Happy Monday, Members!
After a look at the wide world of sneakers last week, we’re switching it up and turning our attention to both a topic and a place. The topic? The future of food and water. The place? Israel.
Many people know Israel has become a Silicon Valley on the Mediterranean, with hundreds of tech startups housed there. But a fascinating subset of that industry is the panoply of food-tech startups that call the Holy Land their home. Quartz’s science reporter, Chase Purdy, went to Israel to find out what’s been developing there, and he’s gathered all his reporting and analysis in a field guide rolling out this week, starting with today’s state of play memo. As Chase writes, the country is already dealing with many issues the world is only starting to address:
In some ways, Israel, with its vast arid landscape and dwindling water supply, has already had to contend with the effects of the warming planet that is only just beginning to reshape other parts of the world where lots of food is grown. Thanks to their own circumstances, Israelis have innovated their way out of pressing agricultural problems, and the world is starting to notice.
Over the course of the week, we’ll look at more from the fertile crescent, including:
- How Israel gets its water when it’s surrounded by saltwater and desert
- A profile of the man who made sugar taste sweeter
- Beyond (ground) meat: the country’s work on the first test-tube steak
- The rise of robot bees
Join us for a conference call with Chase this Friday at 10 am EDT/3 pm BST/5 pm IDT to talk more about the future of food. Click here to add the call to your Google calendar, or join us at this location at the scheduled time. If you’d like to listen to the call on your phone, dial us toll-free at:
- 866 226 4650 in the US
- 0800 014 8469 in the UK
- 972 1 80 1227229 in Israel
For all phone numbers, the meeting’s access code is 722 994 440.
We always want to hear from you. If you have questions, comments, or ideas for us to chase down, write us at members@qz.com.
Here’s to a rewarding week,
Sam Grobart
membership editor