Earth & Sky

Much of Earth’s population today depends on rice for food. In the fight against world hunger, David Salt of Purdue University in Indiana is looking for the genes that regulate micronutrients and trying to create a nutrient-packed rice plant.

Scientists at Penn State University are part of an investigation into the origin of flowers: the Floral Genome Project. They say flowers first appeared on Earth about 140 million years ago.

Global food supply tops the agenda of many scientists. A piece of prehistoric wisdom practiced by ancient pre-Amazon people- combined with modern science – could be a big help to the global food supply, and help stabilize climate change.

Our species owes its survival in part to the stoutness of the disease-resistant gene in grains, says the USDA’s Steve Scofield. He’s studying a gene that protects grasses – including wheat, rice, corn, barley, and other grains – from disease.

The dirt under our feet can help slow down climate change. Soil microbiologist Chuck Rice of Kansas State University explained how it works.

Watersheds around the country are creating a market for trading water quality, which is somewhat similar to trading carbon credits. The purpose is to control nutrient pollution in water, which can – for example – cause coastal waters to become toxic to both humans and animals.