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96-million-year-old fossil pollen sheds light on early pollinators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The collapse of honeybee colonies across North America is focusing attention on the honeybees’ vital role in the survival of agricultural crops, and a new study by University of Florida and Indiana University Southeast researchers shows insect pollinators have likely played a key role in the evolution and success of flowering plants for nearly 100 million years.

Filed under Research, Natural History, Sciences on Thursday, December 20, 2007.

To curious aliens, Earth would stand out as living planet

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With powerful instruments scouring the heavens, astronomers have found more than 240 planets in the past two decades, none likely to support Earth-like life.

Filed under Research, Sciences, Astronomy on Thursday, December 20, 2007.

Ancient global warming changed earth from ’icehouse to greenhouse’

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Earth literally turned over a new leaf 15 million years ago when an earlier version of global warming changed large parts of the planet from lush forests to open grasslands, a new study by scientists at the University of Florida and other institutions shows.

Filed under Research, Environment, Sciences on Monday, December 17, 2007.

Space station experiment to test bacteria hitchhiking to the Red Planet

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If a trip to Mars seems like it would be a tough journey, imagine what it would be like on the outside of the spaceship.

Filed under Research, Sciences on Wednesday, December 5, 2007.

Fossils excavated from Bahamian blue hole may give clues of early life

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Long before tourists arrived in the Bahamas, ancient visitors took up residence in this archipelago off Florida’s coast and left remains offering stark evidence that the arrival of humans can permanently change — and eliminate — life on what had been isolated islands, says a University of Florida researcher.

Filed under Research, Natural History, Environment, Sciences on Monday, December 3, 2007.