Top 10% generate climate and biodiversity damage bill that exceeds economies of most countries, say researchers

The environmental damage bill racked up by the highest-consuming 10% of the world’s population has reached up to $5.7tn a year – larger than the economy of every country except the US and China, a study has found.

Mega-consumers in this group are concentrated in the global north, accounting for more than half the population of the US and 40-45% of people in the EU.

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© Photograph: Francis R Malasig/EPA

© Photograph: Francis R Malasig/EPA

© Photograph: Francis R Malasig/EPA

In a remarkable leap forward in food safety technology, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a groundbreaking “electronic nose” capable of pinpointing spoiled food and detecting allergens with unprecedented accuracy. This innovative device combines a miniature array of gas sensors with sophisticated machine learning algorithms to outperform the human nose, which, while remarkably sensitive, often fails to detect early signs of food spoilage and allergen presence. The implications of this technology are vast, promising to revolutionize how consumers, retailers, and food producers monitor food freshness and safety.

The team’s new creation is composed of 16 ultra-sensitive gas sensors, each responding uniquely to specific volatile compounds released by different foods. These sensors act much like digital taste buds, capable of identifying complex chemical signatures through changes in electrical signals. By mapping these responses to known gas fingerprints, the electronic nose can distinguish between fresh and spoiled food items, along with categorizing various allergens including walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts known to trigger severe allergic reactions.

What makes this achievement especially notable is the integration of carbon nanotube technology in the sensors. Unlike traditional metal oxide sensors, carbon nanotubes offer extraordinary surface area relative to their size and maintain sensitivity at room temperature. This is crucial because many sensing materials degrade or require heating to function effectively, limiting their applications. The Berkeley team leveraged the thin, nanometer-scale layers of carbon nanotubes to create a sensor surface that is both highly selective and stable under everyday environmental conditions.

Central to the power of this electronic nose is machine learning. Lead author Carla Bassil developed models trained to interpret the nuanced electrical patterns emanating from the sensor array when exposed to gases released by seven different foods, including strawberry, blueberry, banana, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, and peanuts. The algorithm also discerns the freshness of common perishables such as raw chicken, milk, and eggs by detecting subtle changes in their gaseous emissions over time, reflecting degrees of spoilage after 24 and 48 hours at room temperature.

A key challenge in creating an effective gas sensor lies in the complexity of food odors, which consist of many overlapping volatile organic compounds. This electronic nose overcomes this hurdle by relying on the relative selectivity of each sensor and the pattern recognition capabilities of machine learning, enabling the system to sort through these chemical signatures and recognize distinct gas “fingerprints.” The result is a highly sensitive, objective, and scalable detection method that could transform food safety practices.

The development of multiplexed sensor arrays has historically been complex, with issues arising from manufacturing difficulties and material limitations. However, by utilizing a fabrication process known as drop casting, the team managed to deposit different sensing films onto a single chip in a single step. This scalability is pivotal for real-world adoption, allowing potential mass production of these chips at a reasonable cost and size suitable for use in household appliances or portable devices.

In terms of applications, the researchers envision integration within “smart” kitchen appliances such as refrigerators equipped with wireless connectivity and app-based interfaces. Imagine a refrigerator that could alert you via your smartphone, warning that your broccoli is nearing spoilage or that your chicken is at its last safe day for consumption. Such timely notifications could drastically reduce food waste and prevent foodborne illness.

The sensitivity of the device is particularly striking. The electronic nose demonstrated the ability to detect as little as 0.05 grams of walnut, which corresponds to approximately one hundredth of a shelled nut. This level of detection sensitivity is crucial not only for spoilage monitoring but also for allergen detection, where even trace amounts can have life-threatening consequences for sensitive individuals.

Although these findings are promising, challenges remain. For instance, the device’s performance amidst complex food environments—such as detecting walnuts hidden in salad or cakes, or isolating spoilage gases when multiple food items are stored together—is yet to be rigorously tested. Future developments will focus on enhancing sensitivity, reducing false positives, and ensuring reliability in real-world, cluttered atmospheres.

Furthermore, a portable version of the electronic nose, operable via an iPhone application, has been developed, offering exciting possibilities for on-the-go freshness and allergen detection. Such a compact and user-friendly device empowers consumers to make informed decisions at grocery stores, restaurants, and home kitchens, fostering safer, healthier food habits.

The senior author of the study, Ali Javey, emphasizes the importance of combining novel nanomaterials with advanced machine learning to solve complex sensing problems. This convergence of disciplines paves the way for a new era of digital olfaction technologies that are not only sensitive and selective but also accessible and affordable for everyday use.

Published in the journal Science Advances on June 17, 2026, this study marks a significant milestone in the fields of applied sciences and engineering, with a particular emphasis on food science and sensor technology. Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, the research team comprises experts from UC Berkeley and collaborators from KAIST in South Korea.

As this technology continues to mature, it holds the promise of making kitchens safer and reducing the global burden of foodborne illnesses. By translating the chemical complexity of food odors into digital data streams, the electronic nose could soon become an indispensable tool for consumers worldwide, enhancing food quality and saving lives.

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Subject of Research: Not applicable

Article Title: Scalable multiplexed machine learning gas sensor chips for food classification

News Publication Date: 17-Jun-2026

Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec7965

References:

Bassil, C., Lee, K., Liao, X., Krishnan, D., Zhan, Y., Wijaya, T. J., Hester, E., Kim, M., Kim, I.-D., Park, I., & Javey, A. (2026). Scalable multiplexed machine learning gas sensor chips for food classification. Science Advances. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec7965

Image Credits: Brandon Sánchez-Mejia/UC Berkeley

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Keywords

Food science, Sensors, Emission detectors, Electronic nose, Machine learning, Carbon nanotubes, Food safety, Food spoilage detection, Allergen detection, Smart appliances, Gas sensors, Nanotechnology

With summer's return, I'm again reminded of my limits as I head into the great outdoors: I can put up with a heavy, uncomfortable backpack, bug bites, mud, and even bland dehydrated food, but I will not forsake my morning brew.

I've tried every imaginable coffee gadget in my half-century of camping. These range from simple drip systems when ultralight backpacking, an AeroPress when not weighing every gram, French press plungers when assisted by bicycle, and small countertop coffee makers when adventuring by van. Yet I keep returning to handheld espresso makers whenever possible for reasons of taste, convenience, and - let's face it - gadget …

Read the full story at The Verge.

You can't outrun your fork, but you can outlive your genes.

An analysis of dental tartar containing traces of human diets dating back over 33,000 years has revealed that ancient Europeans and many early Asian populations likely only ate insects by accident, perhaps as larvae in the carcasses of dead animals.

Conversely, the new study found that intentional insect consumption, called entomophagy, was more common in tropical regions and among Neanderthal populations.

Although the difference has some cultural and religious roots, the team found evidence that the abundance of insects in the tropics and the decreasing ability of humans migrating away from the tropics to digest insects likely led to the modern-day separation over thousands of years.

The Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), research team behind the new findings suggests their research could help explain why some modern populations still consume insects as food while other parts of the world consider it gross or taboo, especially given the increasing food demands of a rising world population.

Insect Consumption in Ancient Northern Europeans Likely Accidental

According to a statement announcing the new research, hundreds of millions of people currently include insects in their diet. However, they also note that most of the Western world continues to “show an aversion” to including any of the more than 1,611 insect species designated as edible by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in theirs. Although some theories suggest the difference is almost purely cultural, the team concedes that “its origin remains unknown.”

To explore the origins of human entomophagy, the IBE analyzed 745 samples of ancient human dental tartar dating back to 33,000 before present. According to the team’s results published in the journal Science Advances, dental tartar (sometimes called dental ‘calculus’) is a critical archaeological tool because it preserves the DNA of the species these human ancestors consumed during their lifetimes.

Although the analysis found evidence for entomophagy amongst virtually all ancient populations sampled in the study, the levels varied dramatically. Notably, the evidence suggested that ancient humans in northern Eurasia did not routinely eat insects in measurable quantities. Instead, any consumption was likely incidental, including consumption of insect larvae in rotting food.

Curious whether the lack of entomophagy in ancient European and Central and Northern Asian populations was purely cultural or whether genetic and geographic factors were involved, the team studied human genes involved in chitin digestion. Chitin, which can be found in some marine animal shells, is also part of an insect’s hard exoskeleton.

According to the study authors, the analysis revealed that the ‘chitinase’ genes in North Eurasian human populations “carry mutations that confer a reduced capacity to digest insect exoskeletons.” Their analysis revealed that this reduced capacity to digest insect exoskeletons has persisted in the genomes of modern Eurasian populations “for the last 9,000 years,” which would coincide with the widely accepted date for the origin of agriculture.

Pablo Librado, study leader and a principal investigator at the IBE, said the “scarce presence of insects in the diet of northern Eurasians” suggests that the cause may not lie solely in more recent cultural factors but also in ecological and evolutionary components dating back several millennia. 

Neanderthals and Denisovans Probably Ate Insect Larvae in Rotting Meat

When the team compared data from ancient human tartar with that of ancient Neanderthals, they found that Neanderthals engaged in much higher levels of entomophagy than humans living in the same regions. According to the study authors, Neanderthal insect consumption levels were similar to those found in western chimpanzee populations, which the researchers note “rely on entomophagy to supplement their diet on the savanna, especially during periods of drought.”

Further analysis of the extracted insect DNA showed that the group most commonly consumed by the Neanderthal specimens included flies and mosquitoes. Although the team only analyzed the DNA, they noted that a recent hypothesis suggests Neanderthals ate carcasses laden with mosquito larvae.

“The abundance of mosquito remains reinforces the possibility that the carcasses of their prey were kept in ponds and marshy areas, where mosquitoes lay their eggs,” the team’s statement explained.

An analysis of the Neanderthal DNA and the DNA from the lone Denisovan study subject revealed that both ancient hominid populations could digest chitin. This result reinforced the genetic basis for increased or reduced entomophagy beyond cultural factors. 

Humans Ate Fewer Bugs When They Moved Away from Tropical Regions

One geographic component identified by the chitinase DNA analysis showed higher levels of digestive enzyme expression among humans living in or near the tropics. However, the expression of these enzymes gradually decreased as populations moved away from tropical regions. The team said this variation, which has been maintained for at least the last 9,000 years, “reflects the abandonment of entomophagy in European populations.”

Manuel Piñero, a predoctoral researcher at the IBE and first author of the study, noted that large numbers of insects must be consumed to offset the “high caloric cost” of collecting them, which might explain the higher levels of entomophagy in this region.

“In the tropics, there is a greater availability of social insects, such as termites and locusts,”  Piñero  explained, adding that the biomass and diversity of tropical edible insects enable “sustainable exploitation throughout the year.” The researcher also noted that insect consumption “adds to pest control.”

When discussing the implications of their findings, Librado highlighted the DNA and geographic factors the IBE team uncovered.

“Beyond cultural or religious factors, our results suggest that the reduced availability of insects in non-tropical areas may have been a key factor in the abandonment of entomophagy, leading to a reduced capacity to digest insect exoskeletons,” the researcher explained.

Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

For migrant workers trapped onboard Chinese distant water fishing fleets, cutting the fins off sharks as they writhe violently on rusted decks in the Indian Ocean isn’t accidental. It’s an intentional and lucrative act that marks the start of a bloody half-a-billion-dollar offshore supply chain, tacitly supported by Beijing yet covertly concealed from port inspectors globally.

The Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit focused on the protection of endangered species, filed a formal petition this month requesting the U.S. government potentially sanction China for failing to meet American shark conservation standards. Shark populations have declined by more than 70 percent since 1970, with more than one-third of all shark and ray species now threatened with extinction. Yet each year, Chinese-flagged vessels catch, brutally fin, and discard thousands.

Should the National Marine Fisheries Service identify China as having violated the US Moratorium Protection Act, then President Trump could be expected to ban the import of all $1.5 billion of Chinese seafood.

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