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The approach is called digital-twin technology, and it's been developed by teams at Texas A&M AgriLife Research who published their findings in the Computers and Electronics in Agriculture journal. A mixed group of agronomists, computer engineers, electrical engineers, and civil engineers developed the initial model, which combines remote sensing and data collection.

A year after a partnership between Texas A&M Medical School and CHRISTUS hospitals was announced, several med students have had the opportunity to get some hands-on experience in rural East Texas. The program allows students to complete two-week rotations in Sulphur Springs. Three A&M medical students have completed the rotation in the past year.

"The problem with making health decisions like vaccination on an individual level is that viruses don't see us as individuals," says Ben Neuman, professor of biology at Texas A&M University. "[They] see humanity as a group. And once the virus gets into one of us, the chances are greater that it gets into another person." Neuman describes vaccination against diseases like measles as "basically a moral responsibility of living in a modern democracy. Treating [the decision to get vaccinated] as an individual liberty is essentially irresponsible, in a public-health sense."

Studies on various animals have also found their stress levels do rise during air transport — especially during phases of planing and deplaning, for example. One study tracked the physiological responses of air journeys in 24 beagles and found the greatest increases in their heart rates occurred while loading and unloading. “Our pets are very routine-oriented, and [travel is] a big disruption to their routine,” says Lori Teller, veterinarian and Texas A&M University clinical professor.

Californians are the nation’s top consumer of Mexican avocados, importing $602 million of the Hass varietal in the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to a report by Texas A&M professors for the Mexican Hass Avocado Import Assn.

According to Garett Slater, one of the state’s leading honey bee specialists at Texas A&M University, there are often five key reasons why honey bee colonies collapse: parasites like the Varroa mite, pathogens, pesticides, poor nutrition among the bees and weak queen bees, who are responsible for keeping bee colonies unified and laying eggs. The cause of recent losses is likely a combination of these factors, said Slater, who works directly with beekeepers to help prevent colony collapse.

While avocados are grown in California and Florida, the vast majority of those we consume today come from Mexico – more than 90%. So much so that avocados are now the highest value agricultural commodity imported into the United States, having surpassed bananas in 2017. “The increase in consumption is unbelievable, it’s amazing how it’s been assimilated,” said Luis Ribera, an agricultural economist with Texas A&M University. “They’ve become a grocery store staple.”

As the windows of the Texas A&M-Fort Worth downtown campus go up, the vision for the academic programs and business hubs that will be part of the urban university are coming more into focus.

Texas A&M event introduces children to careers in veterinary medicine

KBTX • Feb 22, 2025

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -The Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) welcomed about 250 children to its third annual Veterinary Education Day, offering hands-on experiences to inspire the next generation of veterinarians.