What is no‑till farming, and is it actually better for the environment?
Humans have been turning seeds and soil into food for thousands of years.
Agriculture
Jul 14, 2026
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Page 2: Research news on soil sciences
Soil sciences are a cluster of scientific disciplines focused on the physical, chemical, biological, and mineralogical properties and processes of soils as natural bodies and as dynamic systems within the critical zone. They encompass soil genesis and classification (pedology), soil physics (water, gas, energy transport), soil chemistry (ion exchange, sorption, redox, nutrient cycling), and soil biology and ecology (microbial and faunal communities, decomposition, biogeochemical transformations). Soil sciences provide quantitative frameworks for understanding soil functions in terrestrial ecosystems, including carbon and nutrient cycling, plant growth support, contaminant fate, and regulation of hydrological processes, and underpin evidence-based management in agriculture, forestry, environmental remediation, and climate research.
Planting the future: Researchers put AI to work on the farm
Farmers are getting more tools in their toolbox, thanks to new research from the University of Missouri that shows how they can tweak planting practices to make the most of every acre.
Biotechnology
Jul 8, 2026
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South African fynbos soil delivers a new species of soil bacterium
Microbiologists from Stellenbosch University in South Africa have discovered a previously unknown bacterial genus within the phylum Acidobacteriota. It is the first genus from this phylum to be described from Southern Africa.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 8, 2026
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Fertilizers carry a hidden cost for soil's crucial microbes. Using less might pay off for farms in unexpected ways
Across North America, in places such as Illinois, Iowa and Texas, farmers are busy growing the crops the world depends on for food, fuel and fiber.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 8, 2026
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Isotope probing shows soil is packed with dormant viruses lying in wait
A single gram of soil contains between 10 million and 1 billion viruses. Most of those viruses do not infect plants, animals or people, but they do target bacteria and other microbes. Because of their influence on microbial ...
Ecology
Jul 7, 2026
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How soil pH shapes rice stink bug outbreaks by controlling key bacteria
Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), in collaboration with researchers from the University of the Ryukyus and the University of Electro-Communications, have discovered ...
Ecology
Jun 25, 2026
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Housing, race, income linked to soil lead exposure in two northeast cities
An estimated 25%–40% of homes in the U.S. have soil contaminated with lead, a toxic heavy metal that can harm children's development. Public health researchers know that the risk is higher in places with a legacy of industrial ...
Environment
Jun 22, 2026
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Stressed-out soil bacteria adapt to environmental conditions
A new study from Caltech demonstrates that soil bacteria can adapt under stress, particularly when a key nutrient, phosphorus, is running low in their environment. The work is important for understanding the complex relationships ...
Ecology
Jun 19, 2026
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How cracks in dry soil impact moisture evaporation
Soils that are exposed to prolonged drought often develop desiccation cracks, which impact soil properties and exacerbate moisture loss through evapotranspiration. Now, a study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 18, 2026
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Scientists uncover hidden phosphorus reservoir vital for future food production
Researchers have developed a simpler, more cost-effective method to measure a biologically important form of phosphorus in soils, providing new insights into nutrient cycling that could help improve sustainable agricultural ...
Agriculture
Jun 17, 2026
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