What is clear, says Hoffman, who was former executive director at the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions, is that the decline of a particular crop can have a devastating impact on the local level—“like a giant factory moving out of town.” To help communities weather this change, the study says food growers will need …
What climate change means for the future of coffee Read More »
Make the most of leftovers. Brian Roe, professor in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at the Ohio State University, conducted a study on the use of leftovers and says you don’t have to be perfect in planning meals if you get creative with repurposing food. “A little olive oil and panko can make …
When done at a large scale, composting can make a dent in emissions. San Francisco, which established mandatory city-wide composting in 2009, has been able to divert 80 percent of its waste from landfills every year, more than 2.5 million tons overall. One estimate from the Natural Resources Defense Council finds that San Francisco’s composting …
How to compost—and why it’s good for the environment Read More »
Of course, no long-range forecast can predict when individual storms will arise or the paths they will take, but DaSilva cautions that those who live in areas prone to hurricanes, especially around the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, should prepare.“If a tropical storm system comes into this area, it could rapidly intensify, potentially close to …
Why the 2024 hurricane season could be especially active Read More »
(Is there a better way to get rid of old clothes?)While larger companies hope to use fungi to generate wholly new environmentally friendly materials at scale, independent designers are exploring their potential to modify or break down the planet’s extant heaps of discarded fabric. Helena Elston, a New York–based designer, was studying fashion in London …
Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think. Read More »
Some start-ups and nonprofits have promising solutions for helping fungi help us. Funga, a company in Austin, Texas, identifies native fungi that can assist trees in storing more carbon. SPUN, a scientific research organization, is mapping the world’s fungi to identify regional hot spots in need of conservation. At least 350 species are already at …
This deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the world Read More »
(Learn more about funga in a new National Geographic Society documentary.) A version of this story appears in the April 2024 issue of National Geographic magazine.
“This accumulation had to have formed over a period of probably tens of thousands of years,” says Ellis. And, Muceku explains, it was only when the mine cut to depths of around 2,000 feet that hydrogen gas began to escape and cause accidental explosions. The excavations appear to have fractured the roof of a concealed …
The gas in this exploding mine is odorless, colorless—and could transform the world Read More »
Spark of hopeImproved fire management could also play an important role in protecting animals in the Pyrocene. “Preventing accidental fires is important,” Jones says, “but fire is a natural part of many ecosystems. So creating conditions where fire can burn in a safe way, and using controlled burns to remove some of the fuel can prevent …
How animals are adapting to the rise of wildfires Read More »
Editor’s note: This story was originally published on April 10, 2023. It has been updated. This story appears in the April 2024 issue of National Geographic magazine.