Dr. Laura Danly

A new public service campaign featuring astronomer Dr. Laura Danly who brings together astronomy and agronomy. Here are her words: "As an astronomer I have spent most of my life looking deep into the universe and every time I cast my eyes toward the heavens, I look with a sense of awe and wonder. I want to know more and seek to understand and unlock the mysteries of the stars. The more I learn about our amazing universe, the more I realize what a special home we have within that universe. That's right here on planet Earth. Those of us living here are facing some very serious challenges. By the year 2050, the global population will likely reach 9 billion people. Every day through development and soil degradation like decertification, we lose more of the farmland we need to grow our food. Across the globe, water and other resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Climate change and extreme weather events add to our food production challenges. But what if I told you a secret that might just help us meet those challenges. And what if I told you the secret lies, not in the stars, but in the soil. For decades we thought the best hope for our living soil was too slow its loss but farmers, ranchers and scientists are demonstrating that we can actually build healthier, more productive and more resilient soils. The key is to ensure a healthy habitat for the billions upon billions of soil microbes that provide the foundation for all terrestrial life."