Farmers use 'magic dust' to capture millions of tonnes of carbon

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on BBC or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Farms across the UK are using crushed basalt, a volcanic rock, to capture carbon dioxide while enhancing crop growth
• This method, known as enhanced rock weathering, accelerates a natural process where rainwater solidifies carbon upon contact with the rock
• A company named Undo provides basalt for free to farmers, funded by carbon credits purchased by major corporations

🔭 The context: Enhanced rock weathering mimics natural carbon capture but speeds it up dramatically
The basalt rock not only helps sequester carbon but also boosts crop yields and improves soil quality
• This sustainable farming method has gained support from companies like British Airways and Microsoft, eager to offset their carbon emissions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By capturing carbon directly from the atmosphere, this practice helps fight climate change while supporting agriculture
• It's a scalable, nature-based solution that could remove billions of tons of CO₂ globally

⏭️ What's next: Undo aims to spread enough basalt by next year to capture one million tonnes of CO₂. With abundant global basalt deposits and demand for carbon credits, this method could rapidly scale up

💬 One quote: "It's the most scalable technology," said XinRan Liu, director of science and research at Undo

📈 One stat: Undo's goal is to capture one million tonnes of CO₂ by 2025

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