Although the economics have yet to pencil out, scientists are exploring the use of phytomining to help meet the world’s increased demand for lithium, a key component of batteries that run EVs and other modern electronics. ENSIA

A superworm can eat about eight times more than other plastic-ingesting insects. FAST COMPANY

England forward Marcus Rashford led the campaign to ensure children from poor families would not go hungry over school holidays. REUTERS

As awareness about their ecological importance grows, a movement to grant insects the same protections as more majestic creatures is gaining steam. REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

From Guatemala to Oklahoma, communities are tackling multiple challenges by saving seeds of traditional agricultural crops. ENSIA

Since 1997, there’s been an easy pipeline of combat equipment from the military to local community police departments—including assault rifles, grenade launchers, and bomb-detonating robots. FAST COMPANY

In Slough, one of the largest Sikh temples or Gurdwaras in the UK has responded to the lockdown by reinventing itself as an emergency food operation, delivering thousands of meals a day to NHS staff and those most in need. BBC NEWS

The cholesterol-lowering drugs quell inflammation and reverse endothelial tissue damage, hints that they might curb the body’s excessive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. THE SCIENTIST

China has granted pangolins protected status and removed their scales from a list of approved medicine ingredients. POSITIVE NEWS

Protesters across the US have taken to the streets in the wake of George Floyd's death to demand an end to police brutality and what they see as systemic racism. BBC NEWS

Since the Great Recession, leaders in finance and investing have aimed to make their industries more equitable, sustainable, and socially productive. Has the fight for financial reform found its moment amid the economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic? STANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW

A pilot program in Dallas found a better way of helping people who call 911 for mental health emergencies than simply putting them in jail or dropping them off at the ER. FAST COMPANY

The Ford Foundation and four others plan to substantially increase their spending, a splurge financed in part by issuing debt. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Silicon solar cells folded into spheres hint at solar power's flexibility in even small devices. IEEE SPECTRUM

Need to add a third floor? Just pop the roof off and slide one in. FAST COMPANY

A ban on constructing with timber is one of the more misguided responses to Grenfell. THE GUARDIAN

There are huge, untapped areas in the centres of many cities that we could be using to make the food chain more resilient. BBC FUTURE

As the pandemic puts more pressure on already strained food supplies, a new initiative is helping 400 families grow their own. THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

Postponing rent is one thing, but how are people with no jobs supposed to pay later? This city wants to eliminate the debt of renters. FAST COMPANY

The coronavirus crisis has changed the way we use energy, at least for now. But could the global pandemic finally finish off coal, the most polluting of all fossil fuels? BBC NEWS