While many climate change discussions focus on reducing our dependence on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas, there’s another, quieter challenge lurking: The Earth is running out of phosphorus.
The resource is set to peak, meaning the demand will outweigh the supply, by 2040. That’s a full 10 years before the world is expected to see a shortage of fossil fuels.
Why does phosphorus matter? The mineral is a key component of fertilizers, batteries, animal feed, and food preservatives. A phosphorus shortage would lead to a decline in plant growth and reduce the food supply for the earth’s 7.5 billion people. There is also an established connection between high phosphate levels in the body and many neurological diseases.
Unlike fossil fuels, phosphorus has no substitute—no solar or wind energy to replace it. There is no manufactured, synthetic version. It is not renewable. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
Could Louis Kuo, professor of chemistry, be the one to find the solution?
Profile originally appeared in the Lewis & Clark alumni magazine, The Chronicle.