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More food from the sea by 2050
If sustainably managed, wild fisheries and mariculture could help meet the rising demand for food in the long term.
Exploring the sustainability of the Indian sugar industry
Researchers analyzed the interconnected food, water and energy challenges that arise from the sugar industry in India – the second-largest producer of sugar worldwide – and how the political economy drives those challenges.
Q&A: Upscaling sustainability
Stanford scientists discuss obstacles for large-scale green initiatives and what it takes for sustainability efforts to deliver lasting benefits across borders, sectors and communities.
Global methane emissions soar to record high
The pandemic has tugged carbon emissions down, temporarily. But levels of the powerful heat-trapping gas methane continue to climb, dragging the world further away from a path that skirts the worst effects of global warming.
Finding food security underwater
Our growing need for food poses one of the biggest threats to the environment. Stanford ocean and food security experts explain how the ocean could produce dramatically more food while driving sustainable economic growth.
Predicting plant water needs in a warmer, drier world
New research suggests dry air and warmer temperatures may prompt bigger than expected changes in how water moves through plants. The adjustment may allow plants to survive with less water in future droughts, while downshifting how much carbon they absorb.
Staying off the murder hornet list
Experts from the Stanford-based Natural Capital Project explain the value of wild bees in our agricultural systems, especially in light of the increased risk murder hornets pose to domesticated honey bees.
COVID-19 could exacerbate food insecurity around the world
COVID-19 and other looming threats could make it much harder for people to access food. David Lobell, director of Stanford’s Center on Food Security and the Environment, outlines likely scenarios and possible solutions.
How forest loss leads to spread of disease
Viruses that jump from animals to people, like the one responsible for COVID-19, will likely become more common as people continue to transform natural habitats into agricultural land, a new study suggests.
Crop diversity can buffer the effects of climate change
The researchers found that farms with diverse crops planted together provide more secure, stable habitats for wildlife and are more resilient to climate change than the single-crop standard that dominates today’s agriculture industry.
Editor's picks: Top 10 Stanford Earth Matters stories of 2019
In a roundup that spans energy, geology, geophysics and Earth systems, here are some of the most interesting, high-impact and popular research stories from 2019.
Reduced soil tilling helps both soils and yields
By monitoring crops through machine learning and satellite data, Stanford scientists have found farms that till the soil less can increase yields of corn and soybeans and improve the health of the soil – a win-win for global food security.
Rice yields plummet and arsenic rises in future climate-soil scenarios
Research combining future climate conditions and arsenic-induced soil stresses predicts rice yields could decline about 40 percent by 2100, a loss that would impact about 2 billion people dependent on the global crop.
How can microsatellite data impact agricultural interventions?
New research finds small satellites can help increase food production in a low-cost and sustainable way.
Finding lead in turmeric
Some spice processors in Bangladesh use an industrial lead chromate pigment to imbue turmeric with a bright yellow color prized for curries and other traditional dishes, elevating blood lead levels in Bangladeshis.
What drove the collapse of Mexico’s jumbo squid fishery?
Stanford-led research has identified a perfect storm of warming waters and reduced food to blame in the collapse of the once-lucrative jumbo squid fishery off Baja California.
A new way to grow crops in marginal soils could help feed the world
The discovery of an eco-friendly form of genetic engineering for plants has the potential to open up more farmland for food production.
Summer reading: Sparking curiosity and conversations about our planet
Faculty at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences recommend these 22 books for your summer reading.
New process rinses heavy metals from toxic soils
An experimental chemical bath and electrochemical filter could now extract heavy metals from the soil and leave fields safe.