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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Phytoplasmas are bacteria that can attack plant vascular tissues, causing various plant diseases. While most phytoplasma research begins by examining plants that show symptoms of disease, the new analysis focuses on tiny insects that carry infectious bacteria from plant to plant. By extracting and testing DNA from archives of planthopper specimens collected in natural areas, this study identified new phytoplasma strains and discovered new associations between planthoppers and phytoplasmas that are known to harm plants. Reported in the journal Biology, the study is the first to look for phytoplasma in insects from a natural area, said Illinois Natural History Survey postdoctoral researcher Valeria Trivellone, who led the study with INHS State Entomologist Christopher Dietrich. It is also the first to use multiple molecular approaches to detect and identify phytoplasma in planthoppers. The research team included Illinois Natural History postdoctoral researchers Yang...

Are period tracking apps a privacy concern? Andrea Ford, University of Edinburgh & Laura Lazaro Cabrera, Privacy International In late June, a law that was construed as granting the right to have an abortion in the US – Roe vs. Wade – was overturned, leaving decisions on the legality of the procedure for each state. Since then, half of US states have made moves to ban or restrict abortion, which technically means any woman who seeks the procedure can be prosecuted. After Roe vs Wade, a viral message quickly spread online, telling women to delete any period tracking app they were using. But why is this app a concern? Julia Ravey talks to Andrea Ford, a medical and cultural anthropologist at the University of Edinburgh… Andrea- There have been many concerns that have arisen since the news in the US. The concern is that the data in your app could potentially be used as incriminating evidence, if you were in a situation where you were mistreated for having an abortion. So...