The technique can be used to track how water flows through plants—which could be key to breeding more resilient crops in an increasingly hot, dry climate.

By using GPS data to monitor slight changes in elevation, the world’s fleet of commercial vessels could aid in forecasting incoming waves.

For millennia, humans have been chopping down trees and harvesting plants. Lab-grown plant material might change that.

A breath test would offer advantages over throat and nose swabs, but the technology is novel, and early trials with volunteers are still ongoing.