Soil Conservation

Spoiler alert: Apologies if this seems a bit “ghoulish” –(heck, Halloween is almost here!) Back in the day…. actually way, way back– ancient buildings were held together with mud and animal blood.  That gave some scientists an idea…. when the time comes to build structures on Mars….why not learn from the past?  So, scientists at… [Read More]

When I first heard this story, I thought it was about composting….turning dessert into soil.  You know that massive piece of chocolate cake you just couldn’t finish.  I guess you know where my head is at! Alas It took more than ten years of research, but at a Chinese University they figured out how to… [Read More]

Soil plays a crucial role in the health of ecosystem functions in the world. It stores, moderates, and cycles nutrients and other elements. During these processes, nutrients can transform into plant-available forms, stay in the soil, or even get lost to air or water.  Soil is also responsible for such essential functions as air quality,… [Read More]

We usually tend to believe that soil depletion should concern only farmers and those involved in the industry. But what if you knew that the equivalent of one soccer pitch of soil erodes every five seconds, decreasing crop yields by up to 50 percent?  This means that the depletion of nutrients in the soil also… [Read More]

Topsoil vs. compost: isn’t it all the same? Well, technically, yes, it’s all dirt. But practically, compost and topsoil have a few differences in nutrient composition and uses. Since they resemble each other quite a bit, it might not be easy to distinguish between the two. Whether you’re planning to install a new lawn, raise… [Read More]