We boil crabs and lobsters alive because it tastes better, and also because we assume they can’t feel pain. But a new study sheds doubt on that idea and should make us pause before our next meaty meal
food
Betting on Hunger: Is Financial Speculation to Blame for High Food Prices?
Food prices have been on the rise since 2007, thanks in part to bad weather and increasing demand from biofuels and developing nations. But there’s one cause that hasn’t gotten much attention: financial speculation in crop …
Desert Dreams: Can the Middle Eastern Country of Qatar Learn to Feed Itself?
Qatar is a desert nation with lots of oil and natural gas, but little arable land. That’s meant importing most of the food the country needs, but with climate change threatening agriculture, Qatar is willing to spend billions to …
Prop 37: Why California’s Ballot Initiative on GM Food Is About Politics More than Science
Californians will go to the polls today knowing that their votes for the presidential election will be virtually worthless. President Obama has a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney in this bluest of states, and by the time polls …
Vital Farms: Raising the Ultra-Organic Egg
Vital Farms sells the most humane eggs in the business, with hens raised on pasture—not inside cages. But can conventional farms afford to make the switch?
Can GM Crops Bust the Drought?
The drought is eating away at U.S. crops—and climate change could make it worse in the future. Are GM crops an answer?
Why the Drought Won’t Be Getting Better Anytime Soon — and Why This One Won’t Be the Last
The droughts gets broader and deeper, covering more than three-fifths of the continental U.S. And scientific studies show that this sort of drought could only be the beginning
Why It Was Silly for the Beef Industry to Freak Out Over USDA’s “Meatless Monday” Newsletter
A USDA newsletter mentions Meatless Mondays. The beef industry gets upset. Why this is all a bit ridiculous.
When the Rains Stop
TIME’s coverage of the ever-worsening drought moves from online to off.
How the Drought of 2012 Will Make Your Food More Expensive
They call drought the slow-motion disaster, and for good reason. While earthquakes and volcanoes strike in a moment, and hurricanes unfold over a few days, a drought is simply a day without rain that becomes two days without …