Keeping topsoil on the ground

Hanging onto to topsoil is vital to life on earth. Loose topsoil blown about by the wind also contributes to our dust problem in Arizona. Arizona State University Biodesign microbiologist Ferran Garcia-Pichel has been on a mission to solve the gritty problem of keeping the Earth’s natural topsoil tethered to the ground and out of the air. His solution is the world’s first microbial nursery, where researchers will grow native strains of microbes faster than nature can, microbes that help keep soil in place. We’ll talk to Garcia-Pichel about his research.