Forest Service Scientist Uses X-Rays To Understand Wood-Decay Mechanism

The innovative use of sophisticated physics technology by a USDA Forest Service biologist has led to fundamental advances in understanding the molecular and chemical processes involved in fungal wood decay, thereby opening the way to the development of new, environmentally preferable methods for protecting wood. The discoveries are considered important because nearly 10 percent of the 300 million tons of trees harvested annually in the United States are used to replace wood products damaged by decay.