Environmental Science
Nitrogen Cycle Disruption from Agricultural Fertilizers
Quick fact
Fertilizer runoff from farms creates massive 'dead zones' in coastal waters, like the one in the Gulf of Mexico that can cover over 6,000 square miles—an area larger than Connecticut.
Why this is interesting
That lush green field fed with fertilizer helps feed billions—but where does all that extra nitrogen go, and what happens when it disrupts a delicate planetary cycle?