Families with a team mindset strengthened their bonds during COVID-19 pandemic
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite reports of families disintegrating under the hardships and constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests that many families may have formed stronger bonds instead.
How local communities depend on the ivory palm tree in coastal Ecuador
URBANA, Ill. – The ivory palm tree, also known as tagua, is endemic to the Chocó-Darien region on the Pacific coast of South America. The local population relies on this unique tree for many uses and the tagua fruit, nuts, and leaves provide materials for a range of products.
Study: Infant formula safety checks can be improved with stratified sampling
URBANA, Ill. – Producers of infant formula employ comprehensive food safety systems, including product testing to ensure those systems are working.
Community health program boosts child vaccinations in remote areas of Madagascar
URBANA, Ill. – Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world and access to health care is limited for many people. Childhood vaccinations are a crucial component of preventative care, but vaccination rates remain below the World Health Organization’s goal of reaching 95% of children.
New method has promise for accurate, efficient soil carbon estimates
Earth’s soil contains large stocks of carbon — even more carbon than in the atmosphere. A significant portion of this soil carbon is in organic form (carbon bound to carbon), called soil organic carbon (SOC). However, SOC has historically been greatly diminished by agricultural activity, releasing that carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.
Study explores challenges, opportunities of community participatory research
URBANA, Ill. — Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an approach that connects academic researchers with community partners to inform project development. Where traditional research is often done “to” people, treating them as subjects with no agency, CBPR is a cooperative process incorporating the knowledge and direction of community members.
Unique Mexican black and pinto bean varieties are high in healthy compounds
URBANA, Ill. – Common beans are important food sources with high nutritional content. Bean seeds also contain phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that promote health.
Study: Insect protein slows weight gain, boosts health status in obese mice
URBANA, Ill. — As the global population grows under a changing climate, the urgency to find sustainable protein sources is greater than ever. Plant-based “meat” and “dairy” products may be popular, but they’re not the only environmentally friendly meat alternatives.
Soil microbes help plants cope with drought, but not how scientists thought
URBANA, Ill. — There’s a complex world beneath our feet, teeming with diverse and interdependent life. Plants call out with chemical signals in times of stress, summoning microbes that can unlock bound nutrients and find water in soil pores too small for the finest roots. In return, microbes get a safe place to live or a sugary drink.