51¶¯Âþ

agriculture

Cocoa pods

Earth

Our lust for tastier chocolate has transformed the cocoa tree

Ever since we domesticated the cocoa tree over 3000 years ago, we have been breeding them to make tastier chocolate – but in the process we have made them vulnerable

51¶¯Âþ

Bumblebees solve the travelling salesman problem on the fly

Life

Bumblebees solve the travelling salesman problem on the fly

51¶¯Âþ

Variegated green crop circles covering what was once shortgrass prairie in southwestern Kansas

Earth

If we only ate organic it would be an environmental disaster

Analysis

Field of wheat being sprayed

Earth

Ban on weedkiller glyphosate won't save anyone from cancer

Analysis

Alexandre Aebi inspecting one of his hives in his apiary in Switzerland

Life

Neonicotinoid pesticides found in honey from every continent

51¶¯Âþ

A beach on Hainan

Earth

Early farmers may have polluted the sea 4000 years ago

51¶¯Âþ

Grass-fed beef is bad for the planet and causes climate change

Earth

Grass-fed beef is bad for the planet and causes climate change

51¶¯Âþ

discarded tractors

Earth

Back to the wild: How nature is reclaiming farmland

Features

wolf and sheep

Earth

Farmland is in retreat. We should make the most of that

Leader

It took 2000 years to make seed for America's famous 'corn belt'

Life

It took 2000 years to make seed for America's famous 'corn belt'

Maize reached the southern US 4000 years ago, but wasn’t farmed in cooler areas until 2000 years later – because it took that long to develop cool-hardy strains

51¶¯Âþ

Earth

Bringing our soil back to life with the latest in earth science

Culture

Life

Restoring Estonian alvar grasslands to save unique species

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Sunflowers work together to avoid overcrowding and soak up rays

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Magpies recruited to safeguard vineyards from grape-eating birds

51¶¯Âþ

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop