Oat is an important crop with many health benefits and diverse applications. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Helmholtz Munich, and the Leibniz-Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) have decoded the pan-genome of 33 oat lines—mapping their full genetic diversity. This comprehensive overview provides leverage for breeding more resilient, higher-yielding plants, as oats, too, face mounting pressures from a changing climate.

A new study led by a UNU scientist warns that land subsidence driven by groundwater decline is putting thousands of buildings in India’s largest cities at risk of structural damage. Researchers estimate that over 2,400 buildings in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai are already highly vulnerable, with more than 23,000 at risk across five megacities if current trends persist. The authors urge urgent action to reduce groundwater extraction and strengthen urban resilience to protect millions living in sinking areas.

Song Fang, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation to create training-free detection methods and novel countermeasures to protect sensitive information from emerging wireless eavesdropping techniques.