EU patent for genetically modified soybeans revoked

Hecate submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.nature.com)

Thirteen years ago, an agricultural company called Monsanto patented its "recipe" for genetically modified soybeans. This week, said patent was rejected by the European Patent Office, citing lack of novelty. The patent was actually for a means of creating any kind of genetically modified soybean, not just a particular strain. Opponents of the patent claimed that it gave Monsato "de facto control over all modified soybeans." The debate brought forward such motley allies as Syngenta, Greenpeace and Canada's ETC.

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Fake fruits could help restore rainforest

nomad submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.nature.com)

Bats can be lured into large areas of destroyed rainforest with fake fruits, researchers have found. This, they say, could be the key to restoring patchy parts of the landscape.

South American leaf-nosed bats of the family Phyllostomidae defaecate the seeds of the fruits they have eaten as they fly. This process, known as 'seed rain', aids plant dispersal throughout the rainforest.

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