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Those two orbs we see in the sky during the day and night have even more of an influence on the animals and plants on Earth than you might think. The gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon really does appear to affect flora and fauna activity, although the exact mechanisms by which this happens remain unclear, new research suggests. From a meta-analysis of previous studies, researchers suggest gravitational tides can change the way that animals and plants sleep, [...]

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system always tends to increase over time until it reaches a maximum. In other words, disorganization increases without outside intervention. Electrical equipment inevitably heats up as part of the energy is dissipated in the form of heat instead of being used for mechanical work, and objects deteriorate over time but do not spontaneously regenerate. However, this intuitive nature of entropy does not necessarily [...]

The burning of sugarcane, carried out to eliminate dry leaves before harvesting, for years altered the air quality in the central region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The particles launched into the atmosphere during the process were visible to the region’s inhabitants and were deposited in the streets and on cars. Atmospheric pollution also caused respiratory problems among the population, impacts on biodiversity and the native vegetation, and contaminated [...]

An article shows that three species of electric eel exist, not just one as previously described, and that one of them produces an electric shock up to 860 volts. Credit: C. David de Santana There are at least three species of electric eels (Electrophorus spp.), not just one as previously believed. Two new species have recently been described with São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP’s support by a group of researchers affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and National [...]

Passion fruit woodiness caused by cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), the disease that most affects passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) grown in Brazil, can be treated with a relatively simple technique, according to a study published in the journal Plant Pathology. It shows that systematic eradication of plants with symptoms of the disease preserves the crop as a whole and keeps plants producing for at least 25 months.  The technique currently used to combat CABMV entails renewing the [...]