Millet anyone? Facing soil crisis, US farmers look beyond corn and soybeans

To view this email as a web page, go [here.]( [[The Christian Science Monitor] RETHINK THE NEWS]( Science & Nature January 03, 2019 This year marked two big anniversaries for American space exploration: 60 years since the United States launched its first satellite, and 50 years since the first crewed mission to the moon. Both achievements helped set in motion a cosmic shift in how we see ourselves. The Explorer 1 satellite brought humanity the first glimpse of Earth in its cosmic context. And the Apollo 8 astronauts snapped the iconic “Earthrise” image of our blue world rising up over the lunar surface against the vast, inky cosmos. In January, I wrote about how these images [forever changed how we see ourselves](. That perspective shift is now bearing interplanetary fruit. The children of the space age have grown up and are leading missions to unexplored places. Alan Stern, who [sat down with my colleague Amanda Paulson in June]( , was one of those inspired kids. Today, he is the principal investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. The spacecraft is currently beginning science operations for its January 1 flyby of Ultima Thule – which will be the farthest encounter of a planetary object in history. We may be on the verge of the next giant leap for humankind: crewed spaceflight beyond the moon. Space agencies and companies around the globe have outlined such goals for the next couple decades. Becoming an interplanetary species would be another cosmic perspective shift for humanity, so you can count on Monitor reporters keeping a close eye on these developments. If there are any aspects of space exploration that you would like to learn more about, let me know: botkinkowackie@csmonitor.com. Happy New Year! Eva Botkin-Kowacki, Science reporter Millet anyone? Facing soil crisis, US farmers look beyond corn and soybeans Few Americans think much about where their food comes from, let alone the dirt it grows in. But in the US Midwest and Plains some farmers are looking to the soil to improve their crops and protect the environment. By Story Hinckley Staff writer | [@storyhinckley]( [Read now]( How Buffalo resurrected its river It can be hard to find hope in sludge. But activist citizens in one of America’s most hard-luck cities never gave up on their polluted river – and now the cleaned-up water is one of Buffalo’s biggest attractions. By Lynn Freehill-Maye Contributor [Read now]( Unlock the full Monitor experience. Try the Monitor Daily. [Subscribe for $11]( Forget New Year’s resolutions. This art prompts thinking in ‘deep time.’ Between daily meetings and weekly appointments, long-term thinking often falls by the wayside. These artists aim to foster appreciation for the ‘long now.’ By Eoin O'Carroll Staff writer | [@eoinocarroll]( [Read now]( Get our free Saturday recap of the week's top stories. [One click subscribe: {EMAIL}]( No risk. Cancel anytime. Special Projects Seven global trends to watch in 2019 [Read now]( In Pictures Riders participate in the 50th anniversary of the Christmas beach races in Ballyheigue, Ireland on Dec. 30. [View gallery]( The Christian Science Monitor is a trademark of The Christian Science Publishing Society, registered in the United States and in other countries. The Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor210 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA, 02115-3195, United States © 2019 The Christian Science Publishing Society [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe]( Profile]( [Email Preference Center](