A localized study in Tiaty, Kenya, shows how climate variability and land-use change are reshaping pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods. Using satellite imagery, climate records, agroecological information, and socioeconomic data, researchers found shifts in vegetation, rainfall seasonality, livestock choices, and settlement patterns. The findings highlight the need for locally tailored adaptation strategies that support resilient livestock systems, sustainable rangeland management, and climate-smart farming.

A new study published in Big Earth Data proposes an operational framework that integrates multiple machine learning and deep learning models with high-resolution Sentinel-2 data to estimate agricultural drought conditions in irrigated and non-irrigated maize fields in Eastern Austria. Results from 2018–2023 show that deep learning models, particularly the Deep Neural Network (DNN), achieved the best performance, while non-irrigated fields exhibited higher prediction accuracy due to clearer drought signals, demonstrating the value of Sentinel-2–based deep learning for operational drought monitoring.

A recent study published in National Science Review developed an open-access interactive map of ARGs in Chinese soils. It revealed that the relative abundance of total ARGs and Rank I ARGs in croplands declined by 52.6% and 77.0%, respectively, after 2016, coinciding with the implementation of China’s National Action Plan to Contain Antimicrobial Resistance (2016–2020). The study further highlights chemical pollutants and agricultural activities as important factors for future environmental AMR management.

Biochar is widely used to improve soils, remove contaminants, recycle nutrients, and store carbon. Its quality and long-term stability are often assessed using static chemical indicators, particularly the molar hydrogen-to-organic-carbon ratio, known as H/Corg. Lower values generally indicate a more aromatic and potentially persistent carbon structure.

The most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided, according to a new study from Stockholm University published in Science Advances. The findings shed new light on the climate conditions surrounding the Late Bronze Age collapse and may help improve understanding of future drought risks in a warming world.

ETH researchers have developed innovative computer models to study the rift valley systems on Venus. The simulations indicate that recently formed rift valleys feature high, broad flanks, whereas older valleys tend to subside and are less elevated. The new findings can help us identify geologically active regions that require particularly close examination for future Venus missions. 

A new Dartmouth study finds that many of Syria's archaeological sites were damaged during Syria's civil war not just by looting but that, in areas occupied by the Turkish military, sites were systematically bulldozed. The findings are published in the journal Heritage.