agriculture
Bird Flu Is Back in the US. No One Knows What Comes Next
The fast-moving pathogen, which has already invaded Europe, was found in East Coast ducks. The last outbreak that tore through the US killed 50 million birds.
Is There Really Such a Thing as Low-Carbon Beef?
The USDA is making it easier for farmers to market their meat as “low-carbon.” Not everyone is happy about it.
Can Synthetic Palm Oil Help Save the World’s Tropical Forests?
Harvesting this vegetable oil is a huge driver of deforestation. Numerous startups are taking up the daunting task of engineering it instead.
Self-Driving Vehicles Are Here—If You Know Where to Look
Glossy visions of an autonomous future always seem just out of reach. But two insiders say the technology is available on farms and on clear, dry streets.
Growing Peppers on the ISS Is Just the Start of Space Farming
The chile peppers thrived in a controlled microgravity environment. But to develop agriculture away from Earth, NASA will have to think outside the box.
Your Rooftop Garden Could Be a Solar-Powered Working Farm
A new scientific field proposes an idea that could help generate food and energy while reducing a building's cooling costs.
Curb Your Food Tech Enthusiasm
Innovation might help us create a low-carbon food system, but that's not the same thing as a sustainable or ethical one.
The Next Big Thing for RNA? Fixing Moldy Food
Covid vaccines alerted to the world to RNA's potential. Now the technology is being used as an alternative to pesticides.
Growing Crops Under Solar Panels? Now There’s a Bright Idea
In the new scientific (and literal) field of agrivoltaics, researchers are showing how panels can increase yields and reduce water use on a warming planet.
Another Global Pandemic Is Spreading—Among Pigs
African swine fever killed half the pigs in China. There is no vaccine and no treatment. Now it’s in the Caribbean and on the doorstep of the US.
How Healthy Is Farm Soil? Check How Active Its Microbes Are
Researchers developed a probe that could help farmers better understand their land by measuring the electric current from the tiny creatures in the dirt.
Oregon Is Burning Trees in Order to Save Them
Sudden oak death, rampant in California, is spreading to the north, leaving the Forest Service with a tough option: Send them up in smoke.
A Plan to Slow the Creep of the Sahara—by Planting Gardens
People along the desert’s border are building a kind of circular plot called a tolou keur to keep the soil fertile and to slow desertification.
Is the Robot-Filled Future of Farming a Nightmare or Utopia?
A new paper argues that the rise of artificial intelligence in agriculture could be the best—or worst—innovation for our environment.
John Deere Doubles Down on Silicon Valley and Robots
The farm-equipment giant is buying Bear Flag Robotics, which makes autonomous tractors, marking its second big tech buy in four years.
The Weird, Sustainable Booze of the Future Tastes … Good?
Small distilleries like Empirical Spirits are working on uncategorizable drinks made of stuff like plum pits, for the resilient quaff of tomorrow.
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Extreme Heat Could Also Mean Power and Water Shortages
An extraordinary drought in the West, plus dry lakes and reservoirs, mean there will be less water for farms, hydroelectric energy, and home users.
Mystery Solved: How Plant Cells Know When to Stop Growing
The discovery could have a profound effect on cell research for many species of plants and animals, as well as the future of crops.
When the Next Animal Plague Hits, Can This Lab Stop It?
A new federal facility in Kansas will house the deadliest agricultural pathogens in the world—and researchers working tirelessly to contain them.
Which Crops Can Survive Drought? Nanosensors May Offer Clues
The technique can be used to track how water flows through plants—which could be key to breeding more resilient crops in an increasingly hot, dry climate.
When the Bison Come Back, Will the Ecosystem Follow?
An effort to bring wild buffalo to the Great Plains aims to restore one of the world’s most endangered landscapes and increase climate resilience.
China's Quiet Ecommerce Giant Thrives on Fresh Produce
Pinduoduo, which recently passed Alibaba as the shopping site with the most customers, connects 12 million farmers to more than 800 million users.
This Countertop Composter Turns Table Scraps Into Plant Food
If your city doesn’t have a food-waste recycling program, consider Vitamix’s gadget for composting your leftovers.
Want Carbon-Neutral Cows? Algae Isn’t the Answer
Recent headlines suggest that feeding seaweed to cattle could help reduce the methane in their burps. But the claims don’t hold up under scrutiny.