Today, you’ll learn about the smart soil that gives plants a massive boost even when they’re watered less, how our love of certain odors could be more nurture than nature, and a moss that could one day fill greenhouses on Mars.

Smart Soil

“‘Smart soil’ grows 138% bigger crops using 40% less water.” by Michael Irving. 2024.
“Climate Change Indicators: Drought.” EPA. 2024.
“Water for Prosperity and Peace.” Unesco. 2024.
“Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air.” by Ben Coxworth. 2020.
“Self-Irrigation and Slow-Release Fertilizer Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture.” by Jungjoon Park, et al. 2024.

Smell Preferences

“Do you smell what I smell? New study reveals surprising variability in odor preferences.” by Mane Kara-Yakoubian. 2024.
“Is the perception of odour pleasantness shared across cultures and ecological conditions? Evidence from Amazonia, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaysia, and Poland.” by Piotr Sorokowski, et al. 2024.

Mars Moss

“Scientists find desert moss ‘that can survive on Mars’.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.
“The extremotolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments.” by Xiaoshuang Li, et al. 2024.
“This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars.” Science News. 2024.

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