March 2021 Highlights in Science

Scientists do some awesome things. What new things did we learn in March 2021? That don’t have to do with COVID?

Cicadas are Coming: Cicadas will swarm the Northeastern US when it gets a little warmer. The soil temperature has to reach about 64 degrees for them to appear. They will stay for about 4-6 weeks starting somewhere around late May. They will probably eat a lot of plants and leave a big mess, but not hurt anyone.

Muon Developments: Scientists at Fermilab in Illinois are close to getting far more accurate data than ever seen before about the muon, “a particle similar to the electron but heavier and unstable”. They are going to get a more accurate measurement of how magnetic the muon is, which could give scientists information about what other subatomic (smaller than an atom) particles are out there.

Plant-to-Insect Transfer: Scientists in Beijing have found a plant gene in an insect genome - which, at first glance, seems like no big deal, until you realize it got there on it’s own. The whitefly, a particularly stubborn pest to plants, stole the gene from a plant, at some point during the evolutionary arms race between the two species. The gene helps protect the fly from a chemical the plant makes to protect itself…from insects. It’s kind of like the fly genetically modified itself? Cool!

What have you learned recently? Share it below or email me at robin@stemsmartconsulting.com.