Phosphate fertiliser 'crisis' threatens world food supply
Phosphate fertiliser 'crisis' threatens world food supply
Use of essential rock phosphate has soared, but scientists fear it could run out within a few decades
The world faces an “imminent crisis” in the supply of phosphate, a critical fertiliser that underpins the world’s food supply, scientists have warned.
Phosphate is an essential mineral for all life on Earth and is added to farmers’ fields in huge quantities. But rock phosphate is a finite resource and the biggest supplies are mined in politically unstable places, posing risks to the many countries that have little or no reserves.
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Not all meat is created equal: How diet changes can sustain world's food production
An environmental engineer has created a model that predicts how several different conservation approaches could reduce demand for a nonrenewable resource that is absolutely vital for feeding the world: phosphorus.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: The future of phosphorus
When Hennig Brandt discovered the element phosphorus in 1669, it was a mistake. He was really looking for gold. But his mistake was a very important scientific discovery. What Brandt couldn't have realized was the importance of phosphorus to the future of farming.
Use of essential rock phosphate has soared, but scientists fear it could run out within a few decades
The world faces an “imminent crisis” in the supply of phosphate, a critical fertiliser that underpins the world’s food supply, scientists have warned.
Phosphate is an essential mineral for all life on Earth and is added to farmers’ fields in huge quantities. But rock phosphate is a finite resource and the biggest supplies are mined in politically unstable places, posing risks to the many countries that have little or no reserves.
Continue reading...
Not all meat is created equal: How diet changes can sustain world's food production
An environmental engineer has created a model that predicts how several different conservation approaches could reduce demand for a nonrenewable resource that is absolutely vital for feeding the world: phosphorus.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: The future of phosphorus
When Hennig Brandt discovered the element phosphorus in 1669, it was a mistake. He was really looking for gold. But his mistake was a very important scientific discovery. What Brandt couldn't have realized was the importance of phosphorus to the future of farming.