“Icarda houses more than a hundred and forty thousand accessions, or samples of seeds and other genetically significant plant material. Over three decades, Shehadeh had collected most of the original seeds himself, hiking through grasslands and forest. He is an expert in pulses—the family of grain that includes chickpeas and lentils—and together with his colleagues, who focus on legumes, cereals, viruses, and pests, he has used untamed versions of domesticated crops to breed varieties capable of withstanding harsh and changing conditions. The goal of this work was to help the world’s poorest farmers. But, as climate change has accelerated, Icarda’s seeds have proved useful to plant breeders working on large-scale farms in wealthy countries.” The New Yorker: Scientists have raced to safeguard a newly precious resource: plants that can thrive in a changing climate.

+ And they better hurry. BBC: Fossil fuel production set to soar over next decade.