News Stories - Page 6

Cordyceps, the fungus behind The Last of Us, is real, and it actually does turn some species of ants into zombie-like creatures. The fungus penetrates the ant’s exoskeleton and begins to multiply. Eventually, the fungal cells take over the ant’s central nervous system. It causes the ant to fall from its primary habitat in the tree canopy to the forest floor. Then the fungus makes the zombified creature climb a tree to an ideal height of almost a foot off the ground. The ant bites onto the plant so forcefully that not even death can dislodge it. When the time is right, the fungus bursts from the ant’s body, scattering spores across the forest floor. And the cycle repeats. CAES News
A New Public Health Enemy No. 1
As antimicrobial resistance grows, the world faces a deadly adversary few predicted: fungus. The battle against pathogenic fungi is raging, and UGA researchers are on the frontlines. “The fungus starts to direct the ant’s behavior, telling it where to go, what to do, like a puppeteer with a marionette. And it gets worse,” Dr. Neuman begins. “The fungus needs food to live, so it begins to devour its host from within, replacing the ant’s flesh with its own. But it doesn’t let its victim die. No, it keeps its puppet alive.”
A new UGA study found that individuals 65 and older are more than more than 10 times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than people in the 18-to-24-year age bracket. (Getty Images) CAES News
Type 2 diabetes increased by almost 20% over a decade
Type 2 diabetes increased by almost 20% between 2012 and 2022, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. The researchers found an increase in diabetes among all sociodemographic groups. But non-Hispanic Black people were particularly hard hit by the disease, with just under 16% of Black study participants reporting being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. More than 1 in 5 individuals aged 65 or older had the condition.
goldenlatte CAES News
UGA researchers develop ‘instant’ version of trendy golden milk latte
Nestled among cappuccinos and traditional espresso lattes, a unique, golden-hued beverage has grown increasingly popular on cafe menus over the past several years. Advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, “golden” turmeric milk is a take on haldi doodh — a traditional Indian beverage often used as an at-home cold remedy. Now researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have developed a new method to make a plant-based, instant version of the beverage.
Jennifer Berry, Apicultural Research Professional and Lab Manager for the UGA Honey Bee Program, recently achieved her Ph.D. and Triple Dawg status. She has been working with the Honey Bee Program at UGA for over 20 years. (Photo by UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.) CAES News
Queen bee: Berry turns a sweet hobby into research and impact
Jennifer Berry has always been interested in insects. As a child, she would spend time in the woods behind her house, fascinated by the multi-legged life that lived among the trees. In summers, Berry visited her grandparents’ Missouri farm, where her grandfather would take her to a buzzing tree to collect bits of honeycomb. After safely smoking out some of the bees, he would hold Berry up to see the hive and take a couple of small combs for them to enjoy. “I always wanted more,” she said.
southgeorgiafarmfield (1) CAES News
CAES releases 20 years of farm gate trends
For more than two decades, the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report has offered a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for commodities in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. The reports provide essential data to farmers in the state’s 159 counties. Now the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is providing Georgia’s producers with a new tool, the Georgia Farm Gate Value 20-Year Trends.
Stan Gray in Rivers of Iris at Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens CAES News
Experts study mystery irises at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens
The Rivers of Iris exhibit at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens (CGBG) is flourishing, but the technicolor blooms aren’t the only things attracting attention. Stan Gray, volunteer iris curator at CGBG, and Brian Shamblin, an associate research scientist with the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, are growing several mystery irises at the gardens that could prove to be one of two exceptionally rare iris species: Iris rivularis or a variant of Iris hexagona.
Honorees at the 2024 State 4-H Congress included 4-H Green Jacket Award winner Jay Morgan, Master 4-H’er Vidhi Patel, Warnell Associate Dean for Outreach Nick Fuhrman for Warnell  accepting the Friend of 4-H Award on behalf of the college, Georgia 4-H State President Kingston Ryals, William H. Booth Award winner Patrick Willis, and Ryles Rising Star Award Laura Mirarchi. CAES News
Outstanding youth, supportive adults celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress
Accomplished 4-H youth and the adults who empower them gathered at the 81st Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers features state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action competitions and recognizes youth development professionals and community supporters contributing to the success of 4-H in Georgia. More than 200 youth delegates competed in 50 Project Achievement areas and eight youth delegates competed in the Leadership in Action contest during annual event.
Students walk on the Georgia Quadrangle next to the Miller Learning Center. (Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA welcomes class of 2028
This week, the University of Georgia welcomes 6,175 first-year students from more than 43,000 applicants. It’s one of most academically qualified classes in the university’s history, and the numbers are on target with UGA’s new strategic enrollment plan. These first-year students arrive with an average of 10 Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual-enrollment courses and an average high school GPA of 4.13, marking the eighth consecutive year that the average weighted high school GPA of the incoming class exceeds 4.0.
LiceCheck CAES News
A back-to-school guide to the nitty-gritty on head lice
As students return to school, head lice often become a common concern for administrators and parents. Understanding how to prevent and manage head lice infestations is crucial for maintaining healthy environments in schools and at home. Allison Johnson, the Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for the University of Georgia, provides essential information and advice to help mitigate the spread of this pesky pest.