Scientists discover 'genetic goldmine' while studying rice that could change the way we grow our food: 'Valuable resources'
Scientists in China have uncovered a possibly revolutionary development that can help shape the future of a universally utilized grain.
A research team from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences published a study in Nature revealing the immense genetic diversity of wild and cultivated rice. The hope is that these findings "provide valuable resources for improving rice varieties in terms of yield, quality, environmental adaptability and resistance to disease and stress."
Asian cultivated rice is a common source of food for billions of people across the world, and boosting the yield is a necessity amid rapid global population growth. Other challenges, like a changing climate and risks of disease and pest exposure, make it a priority to build resistance in these crops.
As part of the study, researchers sequenced 145 rice genomes and created a "pangenome" that reveals the full genetic landscape of wild rice, which is a key step toward understanding the variations needed for crop improvement.
The end result produced a whopping "3.87 billion base pairs of novel genetic sequences," and "nearly 20% of these genes exist only in wild rice, with many linked to traits such as disease resistance and environmental adaptation."
The Chinese Academy of Sciences described the genes as "a 'genetic goldmine' for developing modern rice varieties capable of withstanding pests, disease, and climate challenges."
Breeding resilient and nutritious crops helps ensure food security and provides optimism for the future. Similarly to this study, a research team at UC Davis created a detailed genome sequence for pistachios after studying the nut's DNA, which could bolster crop production and enhance their ability to thrive in extreme weather conditions.
Studies such as these can serve as the foundation for agricultural innovation and plant breeding. Every positive development, no matter how small, could play a crucial role in sustaining our food supply in the face of environmental challenges.
What's the biggest obstacle stopping your organization from using solar panels?
They're too expensive
Don't know where to start
They're an eyesore
We already use solar panels
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Medscape
36 minutes ago
- Medscape
Can a TKI Boost Anti-PD-L1 Activity in NSCLC?
Can adding a TKI that targets programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) to a monoclonal antibody that also targets PD-L1 improve outcomes over the monoclonal antibody alone in locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)? Researchers in China have come in with a qualified yes. The authors of the new study found that a combination of anlotinib, an oral small-molecule TKI, and benmelstobart (TQB2450), a humanized immunoglobulin G subclass 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody that targets PD-L1, improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with benmelstobart alone after concurrent/sequential chemoradiotherapy (60 Gray ± 10%). A downside of taking the TKI was a significant increase in side effects, Ming Chen, MD, PhD, lead investigator of the R-ALPS trial, reported at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025. Study Results 'Our key finding demonstrated significant improvement in median PFS with the combination of benmelstobart plus anlotinib, with a median PFS of 15.1 months compared to 9.7 months with benmelstobart alone and 4.2 months with placebo,' said Chen, while presenting the abstract at the meeting. PFS was the primary endpoint of the study. Ming Chen, MD, PhD 'This translated into a reduced risk of disease progression with a hazard ratio of 0.49 for the combination arm and 0.53 for benmelstobart alone,' vs placebo, said Chen, who is director of Radiation Oncology at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou, China. The P values for both were less than .0001. Chen reported results of an interim analysis of the phase 3 R-ALPS study, which randomized 553 patients to one of three treatment groups after all received concurrent/sequential chemoradiotherapy: Benmelstobart alone, benmelstobart plus anlotinib, or placebo. Twelve-month PFS rates were 54.9% in the combination group, 45.7% in the benmelstobart alone group, and 26.4% in the placebo group. The data analysis of overall survival rates has not been completed, Chen said. Among secondary endpoints, overall response rates were 25.6% ( P = .01), 23.3 ( P = .0318), and 12.9% for the combination, benmelstobart alone, and placebo groups, respectively. The disease control rates were 84.5% ( P = .0067) and 86.1% ( P = .0023) for the combination and benmelstobart alone groups, respectively, and was 70.5% for the placebo group. Safety Profile 'Manageable' or 'Significant'? The combination group had consistently higher rates of adverse events than the other two groups. Chen said the safety profile of adding anlotinib to benmelstobart was 'manageable,' while Shankar Siva, PhD, MBBS, a discussant at the oral abstracts session, characterized the toxicity profile of the study as 'significant.' Shankar Siva, PhD, MBBS Overall, the rates of grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were 50% in the combination group, 32% in the benmelstobart alone group, and 21% in the placebo group. The rates of serious TRAEs were 38.3%, 33% and 26.5%, respectively. Hematologic toxicities were not significantly different across the three groups, Chen said, but the following four biochemical measures were significantly elevated in the combination group: Antistreptokinase, creatine phosphokinase, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and amylase. Among the grade 3-5 non-hematologic TRAEs, rates of infectious pneumonia, hypertension, and hemoptysis were significantly higher in the combination group: 8.1%, 8.6%, and 2.4%, respectively, vs 4.7%, 0.9%, and 0.5% in the benmelstobart alone group and 5.3%, 1.8%, and 0.8% in the placebo group. Chen added that the rates of radiation pneumonitis and immune pneumonitis 'were very mild in all three arms,' with rates below 3%. Elaborating on his different take on the combination treatment's safety profile from Chen's, Siva said the incidence of high-grade adverse events in this study was notable. 'More targeted or bispecific TKIs' might be worth exploring in a combination treatment after chemoradiotherapy for NSCLC to improve the safety profile, he said, during the session. Knowing biomarkers of benefit and potential toxicity would also be important for using multitarget TKIs in combination therapies after chemoradiotherapy for NSCLS, noted Siva, who is a radiation oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. One of the limitations of the study was that all patients were Chinese, Chen said. Anlotinib was approved for advanced NSCLC in China in 2019. Chia Tai TianQing Pharmaceutical Group funded the study. Chen reported having no relevant financial relationships. Siva reported having financial relationships with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Varian Medical Systems.


Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
US warfighters are losing a massive force multiplier advantage as China advances in space
U.S. dominance in space has long served as a massive force multiplier for the American warfighter. Today, that dominance is increasingly powered by commercial space companies delivering advanced technologies—from daily Earth observation images to satellite-based internet and global telecom networks. These capabilities help our troops navigate, detect, and act faster than adversaries. But as global tensions escalate, American leadership is at risk—from both foreign adversaries and shortsighted decisions at home. During a May 14th hearing, Rep. Seth Moulton warned that the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) had reportedly slashed funding for commercial satellite imagery in the next fiscal budget. These proposed cuts aren't just a threat to the warfighter and our national security—they also jeopardize the viability of the U.S. commercial space sector. From battlefield targeting to situational awareness, today's missions increasingly rely on persistent commercial satellite coverage. Weakening that capability leads to slower decisions, reduced effectiveness, and greater risk for U.S. and allied forces. These cuts threaten to undermine our intelligence capabilities and weaken our edge in the global space race. China is wasting no time. Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. (CGST), a Chinese government-funded commercial imaging company, operates over 100 satellites and an advanced communication architecture, and is positioning itself to disrupt markets, shape global norms, and collect intelligence at scale. This represents a significant advancement in China's satellite imaging and communication capabilities, and according to Western intelligence officials, Chinese commercial satellites have been used by Russia to image critical Ukrainian infrastructure, including nuclear power plants, in preparation for missile strikes. This is part of a troubling trend: authoritarian regimes are weaponizing commercial space faster than we are defending against it. Ironically, our allies and partners often adopt these American-made technologies faster than our own government. Allied defense agencies are incorporating U.S. commercial imagery and analytics more effectively than the very agencies that helped develop them. The RAND Corporation recently cited Ukraine's use of U.S. commercial space technology as an asymmetric advantage over Russia. Their report concluded: "U.S. policymakers should continue developing robust contract arrangements with commercial space providers." Yet less than 1% of combined Department of Defense and Intelligence Community budgets are spent on commercial space. Even senior intelligence officials recognize the problem. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently noted that government agencies often reinvent tools the private sector has already developed more efficiently. Although commercial satellites generate terabytes of data daily, the government uses only a fraction. Decision-makers at NRO and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) still prioritize bespoke, classified satellites that take years to build and cost exponentially more than comparable commercial alternatives available now. They also create large, vulnerable targets for adversaries, while dual-use capabilities are far more practically and perceptively resilient. After the Cold War, America took its space dominance for granted and came to rely on Russian rockets to transport American astronauts. We can't afford to make the same mistake with commercial satellite technology. While bipartisan support for commercial space innovation exists, it must now be matched with decisive and sustained investment. Instead of cutting vital initiatives, successful programs like the Electro-Optical Commercial Layer (EOCL) must be safeguarded and expanded. Procurement processes must be modernized across defense and intelligence agencies to keep up with fast-moving private-sector technologies. That means sending a clear, consistent demand signal—not the instability of continuing resolutions or last-minute reversals. Cutting support for commercial space assets also contradicts President Trump's national security priorities. The president has accurately recognized space as "the next war-fighting domain." His administration has supported private-sector innovation and issued executive orders favoring commercial-first procurement. But rhetoric isn't enough—we need structural reform. Congress often funds commercial programs only for agencies to "reinterpret" the intent and redirect resources toward building bespoke government systems. This raises a critical question: does it make sense to house commercial funding inside agencies that are institutionally incentivized to build their own satellites? Congress should consider placing these funds in neutral entities that can acquire and deliver commercial capabilities across government. Agencies can focus on the exquisite systems only they can build, while commercial providers offer scalable, persistent solutions that adapt quickly to battlefield needs. In his second term, President Trump has a historic opportunity to usher in another era of American space dominance—while giving the warfighter the tools and information they need. But this future hinges on a thriving commercial space sector supported by smart, forward-thinking policy. Leaders in Washington must decide: will they let outdated thinking keep the world's best space technology off the battlefield—and allow China to seize the upper hand? Or will this White House break free from business-as-usual, invest in American commercial space capabilities, and secure our leadership in the most critical domain of the 21st century? The answer should be obvious—and it is imperative.


Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Astra's Early Test Fuels Hope for Cell Therapy Approach to Lupus
AstraZeneca Plc said a handful of patients with lupus went into remission after getting an experimental treatment, as the UK drugmaker plows billions into the growing area of cell therapy called CAR-T. The medicine, which Astra gained in the takeover of Gracell Biopharmaceuticals Inc., has only just entered clinical trials. But the tiny study, conducted in Shanghai, had a stark impact on ten young volunteers whose disease wasn't controlled by earlier treatment. Six of them no longer showed signs of having lupus nine months after the one-time infusion, according to early results.