Can we design rice that stands up against climate change?
Over ten years ago, UC Davis plant geneticist Pamela Ronald was part of an effort to isolate a gene that helps rice to survive extended periods of flooding. That finding led to new varieties of the crop, which are currently used by over five million farmers. Now, she’s trying find ways to help rice grow successfully in the face of other extreme conditions brought about by climate change. Our own James Temple stepped into her stifling greenhouses to find out more.
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Wal-Mart is still desperate to out-Amazon Amazon.
It’s no secret that America’s biggest retailer sees Jeff Bezos as its arch rival. Recently, Wal-Mart has patented an automatic ordering device designed to work more easily than Amazon’s Dash button, offered up discounts intended to directly compete with the e-tailer, and even begun experimenting with automation. This week’s Bloomberg Businessweek cover story asks the billion-dollar question: can Wal-Mart’s new e-commerce efforts ever pull the rug from beneath Amazon?
You might be pretty disappointed by your Tesla Model 3.
The automaker’s first mass-market car is expected to start rolling off production lines this year. But this week Elon Musk has taken pains to remind people that they shouldn’t expect too much: “We want to be super clear, the Model 3 is not version 3 … [it’s] a smaller, more affordable version of the Model S with fewer features.” And as production lines gear up, Wired reports that the firm is struggling more than ever with quality control of its other vehicles. Time to manage expectations.
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