The Latest Breaking News from Oregon State University

What Happens If You Bury Kitchen Scraps Directly in the Garden?

If maintaining a compost pile sounds like one garden chore too many, you may have wondered why you can’t simply bury your vegetable peels and coffee grounds directly in the soil. It turns out you can—gardeners sometimes call the technique trench composting, in-place composting, or compost pockets. Instead of decomposing…

Frugal Gardening · Sep 23

What Returning Wolves to the Deccan Could Do: The Trophic Cascade Evidence From Yellowstone

What Yellowstone Actually ProvedFourteen grey wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park in January 1995. Within a decade, the park's river channels had shifted course. That outcome had nothing to do with the wolves physically moving water. It had everything to do with where elk chose to stand. The mechanism…

Times Life · Sep 1

An Oregon farmer grew tomatoes, potatoes, squash, garlic and beans for 40 years without irrigation; careful soil preparation kept stored moisture in the root zone

Someone has rightly said that 'Necessity is the mother of invention'. Over decades, weather patterns became less predictable across the Pacific Northwest, and farmers contended with hotter temperatures, drought and shrinking snowmelt that strained water supplies. It was then that a different method, developed over four decades of experimentation by…

The Times of India · Aug 31

In 2013, China installed fake birds and loudspeakers on an empty island; thousands of terns arrived in the first breeding season

Scientists created a fake colony on a barren island using decoys and speakers. This attracted thousands of greater crested terns and nineteen Chinese crested terns. The project ensured no egg poaching occurred at the site. Chicks on these islands showed a high survival rate over ten years. This success offers…

The Times of India · Aug 7

In 1960, Oregon released cinnabar moths against toxic tansy ragwort; their caterpillars were later found feeding on native mountain wildflowers

Oregon introduced cinnabar moths to control invasive tansy ragwort, which proved effective for decades. This biological control effort significantly benefited Oregon agriculture by reducing weed infestations. Researchers later discovered caterpillars also consumed native arrowleaf groundsel wildflowers. Scientists had previously assumed harsh mountain habitats would prevent moth survival. Ongoing research monitors…

The Times of India · Jul 31

Major river’s fish population is dying after parasite invasion

One expert said that it is ‘unusual’ that reactions to the parasite by fish have been so ‘severe’

The Independent UK · Jun 22

Researchers build brain-like memory device for AI sensors that may improve energy efficiency — phototransistor device combines light sensing, memory, and processing to cut data movement

Oregon State University researchers have developed a brain-inspired phototransistor that combines light sensing, memory, and signal processing in one device. The hardware can electronically control how long optical memories persist or fade, potentially improving energy efficiency in future AI vision systems.

Tom’s Hardware · Jun 17

Scientists warning as ocean monitoring network decommissioned under Trump cuts

Comes as an El Niño event, known for disrupting weather patterns and intensifying marine heatwaves, is forecast to hit the Pacific coast this summer

The Independent UK · Jun 2

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says this career path will thrive in the AI era—and drive a new industrial revolution

Jensen Huang went from washing dishes at Denny’s to building the world’s most valuable company. Now, he says, the field he studied in college will be critical to the AI revolution.

Fortune · Apr 29

Black Bag by Luke Kennard review – a campus comedy for our end times

Drawing on a real-life 1960s experiment, this story of an out-of-work actor paid to cover himself in a black leather bag fizzes with wit and invention

The Guardian - UK · Mar 25