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Find out about the latest Biosciences news from the University of Sheffield.
Burned ponderosa pine forest after a wildfire in Northern Arizona. Credit: Beata Whitehead / Getty Images.

Putting wood security on the global agenda: researchers outline 20 core challenges

A landmark study led by the Centre for Global Wood Security formally defines the concept of global wood security and identifies the 20 greatest challenges to wood security in the 21st century.
An image of a root under a microscope

Ancient fungus unlocks secret support system in major food crops that could transform farming practices

Major agricultural crops like oilseed rape, cabbage, and kale may actually be able to tap into a natural subterranean support system to dramatically boost sustainability, following a discovery that overturns a century-old rule of plant biology.
An image of a Marmalade Hoverfly hanging from a small bright yellow flower. The fly has a stripey yellow and black body and highlights of purple on the head.

Shape-shifting brain cells key to ultra-fast perception

Shape-shifting sensory cells work alongside body movements to enable ultra-fast perception. This finding challenges conventional neural models and offers new directions for energy-efficient AI, robotic vision, and visual prostheses.
Supplied by Getty image, image of a landscape

New Study Reveals How African Restoration Projects Spill Over into Surrounding Landscapes

Researchers from the University of Sheffield and University of Cambridge have conducted the most comprehensive study to date on how habitat restoration in sub-Saharan Africa impacts tree loss beyond project boundaries.
Plants

Ancient genome function persists despite frequent mutations

A new Nature study led by HHU Düsseldorf and MPIPZ Cologne with Dr Lisa Smith and Professor Jurriaan Ton reveals the process by which centromeres change their sequence rapidly over time.