Scientists have discovered an enzyme in bacteria that is capable of breaking down woody plant material, and their findings could make biofuel production more efficient and sustainable.
As a study shows that insect-eating bats in North America save farmers at least $3.7 billion yearly in pest-control costs, concern grows over a disease affecting bats.
Deanna Erin Conners is a biologist and science communicator from Western New York who has been contributing to the conversations on EarthSky since 2011. Her overarching hypothesis is that we have vastly underestimated the intelligence of non-human species. She is endlessly fascinated by the interconnectedness in nature and occasionally chimes in with stories about birding, Earth science, and the Great Lakes. (Portrait taken at Buckhorn Island State Park, NY, appears courtesy of Karen Lee
Lewis.)
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