Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000 acres of Illinois wetlands are no longer protected by the federal Clean Water Act, putting communities at risk of losing the flood control, groundwater recharge, water purification and natural habitat these wetlands provide, researchers report.

A study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts explores the potential of converting pineapple peel waste into nanocellulose fibers to enhance sandy soils. Using mechanochemical processes, researchers obtained fibers that improved soil water-holding capacity, reduced evaporation, and increased nutrient retention. Tested in United Arab Emirates desert sands, the amendments enhanced soil mechanics and supported tomato plant growth at optimal concentrations. The findings highlight a scalable and sustainable strategy to repurpose food waste for soil restoration and agricultural productivity in arid environments.

Origami device fabrication has huge potential in the fields of health, agriculture, and space technology. However, portability of the presently used fabrication devices is a concern and on-site production of three-dimensional (3D) devices remains a challenge. To address this, researchers have developed a portable, multimaterial printer using electrowetting on dielectric technology. This device allows rapid fabrication of 3D devices, eliminating the challenges of the existing technologies and improving the applicability of paper-based devices.

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils is a growing global threat — but scientists may have found a sustainable solution.

Scientists have uncovered how the plant hormone auxin helps roots bend and downwards towards gravity – a process called gravitropism - even after encountering obstacles in soil.