Hemp cannabinoids may have evolved to deter insect pests

Cannabinoids, naturally occurring compounds found in hemp plants, may have evolved to deter pests from chewing on them, according to experiments that showed higher cannabinoid concentrations in hemp leaves led to proportionately less damage from insect larvae.

Undergrad helps Ithaca homes switch to clean energy

With an Ithaca-based nonprofit, Kristinko Mato ’24 is working to install efficient heat pumps in units rented by low- and moderate-income tenants, reducing costs and emissions, and improving air quality. 

Pesticides detected in beeswax

An analysis of beeswax in managed honeybee hives in New York finds a wide variety of pesticide, herbicide and fungicide residues, exposing current and future generations of bees to long-term toxicity.

Winter Session Spotlight: Dr. Tom Silva on ‘Green World, Blue Planet’

Precollege’s most popular Winter Session course is Green World, Blue Planet (PLBIO 2400), taught by Tom Silva, winner of a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for teaching. This three-credit online class begins Jan. 2.

Around Cornell

Einhorn Center announces new Engaged Faculty Fellows

Twenty-five faculty and academic staff from nine Cornell colleges and units are Engaged Faculty Fellows for the 2023-24 academic year, with projects dedicated to advancing community-engaged learning at Cornell and within their respective fields.

Local adaptation may buffer some birds against climate change

North American song sparrows may be more resilient to climate change thanks to a remarkable adaptation: a stunning range of body sizes found throughout the bird’s westernmost range.

Frank DiSalvo, Cornell Atkinson’s first director, dies at 79

Frank DiSalvo, a chemist-physicist who inspired hundreds of Cornellians from different disciplines to collaborate on environmental and sustainability problems, died on Oct. 27 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 79.

Honey-based beverage grabs grand prize at food hackathon

Students were tasked with addressing one of four challenges: creating new dairy products, coming up with more efficient food manufacturing processes, lessening the problem of food waste or creating products to increase knowledge and the use of honey and other bee-pollinated products.

Around Cornell

Better tech needed to increase soil organic carbon and crop yields

A new paper shows that promised yield increases at a global scale from increasing organic carbon in soils would be negligible with current technologies and optimal management practices.