Earth’s earliest animals may have held evolution back because they reproduced asexually, creating low-competition communities that changed very little over time. When environmental pressures pushed them toward sexual reproduction, biodiversity exploded and evolution accelerated dramatically.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping the contours of life as we know it. In agriculture, the world market for AI is expected to reach almost US$47 billion by 2034. AI enables higher farm yields with fewer inputs, an outcome that matters deeply in an era of climate uncertainty and resource scarcity.In Canada, agricultural policymakers and industry leaders are gradually waking up to the promise of AI. However, as Canada’s new AI for All strategy recognizes, technology alone will
All part of the horticulture training program, surely.
When a rare copy of Galileo Galilei’s Sidereus Nuncius came on the market in 2005, there was talk it could reach a sales price of $10 million. It was, after all, supposed to be a unique version of one of the most famous documents in the history of science—one that would be authenticated by experts as being signed and illustrated by Galileo himself.Tech billionaires have made the history of science a very hot market, one which tends to suck volumes into private collections and away from both the
South Australia’s koala population has grown so large that it may be heading toward a self-made disaster, with forests struggling to support the animals. Researchers say targeted fertility control could prevent widespread starvation and habitat collapse before it’s too late.
Buoyed by proactive state policies, targeted budgetary incentives, and a growing network of domestic and international partnerships, India’s horticulture sector is entering a new phase of expansion, ...
Agriculture today is a massive, globally interconnected industry. That interconnectivity has brought jobs and varied foods to people who might not otherwise be able to access them. However, like many other industries today, agriculture is dependent on a small number of key regions that support a vast network. What made the modern food system seem resilient was never abundance alone. It was geography. Regions like the North American Prairies, Ukrainian Steppe and northern India grow much of the c
AgriTech Start-ups in IndiaIndia’s agritech sector has evolved from simple digital marketplaces into a sophisticated ecosystem providing precision farming, deep-tier supply chain logistics, and fintech solutions for rural populations. As of 2026, the industry is characterized by consolidation (e.g., Unnati acquiring Gramophone) and a shift toward Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) models.The following list highlights the…AgriTech Start-ups in India
How Gauteng is creating Job Opportunities for the Youth and an Inclusive Growth Economy at The 2026 Future of Jobs Summit (held on 28 May 2026 at The Maslow, Sandton, South Africa)
Large-scale solar power plants are key elements of energy policies in New York and other states. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe state of New York could meet its goal of building 46 gigawatts of large-scale solar by midcentury, but not without making difficult choices in how land is used across the state. That’s the overall finding of an analysis several colleagues and I have made in that state. It’s an issue that other states, and the U.S. as a whole, are facing as they
Octopuses may be even smarter than we thought. Researchers at Dartmouth found that octopuses can learn to use mirrors to locate food hidden behind them—a skill previously seen only in vertebrates like mammals and birds. After training, the animals correctly identified the food’s location about 73% of the time, showing they could use a mirror as a tool rather than simply reacting to a reflection.
New studies suggest consciousness can't be judged solely by behavior, whether it's a chatbot discussing philosophy or a bee searching for nectar. Researchers are increasingly focusing on the internal mechanisms of brains and computers, concluding that today's AI is likely not conscious while leaving open the possibility for both conscious insects and future machines.
Scientists examining amber from Goethe’s personal collection discovered three hidden fossil insects, including an extinct ant preserved in extraordinary detail. Advanced 3D imaging allowed researchers to see not only the ant’s outer features but also structures inside its body. The findings offer new clues about the species’ biology and suggest it likely built large nests in trees.
Hidden beneath Arctic waters, beluga whales have long kept their family lives a mystery. By analyzing DNA from more than 600 belugas in Alaska’s Bristol Bay over 13 years, researchers uncovered a surprisingly flexible mating system: both males and females regularly have offspring with different partners over their lifetimes.
Globally, agriculture faces mounting pressures. These are driven by climate change, land degradation, labour shortages, supply chain disruptions and the demand for food from a growing population.At the same time, productivity is uneven. For example, maize yields in the US often exceed 10 tons per hectare. These high yields are driven by mechanisation, improved seed varieties, irrigation and efficient input use, supported increasingly by precision agriculture technologies. In contrast, yields in
Have algorithms and AI flattened popular culture the way industrial farming flattened the prairie? alffoto/iStock via Getty Images PlusWhen “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” aired its final episode on May 21, 2026, critics lamented more than the end of a television program.It was a nightly ritual that millions of Americans participated in, with Bloomberg media reporter Lucas Shaw describing its cancellation as one more sign of “the decline of monoculture.”Eulogies for “the monoculture” have a
In recent years, with the huge advancements in technology, it’s only natural that agriculture is changing as well. Today, farmers can turn to modern devices to make decisions instead of ...
The Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) Horse Trials to be held on 13th & 14th June 2026 will once again host classes from BE90 and BE100, including GO BE and Open sections for both levels and a BE100 Open Under 18 plus Novice and Open Novice classes, again with an Open Novice Under 18 section. Run by BEDE Events, the cross country courses designed by Stuart Buntine runs over gently undulating permanent pasture and is designed to be a fair test for the less experienced horse. The courses ar
Globally, about one in five people in jobs live in poverty. A key reason lies in how global supply chains are organised. From agriculture to tourism, many jobs are embedded in systems that keep wages low, even as they generate value for international markets.This has brought renewed urgency to the living wage debate. In 2024, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) formally endorsed general principles for defining and calculating living wages across different national contexts, including gui
A massive global analysis found that nitrogen pollution can either speed up or dramatically slow the natural "breathing" of forest soils, depending on the ecosystem's condition. The results reveal hidden tipping points that could affect how forests store carbon and cope with climate change.
