This month, the University of Cambridge will be profiling research that addresses biodiversity conservation. To begin, Dr Mike Rands, Executive Director of Cambridge Conservation Initiative, explains how a partnership of researchers, world-leading conservation practitioners and policy experts has a crucial role to play in this 21st-century challenge.
Scientists discover why buttercups reflect yellow on chins – and it doesn’t have anything to do with whether you like butter. The new research sheds light on children’s game and provides insight into pollination.
Scientists at Cambridge University are exhibiting a prototype table that demonstrates how biological fuel cells can harness energy from plants.
Over the past month, the University of Cambridge has been profiling research that addresses one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century – how to guarantee enough food, fairly, for the world’s rapidly expanding population. As part of this, we asked whether you had a question that you wanted us to answer, and put them to a panel of academics who specialise in research to do with food security. Here's what they had to say. Thanks to everyone who sent questions in!
Study highlights how litterfall could lead to a release of stored carbon from the soil
Mathematical modelling is an important weapon in the armoury against crop disease, as plant epidemiologists demonstrated when they turned their sights on root madness in sugar beet.
Plant scientists in Cambridge have embarked on ambitious plans to improve crop yields by solving one of the chief limitations of photosynthesis.
Understanding how plants ‘silence’ invading viruses could hold the key to releasing their hidden potential.
Fundamental research on plant development at the Sainsbury Laboratory will help in the future design of optimal crops.
Beetles use it, birds use it. Plants use it too. Iridescence is the shimmery colour effect that makes things eye-catching.
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