Prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall -- how do desert soil bacteria manage to survive such harsh conditions? This long-debated question has now been answered by microbiologists.

Imagine a landscape so barren it resembles Mars itself, where some weather stations have never recorded a single drop of rain in their entire operational history. This isn't science fiction – it's the ...

The foundation of any happy garden is the soil. In fact, some might argue that a gardener’s job isn’t to grow plants but to cultivate healthy soil. In our desert, we are lucky to have plenty of ...

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Just below our feet, there is a universe that is busy, active and alive. Next Saturday, the High Desert Museum invites visitors of all ages to explore the interconnected, ...

A new study published in The Innovation has revealed the microstructure and expansion mechanism of cyanobacteria-dominated biological soil crusts (BSCs). By employing micro-scale X-ray computed ...

The animals help redistribute calcium and phosphorous by crunching bones. This is an Inside Science story. The crushing jaws of hyenas may act as a kind of nutrient blender, grinding out calcium and ...

Cacti are a type of plant that is known for its thick, fleshy stem and its spines. These plants are native to the deserts of North and South America, and have adapted to the dry, hot climate by ...