Chinese researchers are working on a massive geoengineering project of “artificial crusting.” They are using vast amounts of blue-green algae to turn barren dunes into stable, reclaimable land. This method marks the first time microbes have been used on such a massive scale to reshape natural landscapes.

The cyanobacteria-based crust, which can withstand winds of 36 kmph, is slated to reclaim up to 6667 hectares in Ningxia over the next five years. This could serve as a blueprint for global desert restoration and climate change mitigation.