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SPECIAL MENTION: An estimated 20% to 40% of global crop production is lost to pests and pathogens. But what if crops could tell farmers they’re under attack? Agri-tech firm InnerPlant has developed a soybean plant, dubbed the Living Sensor, that has been genetically modified to glow when the plant is under stress—allowing farmers to intervene before it’s too late. The seeds and fledgling shoots, which contain the same fluorescent proteins found in jellyfish, will be available for commercial use in about two years. —Eloise Barry
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