In Qatar, a team of scientists and engineers has set out to prove that people in the world’s most inhospitable places can transform sunlight, salt water and CO2 into energy, fresh water and food.

In India, climate change is already forcing farmers to adapt to saltwater intrusion, flooding and droughts. International scientists are racing to breed a new batch of climate-resilient super seeds that can survive these changes. But many traditional farmers are instead relying on the seeds that sustained their ancestors.

When James T. Reynolds Sr. lost his job with the American Cancer Society, he started a look-alike: the Cancer Fund of America. Since then, family members have created other cancer charities that pay salaries to nearly a dozen relatives.

In Singapore, the challenge of feeding a growing population is pushing the concept of urban farming to new heights.