soil

The biodiversity crisis in Africa and the developing world is causing tangible impacts such as reduced soil productivity and declining fish stocks in coastal waters. Africans are directly experiencing these losses, which threaten their livelihoods and food security.

Indian women are combating toxic coal dust, the US achieved a solar energy milestone, and Kenya and global car industries reported positive environmental developments.

Sébastien Fontaine, a biochemist, has spent 15 years studying carbon release from sterilized soil. His team sealed dirt in jars, sterilized it with gamma radiation, and measured carbon dioxide emissions to understand soil's role in carbon dynamics.

Wildlife experts in Gibraltar are urging tourists to stop feeding the local macaque monkeys junk food. The monkeys have begun eating soil to self-medicate, likely in response to dietary imbalances caused by processed foods.

Scientists have developed a dirt-powered fuel cell using soil microbes to generate electricity, capable of powering underground sensors for monitoring tasks without batteries or solar panels. The technology works in diverse conditions and offers longer durability than similar systems, with potential applications in sustainable agriculture and environmental monitoring.