Dr. Mom Was Right — And Wrong — About Washing Fruits And Vegetables - Most people wash their fruits and vegetables before eating them, but it turns out that simple washing may not be enough. Microbes can wedge into the nooks and crannies of fruits and vegetables where soaps can’t reach. A USDA study shows that irradiation may be a more reliable way of killing the potentially harmful microbes. The FDA is reviewing these findings.

Sudden Oak Death Pathogen is Evolving, Says New Study that Reconstructs the Epidemic - Researchers from the University of California in Berkeley have reconstructed the beginnings of the state’s Sudden Oak Death epidemic that is currently spreading through millions of oak trees. Scientists have shown that the
devastating plant pathogen is evolving, which raises concerns about the future of oak trees (and possibly all trees) in California. By studying the pathogen’s genetic makeup, researchers are narrowing in on a possible source of the Sudden Oak Death, which is likely a nursery that was shut down earlier due to infestation. Published in Molecular Ecology.

Scientists Obtain Anticancer Medicines from the Elecampe, A Wild Plant Growing in the Mediterranean - Researchers from the University of Granada have made huge steps in migraine and cancer research. The group has discovered that the plant
Dittirichia viscose (more commonly known as elecampe) can be used to inhibit migraines. The researchers also discovered compound that prevents the growth and metastasis of brain and lung cancers.