A groundbreaking study by researchers from Chongqing University and the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, reveals that diatoms can transform lunar soil, boosting its water retention and nutrient levels to support robust plant growth. This breakthrough paves the way for sustainable agriculture in lunar habitats, offering a vital step toward humanity’s long-term survival and interplanetary exploration.

This technology lowers the technical barrier through a “human–robot collaboration” model—eliminating reliance on expensive vision systems and enabling farmers to operate it with minimal training. The modular design of the robotic arm allows for flexible replacement of joint motors, further enhancing maintainability. Tests confirm the system excels in complex terrains and small-scale orchards, adapting well to challenges like foliage occlusion and uneven lighting.

To ensure field applicability, this study optimized the classic DenseNet_121 network through lightweight modifications. The refined model can run smoothly on standard smartphones, allowing farmers to diagnose diseases in real time by simply photographing leaves, eliminating reliance on expensive equipment.

The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), the U.K.’s research and development funding agency, announced that Western University professor Bogumil Karas has been named as a Research and Development Creator in phase one of its Synthetic Plants program. This specific program aims to launch a new generation of major crops that are more productive, resilient and sustainable. Karas, professor in the department of biochemistry, has been awarded £869,000 ($1.5M CAD) to design and develop functioning optimized plant chloroplasts that can transfer genomes into crops to provide enhanced traits.

New research from Colorado State University and Cornell University shows that the presence of solar panels in Colorado’s grasslands may reduce water stress, improve soil moisture levels and – particularly during dry years – increase plant growth by about 20% or more compared to open fields.