What if 20 years from now, major agriculturial business didn't depend on large swaths of farmland, favorable weather and sunlight? What if they just occupied LED-lit buildings set to a precise temperature and humidity? In the Netherlands, it's already happening.

As the AP tells it, a Dutch research outfit called PlantLab has had success growing various types of produce in indoor farming complexes:


PlantLab plans to build a four-story, 14,000 sq. ft. complex to further their research. They say that sunlight is completely unnecessary to the grow process, because plants only need certain wavelengths, and that the unnecessary waves from the sun might even taint food. They also believe that a 1000 sq. ft. facility could provide 200 grams of fruit and vegetables every day to a city of 140,000 people. Are we ready to eat the future? [PlantLab via AP]