An apple a day – The gene that turns some apples red has been discovered by group at CSIRO, an Australian research facility. In response to light, the gene controls the formation of anthocyanins, or red pigments, in the skin of apples. Anthocyanins are rich in antioxidants, so scientists hope to produce apples with high anthocyanins to boost the health benefits of apples.

A fresh look for poinsettia – Taking advantage of a natural mutation in poinsettias, Dr. Daniel Warnock has propagated a new, as yet unnamed, variety of poinsettia that display marbled pink leaves. Interestingly, quite a lot of effort goes into making sure the traditional poinsettias are the beautiful red color just in time for the holidays – the plants are extremely sensitive to light and won’t turn red unless a strict dark/light regimen is followed. Don’t look for the new marbled pink variety at the local supermarket, though. It won’t hit stores any time soon.

Can planting a tree save the earth? – An international group of scientists has just completed a study investigating the global effects of deforestation. They find that *where* trees are planted makes a big difference in global climate change.

Sweet lettuce and other tomfoolery – A Japanese group is working on a protein called miraculin that fools the taste buds into believing that sour-tasting substances are sweet. They are using lettuce to produce large quantities of the protein. A natural source of miraculin is the African berry (Richadella dulcifica), however extracting large amounts of the protein from berries is technically challenging. Miraculin’s use as an artificial sweetener is limited – because miraculin is a protein, it cannot be cooked or heated without losing its properties. Miraculin-soaked broccoli, anyone?