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    How I’m helping to develop more-resilient food systems

    “Here in Meghalaya, India, the practices of Indigenous Peoples influence the foods that we eat and where they come from. It’s a food system characterized by richness and diversity. The Khasi, Garo and Karbi Indigenous People here grow multiple plant species together on the same land, use several approaches to farming and rely on knowledge of the surrounding forests and rivers. In the conventional system of farming, people grow food in one place all the time. But here, people farm in different areas across the mountains every year.These food systems are resilient because of that diversity. Climate change is affecting agricultural systems around the world and farming contributes to around 30% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. Implementing Indigenous Peoples’ food systems is among the game-changing solutions that can help us to adapt.In this photo, I’m examining bean leaves with Khasi farmer Ricona as part of my research on the links between Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, food sovereignty, nutrition and natural-resource management, as a consultant for the North East Society for Agroecology Support in Shillong, India. Over the past few years in Meghalaya, we’ve experienced record rainfall, rising temperatures and extreme heat waves.

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    Why space foods aren’t just for space

    When it comes to food, the difficulties faced by astronauts, older people and those affected by disaster are more similar than you might think.Space agencies worldwide are rolling out plans to build bases on the Moon. One challenge is how to nourish astronauts by growing fresh food in the extreme conditions on the lunar surface — in soils with few nutrients and where there is scarce water and no air. It’s too expensive to send supplies from Earth regularly, and long-term storage is difficult because foods decay.Without healthy food, astronauts on long missions might face malnutrition, just like people on Earth do. They lose bone and muscle mass when working in low gravity1, mirroring changes that occur naturally during ageing. Food systems for any future missions need to be sustainable and resilient — as does food production on Earth in the face of climate change.Here, we highlight four areas of common ground between space and Earth-bound nutrition research programmes that need exploring.Maintaining food suppliesIn the aftermath of disasters, affected people need access to food. With water, electricity and gas supplies often cut off, there are parallels with remote operations in space. In Japan, earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and floods occur frequently, and the country has been learning from these parallels for the past decade.How to keep astronauts healthy in deep spaceAs in space, disaster food supplies for emergencies must be stable when stored at room temperature in the absence of power and refrigeration2. They must come in durable packaging that protects against damage and contamination. Meals must require minimal preparation and be easy for anyone to eat with limited equipment. And they must be prepared and packed in hygienic environments to prevent foodborne illnesses. In Japan, pre-cooked and dried rice, dried noodles, fermented products such as miso, sweets and jelly drinks, and fish or meat stored in cans or sterile plastic pouches are used in both disaster settings and space.The Tōhoku earthquake in Japan in 2011 led to changes in how disaster foods are managed. Emergency shelters saw food-supply disruptions as well as problems with limited dietary diversity and hygiene3,4. Recognizing that many of the stringent space-food standards set by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) were applicable to disaster contexts, the Japan Disaster Food Society launched its Disaster Food Certification System in 2015.In 2022, the society introduced a streamlined cross-certification process, allowing JAXA-approved Japanese space foods to be certified as disaster food. This reduces duplicate product development and, in large-scale emergencies, means that foods earmarked for space missions can be diverted to humanitarian use (although these are not stored in large amounts).Japan has developed about 53 space foods through JAXA’s programme — some have been stockpiled for disaster preparedness by local governments and deployed in emergency situations, including in earthquake-affected regions.People received emergency rations after an earthquake hit Wajima City in Japan in 2024.Credit: Yomiuri Shimbun/AP Images/AlamyNow, one of us (N.T.-K.) is working with experts to develop an international standard for emergency and disaster foods. This could simplify food-aid coordination between governments and non-governmental organizations by standardizing stockpiling conditions, hygiene protocols and food labelling. Shared protocols could also help countries to adopt advanced food-production and preservation technologies originally developed for space for their own emergency and disaster food supplies.The next step is to build consensus among food-safety authorities, humanitarian organizations and space agencies. Implementation of pilot projects in disaster-prone regions of Asia is under consideration. Challenges include aligning diverse national regulations, encouraging private-sector participation in dual-use product development and demonstrating cost-effectiveness in resource-limited settings.Optimizing nutritionJapan’s government recommends4 that food provided to emergency shelters should contain five elements: energy, protein and vitamins B1, B2 and C. Together, these factors prevent deficiency-related diseases such as beriberi, ariboflavinosis and scurvy, and help to sustain basic physiological functions.As part of JAXA’s Lunar Food System Working Group 2023–25, one of us (N.T.-K.) is evaluating whether a set of eight staple crops — rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, soya beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and strawberries — can provide these five elements and other crucial nutrients. These crops are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibre and certain vitamins.How to chart a moral future for space explorationThe working group is using nutritional modelling, simulations of human dietary intake and cultivation studies under controlled environmental conditions to assess how much of astronauts’ daily nutritional requirements could be met using just these eight crops, and to identify any nutritional gaps that would require supplements.Antioxidant compounds have anti-inflammatory and other effects that might help to prevent muscle deconditioning caused by microgravity in space and in people who are confined to bed rest on Earth because of illness or age. The French, German and Canadian space agencies are examining whether a cocktail of antioxidant supplements — polyphenols, vitamin E, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids — could prevent muscle deconditioning. Although there is no firm evidence yet5, the agencies are planning to assess these compounds’ benefits in space.Supplements generated using soya might also help to prevent the wasting of astronauts’ muscles and bones. One of us (T.N.), together with colleagues, has conducted experiments in space using rats6 and cells grown in culture7 to reveal that muscle atrophy comes about when microgravity induces oxidative stress in muscle tissues. The process activates enzymes that alter cell signalling such that protein synthesis ceases and degradation increases. The same changes were subsequently shown to occur in adults under bed-rest conditions, and a clinical trial found that oral intake of soya proteins, especially Cblin-like peptides — which prevent this protein-degradation pathway from being activated — increases the quadricep strength of people on bed-rest8.We are now testing whether similar Cblin peptides can also help astronauts, through experiments in cultured muscle cells aboard the International Space Station (ISS).Specialists who can take a high-level view of micronutrient function, delivery methods and physiological needs under stress could vastly improve our ability to build resilience into future food systems — on Earth and beyond.Alternative protein sourcesSustainable sources of alternative protein are urgently needed to avoid widespread food insecurity and malnutrition on Earth. A 2019 survey of Japanese citizens found that, on average, more than 50% of a person’s protein intake was derived from animal-based sources such as meat, dairy and fish (see go.nature.com/44xwmyn). But with the global population projected to reach nine billion by 2050, there is concern that current protein sources will be insufficient to meet global nutritional needs9.Alternative protein sources are a focus of research for space agencies, too. Conventional animal agriculture requires large amounts of water, land and feedstock — resources that are unavailable in space. Protein-production systems involving plants, cultured cells or insects are more viable options.Soya protein is of interest to JAXA, because of its high yield, relatively complete amino-acid profile and long shelf life, and because it is widely consumed in Japan. One of us (T.N.) has been involved in developing a compact soya-bean cultivation system. It uses programmable LED lighting and supplies nutrients through a mist infused with rhizobia — bacteria that convert inert nitrogen into forms that plants can use to grow10. Next, we hope to test its applicability aboard the ISS.Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui enjoys a taste of home while in space: ramen noodles with soy sauce.Credit: JAXA/NASAMeat produced from animal cells grown in the laboratory could give astronauts some of the nutrients that soya protein lacks — particularly branched-chain amino acids, which muscles need to generate energy during exercise. Cultured meat can be produced under sterile conditions, reducing the risk of foodborne illness11. However, this technology is in its infancy. Cells need to be coaxed to keep proliferating so that they form large, structured tissue pieces. Getting oxygen to the core of thick cultures is tricky. The liquids in which the cells need to be grown are expensive to produce and transport. And there isn’t a good way to generate cultures with meat-like textures, which are important for psychological satisfaction.

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    The deep sea is a globally connected habitat

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    Researchers in dismay as US exits world science body UNESCO … again

    The United States is once again withdrawing from the United Nations science and cultural organization UNESCO, ending its short two-year return to the agency. The decision by the US state department, announced on 22 July, will take effect on 31 December 2026.Researchers say that the US departure from UNESCO is a setback for global cooperation in science and education. The agency, which is headquartered in Paris and has offices in more than 50 countries, supports programmes on biodiversity, girls’ education, closing the gender gap in science and protecting natural heritage. Its work is especially important in low- and middle-income countries, where it also helps to train teachers and rebuild universities in countries experiencing wars, such as Lebanon and Ukraine.UNESCO also supports open science, and, in 2023, it released global guidelines on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education and research.Daniel Wagner, UNESCO chair in learning and literacy at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, says: “It’s never been wise to pull out of UNESCO, and now is particularly poor timing”.Biomedical scientist Peter Gluckman, president of the International Science Council, which works closely with UNESCO and is also based in Paris, agrees. At the end of this year, UNESCO’s member states will choose a new director-general to succeed Audrey Azoulay, formerly France’s culture minister. The United States will lose the opportunity to work with the organization’s new leader, says Gluckman.Barbara Finlayson-Pitts, an atmospheric chemist at the University of California, Irvine, says: “The US will be at a significant disadvantage with this withdrawal.” The move weakens the United States’s position in global discussions about crucial issues such as climate change, she adds.Wagner adds: “For generational challenges and opportunities such as AI adoption in education or improving literacy in low-income countries — areas in which the US is well-positioned to lead — we are, in effect, cutting off our nose to spite our face.”Not unexpectedThis decision was not a surprise. The White House announced in February that it was reviewing US membership of international agencies — in the case of UNESCO, it cited concerns about the organization’s failure to reform itself and its rhetoric against Israel.In a 22 July statement, the US administration also added the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its list of criticisms. The statement says: “UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”Azoulay said in a statement that UNESCO was prepared for the US decision. The country last withdrew from UNESCO in 2017, during Trump’s first term, cutting off more than 22% of the agency’s funds. According to UNESCO, the latest withdrawal will not hit as hard as in 2017 because the US contribution now accounts for 8% of UNESCO’s current annual budget of US$900 million.Azoulay also said that the US’ claims contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts as the only UN agency responsible for Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism. “We will continue to work hand in hand with all of our American partners in the private sector, academia and non-profit organizations,” she added in the statement.

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    This ancient mega-predator was built for stealth

    Adaptations for stealth in the wing-like flippers of a large ichthyosaur The extinct marine mega-predator Temnodontosaurus had specialized adaptations to stealthily hunt its prey, suggests an analysis of a fossil flipper. Temnodontosaurus’s lifestyle has been a mystery due to a lack of preserved soft tissue, but fossil remains of a fore-fin have revealed several anatomical details that probably reduced low-frequency noise as the animal swam. The authors suggest that these adaptations show that Temnodontosaurus was a stealth predator.Hear more on the Nature Podcast. More

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    Map endemic species before they vanish unrecorded

    For a very biodiverse nation, Peru has alarmingly patchy knowledge of its plants. Whereas regions such as Machu Picchu are well documented, vast corridors between the Andes and the Amazon Basin remain scientific blind spots.
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    The author declares no competing interests. More

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    Need to update your data? Follow these five tips

    Each week since 1977, researchers at the Portal Project have monitored how rodents, ants and plants interact with each other and respond to their climate on plots of land in Arizona. At first, the team shared those data informally. Then, beginning in the 2000s, the researchers would publish a data paper, wait several years and then publish a new one with combined old and new data to keep the information current.“Data collection is not a one-time effort,” says Ethan White, an environmental data scientist at the University of Florida in Gainesville, who began collaborating with the project in 2002. New tools have allowed the team to automate and modernize its strategy. In 2019, White and his colleagues developed a data workflow based on the code-sharing site GitHub, the data repository Zenodo and the software automation tool Travis CI, to keep their data current while preserving earlier versions (G. M. Yenni et al. PLoS Biol. 17, e3000125; 2019); so far, the Zenodo repository holds around 620 versions. “We wanted an approach that would let us update things more consistently, but in a way that if someone ever wanted to replicate a past analysis, they could go back and find the precise original data that we used.”Long-term ecological research is not the only area that needs to maintain and update data for future use. Many researchers add to, revise or overhaul their data sets over the course of their projects or careers, all while continuing to publish articles.But despite the need to update and preserve versions of data, there is little guidance for how to do so, says Crystal Lewis, a freelance data-management consultant in St. Louis, Missouri. “There are no standards for repositories; the journals are not telling you how to correct a data set or how to cite new data, so people are just winging it.”Good data-science practice can make the process more methodical. Here are five tips to help alter and cite data sets.Choose a repositoryAlthough it’s easy to place data on personal websites or in the cloud, using a repository is the simplest way for researchers to store, share and maintain multiple versions of their data, says Kristin Briney, a librarian at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, who helps researchers to manage their data. “It’ll get it out of the supplemental information; it’ll stop being shared upon request; it’ll stop being shared on personal websites,” on which it can be lost.By the end of this year, US federal funding agencies will require researchers to put data in a repository, with some agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, already implementing the policy. Some journals also require authors to use data repositories. PLoS ONE, for example, recommends several general and subject-specific repositories for its authors, including the Dryad Digital Repository and Open Science Framework.Challenge to scientists: does your ten-year-old code still run?A repository, or data archive, is more than just cloud storage. Repositories provide long-term storage with multiple backups. Zenodo, for example, says that data will be maintained as long as Europe’s particle-physics laboratory CERN, which runs the site, continues to exist. Generally, repositories also promise that archived data will remain unaltered and assign a persistent identifier to data sets so that others can find them.Briney suggests that researchers check whether their funding agency has specific recommendations. There might also be a particular repository for the type of data, such as GenBank for genetic sequences; or a discipline-specific repository for the field of study. Some universities offer institutional options, which usually have the added benefit of technical support. When there is no specific repository available, the non-profit organization the Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington, recommends generalist repositories, such as Zenodo, Dataverse, Figshare and Dryad.Create multiple versionsFor transparency and accessibility, making a new version when data are added is essential. The alternative — overwriting the old data with the new — makes it impossible to repeat previous analyses or to see how the data have changed over time. Although best practice around creating versions and data alterations tends to focus on future users and scientific reproducibility, the real beneficiary is the researcher, says Lewis. “Three months from now, you will forget what you did — you will forget which version you’re working on, what changes you made to a data set. You are your biggest collaborator.”This is when data repositories come into their own, because many create new versions by default when data are added. Some repositories, such as Zenodo, also mint a digital object identifier (DOI) for each version automatically. “Since the very beginning, Zenodo has provided versionable data with individual DOIs that will take you to a specific version of the data, and also an overarching DOI that will link together all of those versions,” says White. That creates an umbrella link, as well as a mechanism to cite specific versions of the data.Managing versions without a repository is also possible. Researchers who store their data on GitHub, for instance, can use automation to create new ‘releases’ whenever they update their data. They can also create a version of the data set manually, using distinct file names, to differentiate these files from the earlier set, Briney says.Define file names and terminologyBriney regularly helps researchers to wrangle their data. Her favourite tips for data management are to establish a file naming convention, which includes the date (often given as YYYYMMDD or YYYY-MM-DD), and to store files in their correct folders. This is true whether you’re storing data locally or in remote repositories. “It takes 10 minutes to come up with a file-naming convention, everything gets organized, and that way you can tell related files apart,” she says. “It’s like putting your clothes away at the end of the day.”Briney also recommends documenting metadata, explaining the different variables used, and the location of data in the various files and folders. These practices “help you, but are also good for data sharing, because somebody else can pick up your spreadsheet” and understand it.Eleven tips for working with large data setsSabina Leonelli, who studies big-data methods at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, says that researchers should also explicitly document the terminology and queries used to generate and analyse their data. She gives an example of research using a biomedical database: “When you access certain databases, you frame your query” based on current definitions, she says. As knowledge develops, definitions shift and change, and if the specific definitions you used aren’t captured, she says, you might forget the query that originally shaped your data.Write a change log

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    A motorcycle ride through the forest: how I protect Nigeria’s wildlife

    “I’m a botanist and wildlife expert working as a research coordinator in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park in eastern Nigeria. Unfortunately, the park has suffered from decades of illegal logging, poaching, uncontrolled grazing and bush clearing. But since 2017, the charity I work for, called Africa Nature Investors Foundation and based in Lagos, has been restoring the park as a haven for wildlife and indigenous plants, in partnership with Nigeria’s National Park Service.This photo was taken in March, at the end of Nigeria’s dry season. I was riding my motorcycle down a track in the heart of the forest, 15 minutes from our base camp. I saw a striped kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti) in the afternoon light, and wanted to take a picture of the bird.People and dogs team up to protect sea turtles in Cabo Verde

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