New Delhi, April 23 -- A new study published in Science on April 17, 2025, has revealed that soil pollution from toxic heavy metals and metalloids is significantly reducing crop yields and contaminating food supplies across the globe.

The research, led by Deyi Hou of Tsinghua University in China, analysed over 1,000 regional datasets and found that between 14 per cent and 17 per cent of the world's agricultural soils exceed safe thresholds for at least one hazardous metal. This contamination affects an estimated 900 million to 1.4 billion people living in high-risk regions, posing serious threats to public health, food security and ecosystems.

One of the most striking findings is the identification of a heavily contaminated belt stretch...