'We're talking about enough food for hundreds of millions of people': Why are crops suddenly failing in different parts of the world?

‘We’re talking about enough food for hundreds of millions of people’: Why are crops suddenly failing in different parts of the world?

Amy Boyington | Cool Down |
In fields across the globe, crops that once thrived under predictable seasons are now struggling to survive. Hotter days and ...
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‘Digital-twin technology’ could revolutionize agriculture. Here’s what happened when it was adopted on one Texas farm

Jenny Allison | Cool Down |
It sounds like the stuff of science fiction — but with enough data, new agricultural models really are able to predict the ...
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Assisting evolution: Gene drives increase crop climate resilience while preserving diversity

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
Chinese scientists have reportedly engineered a way to use gene-editing technology to bypass natural plant behavior and force crops to inherit genes ...
Sliced tomato on cutting board Photo by Meredith

Tomatoes are thirsty crops. Here’s how CRISPR gene-editing could help them thrive with less water

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
Researchers have figured out how to grow tomatoes that consume less water without compromising the yield, quality, or taste, Phys.org reported ...
From food waste to plastic-free biodegradables? Leftover rice byproducts might be key to sustainable packaging

From food waste to plastic-free biodegradables? Leftover rice byproducts might be key to sustainable packaging

Leslie Sattler | Cool Down |
You know that protective outer layer you toss out before cooking rice? Scientists at Kyungpook National University in South Korea ...
Antibacterial wax coating made from cinnamon? Here is a ‘natural’ way to extend shelf life of food

Antibacterial wax coating made from cinnamon? Here is a ‘natural’ way to extend shelf life of food

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
A team of researchers at Texas A&M University determined a way to make fruits and vegetables last longer — using only ingredients approved ...
China develops gene-edited rice variety that could resist debilitating crop disease

China develops gene-edited rice variety that could resist debilitating crop disease

Susan Elizabeth Turek | Cool Down |
Scientists have made an exciting breakthrough that resulted in mutant rice with enhanced immunity against a devastating disease ...
Harnessing power of fungi could play key role in sucking CO2 from the atmosphere

Harnessing power of fungi could play key role in sucking CO2 from the atmosphere

Leo Collis | Cool Down |
Fungi is being put to use in a range of planet-friendly functions, from being developed as a non-polluting flame retardant to being ...
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Gene-edited chickens could reduce the threat of bird flu spread and promote sustainability

Susan Elizabeth Turek | Cool Down |
A solution may be around the corner to an avian flu outbreak that has led to the deaths of millions of ...
‘Super banana' controversy: Why orange-hued, blindness-fighting ‘Banana21’ that African researchers spent 20+ years crafting might never make it to market

‘Super banana’ controversy: Why orange-hued, blindness-fighting ‘Banana21’ that African researchers spent 20+ years crafting might never make it to market

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
Scientists in Uganda have created a genetically modified banana in the hopes of saving thousands of children in the country who die ...
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How gene editing and AI can drive sustainable forestry and revolutionize the paper industry

Tina Deines | Cool Down |
About a quarter of wood consists of something called lignin. While lignin serves an important role for trees, helping them grow taller and get ...
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Tomatoes ready for harvest in 40 days? Gene edited prototypes could transform one of the world’s most popular fruits

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
Scientists have just genetically modified cherry tomatoes to make them easier to grow, and the future applications could include making them more ...
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Cherry tomatoes of the future are here today thanks to gene editing. They grow faster, in clusters, and even indoors

Jeremiah Budin | Cool Down |
Scientists have just genetically modified cherry tomatoes to make them easier to grow, and the future applications could include making them more ...