In the News: Agriculture and Atomic Bombs

Fig.1. The Trinity Site explosion, 0.016s after the explosion on July 16, 1945. This was the first atomic bomb blast in human history (Credit: Berlyn Brixner)

Soil holds surprising secrets, from records of the first atomic bomb to evidence of how agriculture affected our stride. Read about the legacy of the Trinity Site explosion, feeding a growing population, 10 billion bacteria beneath our feet, and more!

• From poisoned landscapes to radioactive teeth, the legacy of the first atomic bomb lives on: “70 Years Since The First A-Bomb, Humanity Still Lives In Its Afterglow,” Scientific American (16 July 2015) 

• Feeding the next two billion people will be difficult, but frozen seed banks and researchers in the field might just have a way: “How Will We Feed 9 Billion People On Earth Of The Future?” Smithsonian Magazine (22 July 2015)

• The skeletal remains from nearly 2000 individuals who walked the Earth thousands of years ago inform on why agriculture affected their stride: “How Agriculture Shaped Our Bones,” Science (03 July 2015) 

• A small amount of soil may contain around 10 billion bacteria and this soil scientist is documenting their diversity in samples from around the world: “World Of Hidden Life Teems Below Our Feet,” Scientific American (02 July 2015)

• Museum closure might prevent this scientist from understanding why an ancient bobcat wound up in a ceremonial burial ground for humans: “Ancient Bobcat Buried Like A Human Being,” Archaeology News Network (03 July 2015)