE. Led by Tamás Hajdu and Claudio Cavazzuti, a research team explored diet, mobility, millet consumption, and inequality during this critical period in the Carpathian Basin.



Using carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotope analysis, they uncovered drastic lifestyle changes at the dawn of the Tumulus culture. Their study combined archaeology, bioanthropology, and environmental science to show how people adapted to shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millet-farming-marked-a-turning-point-in-life-during-the-bronze-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food</a> systems and social structures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-settlements-break-down-new-patterns-emerge">Settlements break down, new patterns emerge</h2>



During the Middle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-technology-is-a-modern-solution-for-clean-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bronze</a> Age (2000–1500 BCE), the region had many local cultures with tell-settlements. These were large fortified villages. But by 1500 BCE, these settlements were abandoned. Instead, people moved into short-term, horizontal communities with weaker central control.



This shift marked the arrival of the Tumulus culture, known for mound burials and new pottery styles. The big question: did new people bring these changes, or did local populations simply adopt new practices?



The researchers collected 130 isotope samples and radiocarbon-dated 60 individuals. They tracked changes in movement and eating habits with unprecedented precision.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-movement-different-origins">Less movement, different origins</h2>



Strontium isotope analysis helps identify where individuals grew up based on local geology. At Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom, most buried people had isotope signatures matching the immediate area. This means they were likely locals. 



About 20% had values matching nearby regions within 100 kilometers. Only one man clearly came from a more distant place.



Migration routes also shifted over time. In the Middle Bronze Age, newcomers came from radiogenic areas like the Upper Tisza and Northern Carpathians. 



In the Late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-teeth-discovery-highlight-the-evolution-of-the-human-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bronze</a> Age, migrants arrived from different regions, such as the Middle Danube, Southern Carpathians, or Transdanubia. These new patterns follow known west-to-east cultural movements.



Men showed slightly more mobility, but not by much. Few women came from outside, suggesting that marriages between distant groups were uncommon. When they did happen, they mostly occurred within the local region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millet-intake-rose-in-the-bronze-age">Millet intake rose in the Bronze Age</h2>



A major dietary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-from-9000-year-old-skeletons-disproves-migratory-waves-theory-from-south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift</a> also occurred. Carbon isotopes revealed that broomcorn millet entered the diet around 1540–1480 BCE. Millet, a fast-growing crop, became a vital food by the Late Bronze Age.



Dental calculus confirmed this. In the Middle Bronze Age, millet traces appeared in only 2 of 14 individuals. In the Late Bronze Age, millet was found in 6 of 11 individuals. This cereal quickly became a staple.



At the same time, nitrogen isotopes showed reduced protein intake. Middle Bronze Age diets had wider protein access, especially among males. 



This gap closed in the Late Bronze Age, hinting at social leveling. Both men and women consumed less meat, and the diet was poorer but more equal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-variety-vanished-as-inequality-shrunk">Variety vanished as inequality shrunk</h2>



The Middle Bronze <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/technologically-advanced-society-discovered-across-philippine-islands-35000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Age</a> saw more dietary diversity. People ate wheat, barley, lentils, and other plants. Spelt and emmer were present, while einkorn faded away. Legumes, oil crops, and foraged foods enriched meals.



By the Late Bronze Age, broomcorn millet overshadowed other grains. Macro-remains of millet were rare in earlier layers but became common after 1500 BCE. Stable isotope and dental evidence confirmed its growing role.



“The abandonment of the fortified MBA tell settlement is followed by a new phase with less structured centres, less stable social hierarchies and the reduced inequalities that we could clearly observe, at least at the level of food consumption,” the authors noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bronze-age-life-changed-with-millet">Bronze Age life changed with millet</h2>



These findings challenge old views of the Tumulus people as nomadic herders. Their mobility decreased. Their diet shifted from rich and varied to simpler and millet-based. Social networks became flatter and more equal.



The Tumulus culture wasn’t just about burial mounds and metalwork. It marked a deeper change in how people lived, ate, and moved.



“The strong investment in broomcorn millet as key-cereal is considered one of the earliest phases in Europe,” noted the researchers.



This Bronze Age study shows how bones, teeth, and millet reveal the past. By studying them closely, we uncover stories of change, resilience, and adaptation that shaped ancient Europe.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-01113-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Bronze Age people abandoned meat for millet 3,500 years ago

The Bronze Age cemetery of Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom reveals a remarkable transformation...

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