https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Desertification is accelerating under climate change, threatening biodiversity, food security, and human well-being across the Mediterranean Basin, southern Europe, and the Middle East. Water scarcity and land degradation reduce carbon sequestration, increase soil erosion, and undermine rural livelihoods, pushing many dryland ecosystems into long-term decline. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ecosystem-function-reverse-desertification-europe.html Ecology Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:40:03 EST news688815629 A study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Nature Food analyzes the ecological "footprint" from diets—and policy options to counteract through price signals. EU-wide, 23% of greenhouse gas emissions generated directly and indirectly by private households arise in this sector. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-full-added-tax-meat-pricing.html Environment Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:02 EST news687788899 For many people, the allure of video games is that they offer players a chance to enter a world very different from their own: everything from fighting dragons in a mythical realm to racing cars on an obstacle-filled roadway. Researchers at the University of Vermont wanted to see what players would do in a more realistic world: playing as small farmers, their actions modeled after real-life decisions farmers in Vermont face each harvest season. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-video-game-reveals-people-neighbors.html Agriculture Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:58:14 EST news687430681 Global debate about how to navigate the climate crisis often centers on high-level pledges and whether national targets are being met. Yet focusing on these technical outcomes obscures a deeper problem that keeps climate action falling short. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-ecological-myopia-climate-action.html Environment Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:54:24 EST news685706041 Every year, millions of tons of food end up in South Africa's landfills. This is a wasted resource that deepens environmental damage, worsens food insecurity and costs the economy billions. But there are opportunities to turn what we throw away into value for people, the planet and local economies. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-qa-food-south-africa-dumped.html Environment Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:28:37 EST news684606481 Researchers from the Center for Food Policy at City St George's, University of London and Scotland's Rural College have set out six key areas for action that could help households cut down on food waste in a new comment article published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-strategies-households-food.html Social Sciences Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:20:02 EST news683543939 With more than 1 billion people around the world living in fragile or conflict-affected situations, establishing food security is an increasing challenge. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-food-conflict-zones.html Economics & Business Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:03:03 EST news681645781 The global community is facing a number of urgent challenges, such as emerging diseases, epidemics, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, water scarcity, environmental contamination, and severe changes in biodiversity. All of them are intensified by the widespread impact of climate change. These interconnected threats demand "a fundamental shift towards systemic, integrated solutions," a systemic change of perspective in risk management, and a long-term, action-focused strategic vision, point out representatives of Europe's leading biodiversity, ecology and engineering communities, coordinated by the LifeWatch European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). https://phys.org/news/2025-11-science-tackle-global-crete-declaration.html Education Tue, 04 Nov 2025 20:10:01 EST news681484025 EU researchers are working across countries and sectors to boost organic farming, support farmers and shape policy to help meet the target of 25% organic farmland in Europe and a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-seeds-europe-farming-future-food.html Agriculture Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:07:05 EDT news676890421 Many consumers assume that products labeled "Made in U.S." are almost entirely manufactured domestically, but supply chains tell a more complex story. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-usa-consumers.html Social Sciences Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:19:31 EDT news674234367 The catastrophic flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country over the July 4 holiday weekend is a somber reminder that the United States is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-uncovers-predictors-individuals-preparedness-natural.html Social Sciences Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:30:07 EDT news672044185 Humans rely on metaphors to guide a shared understanding of our complex world, and in a novel twist, a faculty member in the University of Rhode Island's Department of Fisheries, Animals and Veterinary Sciences is borrowing a technique from his colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences to better describe and convey needed change in food sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-mangrove-metaphor-sustainable-food.html Agriculture Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:16:12 EDT news671721367 A study by the University of the Basque Country (EHU) has identified the optimal combinations of taxes and subsidies for reducing the environmental footprint of food consumption. Researchers from the BIRTE research group looked at how different fiscal policies contributed to reducing the carbon emissions, water use and food waste generated by food consumption. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-fiscal-policies-highly-effective-mitigating.html Environment Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:23:04 EDT news669640981 The global food system faces growing risks from climate change, even as farmers seek to adapt, according to a new study in Nature. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-climate-global-crop-yields-farmers.html Agriculture Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:09 EDT news669396721 Societies around the world are confronted with complex problems that defy resolution by any single actor, even well-resourced governments or corporations. Problems like food security, climate change, or biodiversity loss involve a lot of elements and dynamics. A variety of stakeholders need to be involved in creating effective responses to such problems. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-dialogue-complex-problems.html Social Sciences Tue, 27 May 2025 11:49:04 EDT news667565341 Changes to a pest's diet could slow the evolution of resistance to biopesticides, according to research from University of Stirling scientists. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-crop-variety-biopesticide-effectiveness.html Evolution Tue, 27 May 2025 11:06:24 EDT news667562708 The dismantling of government institutions and an erosion of transparent governance in the United States are cause for serious concern. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-canadian-food-policy-advisory-council.html Economics & Business Thu, 22 May 2025 14:20:02 EDT news667138364 A Perspective proposes a pathway to improvements in sustainability of marine ecosystems and resources in China. Based on environmental accounting used in China's terrestrial ecosystems, the approach would implement policy and governance to ensure accountability for sustainable use of marine systems. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-accounting-marine-ecosystems-china-greater.html Environment Tue, 20 May 2025 16:45:02 EDT news666978301 New projections by the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR) reveal a 4°C rise in global temperatures would cut world GDP by around 40% by 2100—a stark increase from previous estimates of around 11%. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-reveals-higher-loss-gdp-4c.html Earth Sciences Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:36:04 EDT news662704562 Scientists said they have seen the first signs of life returning to deep sea mining tracks carved into the abyssal seabed more than four decades ago, but warned on Wednesday that full recovery may be "impossible." https://phys.org/news/2025-03-deep-sea-impacts-visible-decades.html Environment Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:19:04 EDT news662217539 Global warming is already reshaping our daily lives, with storms, floods, wildfires and droughts around the world. As temperatures continue to rise, a third of global food production could be at risk. Now, a new study in Nature Food offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-world-critical-food-crops-imminent.html Plants & Animals Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:06:04 EST news660308761 Energy drinks are becoming an increasingly important topic in public health, nutrition and food policy, with global sales more than doubling from 2018–2023 and product selection expanding by 20% since 2021. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-policy-limiting-children-access-energy.html Economics & Business Tue, 18 Feb 2025 11:37:23 EST news659101041 Minimum wage violations are rising sharply at fast food restaurants in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, according to a report by researchers at Northwestern University and Rutgers University. At least one in every four workers was illegally paid below the minimum wage in 2024, costing the average victim nearly $3,500 and totaling $44 million in lost wages annually across the region. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-wage-theft-sharply-la-fast.html Economics & Business Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:13:14 EST news659020392 Across England, schools are running food banks to help the children and their families. Research suggests that 21% of schools in England now offer some form of food charity. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-youve-belly-teachers-food-banks.html Education Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:08:28 EST news658580901 Heavy metals naturally occur in the Earth's crust, but human activities can increase their concentration in the environment, including domestic sewage and waste disposal, fumes from vehicle exhausts, fertilizer runoff, mining and fuel leaks from ships. These elements, such as arsenic, lead and mercury, can be highly toxic even in small amounts and bioaccumulate persistently, proving harmful to humans and wildlife. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-heavy-metal-toxicity-chinese-port.html Earth Sciences Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:20:01 EST news658059334 Urban agriculture takes many forms, among them community, school or rooftop gardens, commercial urban farms, and hydroponic or aquaponic systems. These activities have been shown to promote sustainable cities in a number of ways. They enhance local food security and foster economic opportunities through small-scale farming initiatives. They also strengthen social cohesion by creating shared spaces for collaboration and learning. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-urban-food-gardens-vegetables-bonds.html Social Sciences Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:40:01 EST news657202123 October to April is normally considered to be the wet season in California, yet this January, the region is experiencing some of the most devastating fires it's ever seen. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-la-human-climate-driven-whiplash.html Environment Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:30:03 EST news655991890 The United States generates more food waste than all but two countries. To address this, the federal government set a goal to cut food waste in half by 2030 compared to 2016 levels, to about 164 pounds per person annually. But a study published in Nature Food and led by University of California, Davis, reveals that current state policies are falling short. Since 2016, per capita food waste has increased instead of decreasing. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-states-struggle-curb-food-policies.html Environment Thu, 09 Jan 2025 05:00:01 EST news655549201 Farmers are receiving less of what consumers spend on food, as modern food systems increasingly direct costs toward value-added components like processing, transport, and marketing. A new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research PIK shows that this effect shapes how food prices respond to agricultural climate policies: While value-added components buffer consumer price changes in wealthier countries, low-income countries—where farming costs dominate—face greater challenges in managing food price increases due to climate policies. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-agricultural-climate-policies-affect-food.html Economics & Business Fri, 03 Jan 2025 05:00:02 EST news655052461 In the realm of responsible consumption, price sends a more nuanced signal than it appears. Consumption is not only about utility but also about belonging or standing apart. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-sustainable-consumption-expensive-poor-wealthy.html Social Sciences Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:14:04 EST news655042441