Overview

• Approximately 14–17% of global cropland, or 242 million hectares, is contaminated with toxic metals exceeding safety thresholds.
• Up to 1.4 billion people live in high-risk areas with polluted soils, posing significant health risks including cancers and organ damage.
• The study, published in *Science*, analyzed nearly 800,000 soil samples using machine learning to create the first global contamination map.
• Cadmium is the most widespread contaminant, with hotspots in South and East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Europe.
• Scientists warn that rising demand for metals in green technologies could exacerbate soil pollution without coordinated global action.