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A Policy Forum article published this week in Science calls for a new approach to regulating genetically engineered (GE) crops, arguing that current approaches for triggering safety testing vary dramatically among countries and generally lack scientific merit - particularly as advances in crop breeding have blurred the lines between conventional breeding and genetic engineering.

Although it sounds weird, it is true: the steppes of Eastern Europe are home to a similar number of plant species as the regions of the Amazon rainforest. This is only seen when species are counted in small sampling areas rather than hectares of land. An international research team led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig has now demonstrated how much estimates of plant diversity change when the sampling area ranges from a few square metres to hectares.

"Maybe one day we can produce cell-based proteins on a rooftop in a city," says Julia Keppler from the Laboratory of Food Process Engineering. This lab looks into milk proteins made by cells instead of cows. Over the next four years, she and her colleagues will be taking major steps on this new path in the protein transition.

The opening of the academic year on 5 September is themed planetary boundaries. But, what are they? How can you study them, and can you use them in your day-to-day life? Today, episode 3: Marten Scheffer, one of the speakers during the opening. Marten Scheffer , professor of Aquatic Ecology, has been working on critical boundaries for some time.

Organic meat is more expensive than non-organic meat. But does it taste better too? Wageningen researcher Hans Spoolder wants to answer this question in the mEATquality project. For this European project, data is being collected in different countries. A data warehouse will be set up, where all the data can be collected.