Joining forces: The role of the natural and social sciences in addressing the Global Nitrogen Problem

A wealth of scientific knowledge exists on the role of nitrogen in the natural and agricultural world, with research dating back over a century. Nitrogen sustains life and has enabled modern food production to keep up with the demands of the growing human population. However, we have reached a critical state where the use of synthetic nitrogen needs to be regulated due to the multitude of environmental impacts. The problem is that the effect nitrogen has on the planet is rarely discussed outside of scientific circles. With the recent development of international campaigns to address the global nitrogen problem, it’s time to put nitrogen research into practice with the help of social science.

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Bugmeal: The Future of Aquaculture?

With global declines in wild fish stocks, there is an increasing demand for fish grown through aquaculture. Yet current diets for aquaculture fish are mostly made of fish sourced from wild fisheries and from the aquaculture industry itself (Péron et al., 2010), contributing to unsustainable practices in the industry. In an effort to find a more sustainable replacement, researchers at the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences conducted a study looking at the effects of substituting fish protein used in fish diets with protein made from the younger stages of the black soldier fly. The results look promising.

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It’s Not Over Even When It’s Over: Ebola Outbreaks’ Lasting Impact on Food and Nutrition

Ebola has transcended science and medicine to become a modern day term of panic. Though its effects on the body are well known, its effects on personal, familial, and societal activities like food are less clear. Emerging research shows the long-term and even permanent effects of this deadly disease on food and nutrition in Sierra Leone, one of the worst-hit areas during the 2013-2016 Ebola oubreak.

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