1. What we can learn from the ancient art of wayfinding (BBC Future)

• The way Pacific Islanders used to navigate using only cues found in the environment may seem irrelevant today. But natural navigation still holds surprising lessons.

2. The world's soils are becoming dangerously degraded, but rare microbes offer hope (Wired)

• Bueno Aires-base startup Puna Bio is taking microbes acclimatized to the harsh conditions of the Andean highlands and deploying them in depleted soils to help crops thrive.

3. This forgotten technology could solve the world's palm oil problem (National Geographic)

• Found in everything from chips to toothpaste, our addiction to the oil is destroying rainforests. But oily microbes may finally offer a sustainable alternative.

4. The living things that feast on plastic (Knowable Magazine)

• Scientists are scouring garbage sites around the world for bacteria, fungi and even insects that harbor enzymes that could be harnessed for breaking down various polymers. It’s early days, but if the efforts can be efficiently scaled-up, such biological recycling could put a dent in the plastic waste problem.

5. Asian garment makers call for more help from brands to adapt as Europe calls time on fast fashion (Reuters)

• Among the biggest seismic shifts set to transform the global textile industry in coming years is the new European Union Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, which will set standards for sustainability and human rights. How will manufacturers in Asia, suppliers of more than 70% of textiles to the EU, respond?