Climate change will make rice toxic, say researchers

arstechnica.comPublished: 4/17/2025

Summary

A new study in The Lancet finds that rice, a staple food for billions, will become more toxic with rising temperatures and carbon dioxide levels due to increased arsenic absorption. Research led by Lewis Ziska of Columbia University showed that various rice species reacted negatively to higher temperatures and CO2, raising health risks such as cancer.