Friday, March 21, 2025

Southeast Asia was the main diversification center for the Bananas

If we lose wild banana species, we lose banana's sustainability

The new study by CIRAD has revealed that mainland Southeast Asia is the primary center of diversification for the Musa, which includes Bananas. The study involves extensive fieldwork on more than 200 specimens belonging to the species Musa from China, Vietnam, and Laos, highlighting the critical role of genetic diversity in sustaining banana crops. As the domestication of bananas has led to their sterility, genetic diversity found in wild banana species offers a potential solution to conserving bananas. Spotlighting the importance of wild banana species, the study has urged the conservation of wild banana habitats.

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Hydrogen

A cost-effective catalyst to revolutionize hydrogen production

A low-cost palladium-based nanosheet

Researchers from the Tokyo University of Science developed a new catalyst called bis(diimino)palladium coordination nanosheets (PdDI). These low-cost palladium-based nanosheets perform as well as platinum in producing hydrogen. Created using a simple synthesis process with minimal precious metals, the nanosheets reduce metal usage and lower hydrogen production costs.

Science
Human Eye

Our breathing affects our vision

Breathing shapes what we see.

A study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that breathing influences pupil size. The pupil is smallest during inhalation and largest during exhalation. This effect is always present and doesn't require external stimuli. Breathing's impact on brain activity and cognitive functions suggests this could help regulate vision and attention.

A woman kneels in a quiet cemetery placing flowers at a gravestone

Loneliness after losing a spouse, study

Persistent Loneliness After Spousal Loss, Despite Social Support

Researchers at Monash University found that losing a spouse causes one to feel more lonely and isolated despite support. Based on data taken from nearly 750 people who had lost their spouses, they found that loneliness and grief affected both genders similarly, with no significant differences based on wealth or health status.

jupiter-citsci

A long-standing Jupiter’s cloud mystery solved

A misunderstanding about the composition of Jupiter’s clouds resolved.

A collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers has led to a major discovery about Jupiter's clouds, challenging a long-standing belief. Thanks to amateur astronomer Dr. Steven Hill, it’s now found that the clouds are not made of ammonia ice, but rather a mix of ammonium hydrosulphide and smog.

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