- The Point by Modern Sciences
- Posts
- How farming could change in a post-growth world
How farming could change in a post-growth world
The Point by Modern Sciences - June 6, 2024
Don Smith
June 06, 2024
By The Modern Sciences Team | June 6, 2024 |
Good day, Cultivators of Curiosity!
Times are busy, and so are the people that move within them; it’s hard to gauge at an instant whether or not a piece of information might be helpful to you, especially in a world where there’s seemingly a bit too much of it lying around.
Worry not, as the Society of Modern Sciences aims at the heart of our best and most relevant stories. Here, we introduce a short, two-minute read of the impact our articles have on you and those around you.
There’s no need for further embellishments; let’s get straight to The Point by Modern Sciences. Here’s this week’s pressing insights.
How farming could change in a post-growth world
While urban farming can reduce dependence on intensive agricultural resources and improve urban air quality, its higher carbon footprint and scalability challenges remain concerns, necessitating more energy-efficient technologies and climate-friendly crops. Read more.
Key insights:
Relevance of Degrowth: The concept of degrowth is gaining traction among green politicians and scientific bodies like the IPCC and IPBES, suggesting it as a viable solution to the ecological crisis.
Technological Integration: Contrary to popular belief, degrowth advocates are not anti-technology but prioritize sustainable and socially just technological solutions, with vertical farming highlighted as an example.
Urban Farming Innovations: Examples like Paris' Nature Urbaine and the Dutch ReGenVillages demonstrate how urban vertical farming can enhance local food production, reduce environmental impact, and foster community engagement despite challenges such as higher carbon footprints than conventional agriculture.
NATURE
Researchers Uncover Genetic Links Between Bird Vocal Organs and Mammals
The research included high-resolution anatomical scans of syrinxes from hummingbirds and ostriches, revealing similarities in vocal fold structures despite differences in vocal learning abilities. Read more.
Important notes:
Breakthrough Discoveries: Recent studies from the University of Texas at Austin have used high-resolution scans to uncover the shared genetic and developmental links between the bird syrinx and the mammalian larynx, highlighting a deep evolutionary connection.
Collaborative Effort: Over a decade-long collaboration among physiologists, developmental biologists, and paleontologists has provided detailed insights into the syrinx of species like hummingbirds and ostriches, revealing common features and diverse vocal abilities.
Evolutionary Insights: The research enhances understanding of the syrinx's structure and function across bird species and offers clues about the vocal capabilities of ancient dinosaurs, emphasizing the importance of studying living species to decode evolutionary history.
EARTH
‘Everywhere we looked we found evidence’: the godfather of microplastics on 20 years of pollution research and the fight for global action
“The godfather of microplastics,” Richard Thompson, advocates turning off the tide of plastic pollution at its source by reducing plastic production, emphasizing the need for urgent action from regulators, governments, and citizens. Read more.
Why it’s worth the read:
Pioneering Research: Richard Thompson, who coined the term "microplastics" in 2004, has uncovered their widespread presence and increasing abundance in marine environments, revealing the extensive pollution by plastic fragments as small as a millionth of a meter.
Global Impact: Despite significant evidence and policy initiatives like the UK ban on plastic microbeads, Thompson emphasizes that the most significant source of microplastics is the breakdown of larger plastic items, highlighting the urgent need for a global reduction in plastic production.
Policy Challenges: The recent UN global plastics treaty negotiations in Ottawa underscore the difficulty of achieving international consensus on addressing plastic pollution. Thompson advocates for focusing on prevention by reducing plastic production and ensuring the sustainability of essential plastic items.