Our robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard’s tongue snatching flies
Cotton in bloom in Oklahoma. John Elk/the image Bank via Getty Images Cotton is one of the most valuable crops grown in the U.S., with a harvest value of some US$7 billion yearly. It is cultivated across a crescent of 17 states stretching from Virginia to California and is used in virtually every type of […]
Congress is failing to deliver on its promise of billions more in research spending, threatening America’s long-term economic competitiveness
Federal funding was essential to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. AP Photo/Vincent Thian The battle to keep the government open may feel just like the crisis of the day. But these fights pose immediate and long-term risks for the U.S. The federal government spends tens of billions of dollars every year to support fundamental […]
Healthy cities aren’t a question of boring or exciting buildings but about creating better public space
Interstate 5 near downtown San Diego, US. Abraham Barrera|Unsplash The US developers of a 300ft glowing orb, set to be built in the middle of Stratford, east London, and accommodate upwards of 21,500 concert goers, have withdrawn their planning application. Las Vegas, in the US, already boasts one such venue, known as Sphere. Citing its […]
How the ‘visionaries’ of Silicon Valley mean profits are prioritised over true technological progress
Leefuji/Shutterstock Technological innovation in the last couple of decades has brought fame and huge wealth to the likes of Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. Often feted as geniuses, they are the faces behind the gadgets and media that so many of us depend upon. Sometimes they are controversial. Sometimes the level […]
Climate change solutions require collaboration between politicians, scientists and entrepreneurs
Most Canadians agree something should be done about climate change. Yet, even though there is tremendous pressure on politicians to do something, widespread discontent usually follows whatever action they may take. How can governments balance the desire for climate action with the usual discontent that follows any major climate regulation? Looking to the past reveals […]
7 food and agriculture innovations needed to protect the climate and feed a rapidly growing world
Managing methane from belching cattle is a top innovation priority. Lance Cheung/USDA For the first time ever, food and agriculture took center stage at the annual United Nations climate conference in 2023. More than 150 countries signed a declaration, committing to make their food systems – everything from production to consumption – a focal point […]
