For Meat Lovers, the Challenge of Faking It

Some people in the Netherlands are spending three hundred thirty thousand dollars — on a hamburger. The people are scientists at the University of Maastricht. They want to prove that they can make a hamburger that tastes good and does not require an animal to be killed. Researcher Mark Post and his team have been growing muscle-tissue cells in […]

Water Problems in a World of Insecurity

An American intelligence report says water-related problems will likely increase tensions around the world in the next ten years. These problems include water shortages, poorwater quality and floods. The report says the problems will increase the risk of instability and the failure of governments.  However, countries are seen as unlikely to go to war over water. The report […]

New Findings About Loss of Bees

Bees add an estimated eighteen billion dollars a year to the value of American crops. They pollinate flowers that become fruits, nuts and vegetables. But, in recent years, honeybee colonies in the United States and Europe have been shrinking. Scientists have proposed different theories to explain what is known as colony collapse disorder. New research […]

A Call for Equal Rights for Women Farmers

A new report says if women farmers had the same rights as men, more could be done to reduce world hunger. The report, “Empowering Women in Agriculture,” is from the anti-hunger group Bread for the World. Bread for the World says equal access to agricultural resources would help increase food security and economic growth. Faustine Wabwire is the group’s […]

From Ancient Farmers, Lessons for Today’s Amazon

South America’s Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest and river system on Earth. But the Amazon is disappearing at the rate of about eight hundred thousand hectares a year. This deforestation is caused by an increase in agriculture and cattle ranching and the building of roads and dams. Another cause is the illegal cutting of trees for […]

Teaching Coffee Farmers About the Birds and the Bees

The University of Georgia is a respected research university. Thirty-five thousand students attend the main campus in Athens, Georgia, and extended campuses around the state. And among its areas of research is agriculture. UGA has a center in San Luis de Monteverde in Costa Rica. This center is for students and visitors who want to learn more […]

The Limits to Organic Farming in Feeding the World

Organic farming avoids the use of chemical pesticides and manmade fertilizers. Supporters say organic farming is better for the environment than other methods. But studies have shown that organic farming often produces less food per hectare. That lower yield means feeding the world organically would require more land. But good farmland is limited. And scientists say […]

Raising Angora Goats

Has anyone ever tried to get your goat? To “get your goat” is an expression. It means to make you mad. A good friend might tell you: “Don’t worry about what that person said. He was just trying to get your goat.” But there are plenty of good reasons to get a goat — and not […]

Rice Production Grows, but Not Everywhere

A United Nations report predicts that world rice production will be higher this year thanlast year. The report is from the Food and Agriculture Organization. The FAO says the global rice harvest should be almost two percent higher this year, mainly because ofincreased production in Asia. Large gains are expected in Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Pakistan, […]

The Historic Flight of the Dragon

Space Explorations Technologies, or Space X, may be a company to watch in the coming years. On Tuesday, May twenty-second, Space X successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The privately-built and owned Dragon spacecraft was loaded with more than five hundred kilograms of supplies for the International Space Station. The […]