climate change
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Predicting Deforestation Risk with AI
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Forests play a crucial role in maintaining the earth's climate, economy, and biodiversity, yet they continue to be lost at an alarming rate, with 6.7 million hectares of tropical forest disappearing last year alone. Traditionally, satellite data has been used to measure this loss, but a new initiative called "ForestCast" aims to predict future deforestation risks using deep learning models. This approach utilizes satellite data to forecast deforestation risk, offering a more consistent and up-to-date method compared to previous models that relied on outdated input maps. By releasing a public benchmark dataset, the initiative encourages further development and application of these predictive models, potentially transforming forest conservation efforts. This matters because accurately predicting deforestation risk can help implement proactive conservation strategies, ultimately preserving vital ecosystems and combating climate change.
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Engineering Resilient Crops for Climate Change
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As global warming leads to more frequent droughts and heatwaves, the internal processes of staple crops are being disrupted, particularly photosynthesis, which is crucial for plant growth. Berkley Walker and his team at Michigan State University are exploring ways to engineer crops to withstand higher temperatures by focusing on the enzyme glycerate kinase (GLYK), which plays a key role in photosynthesis. Using AlphaFold to predict the 3D structure of GLYK, they discovered that high temperatures cause certain flexible loops in the enzyme to destabilize. By replacing these unstable loops with more rigid ones from heat-tolerant algae, they created hybrid enzymes that remain stable at temperatures up to 65°C, potentially leading to more resilient crops. This matters because enhancing crop resilience is essential for maintaining food security in the face of climate change.