Imagine a tractor-sized machine that sees the difference between crop and weed, then kills the unwanted plant with a focused beam of light—no herbicide required. That device is already being tested in New Jersey by Rutgers University scientist Thierry Besançon, an associate professor with the Department of Plant Biology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

Hollywood’s carbon footprint is hard to pin down because “Hollywood” —shorthand for the U.S. film and TV industry—is spread across states, studios, and worldwide productions. Moreover, many variables are involved, such as production size (multimillion-dollar blockbusters vs. indie shorts) and location.

Scientists have recently proposed that towering plants such as bamboo, palms, and bananas deserve a distinct place in climate-resilience thinking.