Up to half the world’s stored grains—1.6 billion tonnes—can be subject to spoilage every year. Such losses impair efforts to meet growth in global food demand. In response, two recent studies applied cutting-edge technology to better understand grain spoilage and seek solutions.

While comic book superheroes use X-ray vision to fight crime, a research facility in Saskatoon, SK, is taking sub-surface sleuthing to a whole new level, shining light on new possibilities for agricultural research.