Watermelons

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The birthplace of the watermelon may be surprising; the juicy fruits trace their roots to Africa, in the arid country of Sudan. Unlike other wild melons, the Kordofan melon is uncharacteristically sweet, which likely drew humans to cultivate it. The watermelon isn’t a water-hungry plant despite being 92% water itself, which helped make it the most beloved fruit across Africa; the Ancient Egyptians regarded it with such honour that their tombs were adorned with paintings of the fruit. Read full article here

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A look inside the lab building mushroom computers

The Unconventional Computing Laboratory at the University of the West of England is pushing the boundaries of computing, working to see if mushrooms can be used to carry out computing and sensing functions. By stimulating the mycelium—the branching, web-like root structure of the fungus—researchers can get it to produce electrical activity and see if it can be used to create complex, multi-dimensional functions that are more precise than traditional computers. This could lead to a whole new world of possibilities, such as using mushrooms to create fault-tolerant, energy-efficient computers and even mapping neural networks. It’s truly a fascinating field of study – and one that could shape the future of computing. Read full article here

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