News

In some environments there is no way for a seed to know for sure when the best time to germinate is. In spring, cues like light, temperature and water may suggest to seeds that conditions are optimal for germination, but a week later an unpredictable drought or frost could kill the emerging seedlings. So how does a plant...

To describe something as slow and boring we say it’s “like watching grass grow”, but scientists studying the early morning activity of plants have found they make a rapid start to their day, within minutes of dawn. Just as sunrise stimulates the dawn chorus of birds, so too does sunrise stimulate a dawn burst of activity...

A new mathematical model developed by Professor Chris Gilligan's Epidemiology and Modelling Group indicates that the widespread use of control measures, such as facemasks, is vital to suppress the pandemic as lockdown lifts. The new model was developed in collaboration with scientists at the University of Liverpool and...

Researchers within the Department of Plant Sciences led by Professor Alex Webb, Head of the Circadian Signal Transduction Group , indicate that circadian clock genes, which enable plants to measure daily and seasonal rhythms, should be targeted in agriculture and crop breeding for higher yields and more sustainable farming...