Agriculture

The latest on what's growing and what's faltering across the world's farms—and the resources they use to keep running.

Latest in Agriculture

Paleo and keto diets aren’t great for you or the planet, study says
Environment

Paleo and keto diets aren’t great for you or the planet, study says

By Carla Delgado

Poop emoji covered in soap bubbles on a light blue background
Environment

Your poop is useful. Meet the father-son team creating ‘humanure.’

By Lina Zeldovich

The US government wants to round up the West’s feral cattle
Environment

The US government wants to round up the West’s feral cattle

By Jonathan Thompson / High Country News

Whitespotted eagle ray swimming in the ocean.
Environment

Scientists test different gear for protecting clams from ‘crunching’ rays

By Laura Baisas

A worm at the bottom of a shot glass of Mezcal.
Science

What kind of worm is in your mezcal?

By Laura Baisas

Corn stalk leaf measuring robot parked in front of field
Technology

The corn leaf angle measuring robot is more useful than you think

By Andrew Paul

Beech mushrooms growing on a substrate against a gold background
Environment

How to use the power of mushrooms to improve your life

By Julia Craven

Miniature greenhouse with semitransparent solar cell roof growing crop
Technology

Scientists think this tiny greenhouse could be a game changer for agrivoltaics

By Andrew Paul

The entrance to the Mycenae citadel in Greece called the Lion Gate.
Science

Details of life in Bronze Age Mycenae could lie at the bottom of a well

By Laura Baisas

Three rows of various plant-based milks in a grocery store refrigerator.
Environment

The FDA says it’s ok to call almond milk ‘milk’ (for now)

By Laura Baisas

Two light brown cows standing on a grassy hill against a yellow sun and purple clouds. Illustration.
Environment

The social lives of cows are remarkably sophisticated

By Brandon Keim

A tractor in Argentina drives over a dry and dusty soybean field with a blazing sun.
Environment

La Niña is exacerbating drought conditions for millions

By Laura Baisas

A small, young plant sprouts up from dark soil.
Environment

Smarter fertilizer use could shrink our agricultural carbon footprint

By Laura Baisas

White bread loaf cut into slices with spoonful of soybean flour
Environment

A new ingredient could revolutionize white bread

By Zayna Syed

Oyster farms are all the rage—until they block your ocean views
Environment

Oyster farms are all the rage—until they block your ocean views

By Magdalena Puniewska / Hakai Magazine

Why we shouldn’t get too excited about bioplastics
Environment

Why we shouldn’t get too excited about bioplastics

By Michael Allen / Hakai Magazine

A seaweed farm underwater near an island in Indonesia.
Environment

Why seaweed farming could be the next big thing in sustainability

By Laura Baisas

John Deere finally agrees to let farmers fix their own equipment, but there’s a catch
Technology

John Deere finally agrees to let farmers fix their own equipment, but there’s a catch

By Andrew Paul

The EPA wants more ‘renewable’ fuel. But what does that actually mean?
Environment

The EPA wants more ‘renewable’ fuel. But what does that actually mean?

By John McCracken / Grist

Colorful produce at a grocery store.
Environment

Why US vegetable prices have skyrocketed in the past year

By Laura Baisas

Rising sun viewed from the stone causeway of the solar observatory on Mount Tlaloc, Mexico.
Environment

The Aztecs’ solar calendar helped grow food for millions of people

By Laura Baisas

Wastewater could be the secret to eco-friendly fertilizer
Environment

Wastewater could be the secret to eco-friendly fertilizer

By Carla Delgado

‘Red Robin’ dwarf tomato growing in Veggie hardware at the Kennedy Space Center. Image courtesy of NASA
Science

Microgravity tomatoes, yogurt bacteria, and plastic eating microbes are headed to the ISS

By Andrew Paul

Why German scientists got cows stoned
Environment

Why German scientists got cows stoned

By Sara Kiley Watson

How kelp farming is helping revive the economy and ecology of a Long Island bay
Environment

How kelp farming is helping revive the economy and ecology of a Long Island bay

By Iris M. Crawford / Nexus Media

Dam reservoir
Environment

Dams show promise for sustainable food systems, but we should tread lightly

By Laura Baisas

a small green desert shrub with small yellow buds at the tips
Environment

To save water, Arizona farmers are growing guayule for sustainable tires

By Zayna Syed

a fuzzy bumblebee settles on a pink flower
Science

Bees can sense a flower’s electric field—unless fertilizer messes with the buzz

By Lauren J. Young

Some climate activists aren’t suing over the future—they are taking aim at the present
Environment

Some climate activists aren’t suing over the future—they are taking aim at the present

By Isabella Kaminski / Hakai Magazine

Italian chefs are cooking up a solution to booming jellyfish populations
Environment

Italian chefs are cooking up a solution to booming jellyfish populations

By Agostino Petroni / Hakai Magazine

Roofgarden in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Technology

Pumping carbon dioxide waste to rooftop gardens boosts crop yields

By Andrew Paul

a closeup of honeybees on honeycomb
Science

The first honeybee vaccine could protect the entire hive, starting with the queen

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

New Zealand may be the first country to carbon price cow farts
Environment

New Zealand may be the first country to carbon price cow farts

By Carla Delgado

brilliant-10-2022
Science

The Brilliant 10: The top up-and-coming minds in science

By Mara Grunbaum, Yasmin Tayag

A flooded field
Environment

How disastrous floods can also lead to food insecurity

By Laura Baisas

A man standing in a field lands a drone in the back of a pickup truck.
Technology

Microsoft is hoping its algorithms can help farmers—and the planet

By Helen Bradshaw

Orange and white pottery shards sit scattered on top of a dark blue background.
Science

Cacao was probably loved by all, even 1,000 years ago in Maya culture

By Helen Bradshaw

Bowl of mussels.
Environment

Eating seafood can be more sustainable and healthy than red meat

By Carla Delgado

Groundwater pumps like this one deliver water from below to farms in Bangladesh.
Environment

Farmers accidentally created a flood-resistant ‘machine’ across Bangladesh

By Rahul Rao

Biofuel is a ‘renewable’ resource, but climate change could soon limit its potential
Environment

Biofuel is a ‘renewable’ resource, but climate change could soon limit its potential

By Carla Delgado

Components from the board game Promesa.
Environment

You’ll need to solve Puerto Rico’s debt crisis to win this new board game

By Maria Parazo Rose

Printer making flyers.
Environment

Should we switch from petroleum ink to soy-based ink?

By Carla Delgado

Press photo of John Deere 8RX Tractor with ExactEmerge Planter
Technology

John Deere tractors are getting the jailbreak treatment from hackers

By Andrew Paul

Farmers and scientists unite to save the home of an endangered salamander
Environment

Farmers and scientists unite to save the home of an endangered salamander

By Lourdes Medrano/Undark

A clay pot filled with milk, with a spoon of milk over it.
Science

Ancient milk-drinkers were just fine with their lactose intolerance–until famine struck

By Philip Kiefer

A person using a plant ID app

Become a better plant parent with this plant identification and care app

By Stack Commerce

Woman shopping for fruit in grocery store.
Environment

The case for paying carbon taxes on unsustainable food

By Carla Delgado

Cow eating hay at farm.
Environment

We’re one key step closer to buying lab-grown burgers

By Sara Kiley Watson

Field of pearl millet grain crops
Environment

Pee makes for great fertilizer. But is it safe?

By Thor Benson

Soil with small green plants.
Environment

Diverse microbes are key to healthy soil. Climate change is threatening that.

By Carla Delgado

Coffee farm in Puerto Rico covered in tarp to protect it from climate change
Environment

Climate-related food shortages are driving more Puerto Ricans to farming

By Angely Mercado / Nexus Media News

Farmer holding freshly harvested carrots.
Environment

The EU’s plan to halve pesticide use is ambitious, but realistic

By Sara Kiley Watson

Three jugs of milk on sidewalk.
Environment

Heat stress might curdle the dairy industry

By Carla Delgado

Vegetables on grocery produce shelf.
Environment

Transportation makes up a fifth of all food system carbon emissions

By Sara Kiley Watson

A pantry full of many canned and preserved fruits and vegetables.
DIY

Expert tips for growing food in all four seasons

By Alice Waters

Rise Gardens brand indoor hydroponic garden
Environment

Try your hand at sustainable gardening with at-home hydroponics

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Photo of Antarctica.
Environment

To grow food in space, we had to start in the Antarctic

By Daniella McCahey / The Conversation

Palm fruit on grass.
Environment

Indonesia’s palm oil ban is hurting its own people the most

By Sara Kiley Watson

Black farmer on a no-till tractor with pistachio trees in the background
Environment

US farmers can help in the battle for climate resiliency. A massive bill highlights how.

By Kristine Liao

Quorn sausage and bean stew in a skillet.
Environment

This fermented meat alternative could help halve global deforestation rates

By Carla Delgado

A photo of robotic equipment on a farm.
Technology

Why the road to robotic farming is uncertain

By Tom Johnson / Undark

An illustration of obscure crops
Environment

5 heirloom foods that farmers want to bring back from obscurity

By Andrew Zaleski

The Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River.
Environment

From pollution to dams: here’s what is plaguing America’s 10 most endangered rivers

By Sara Kiley Watson

crop rows of leafy greens being watered on a large farm
Environment

NASA is watching California’s groundwater crisis from space

By Tatyana Woodall