Snacktime with NASA: Cheese Board

Kathleen Gaeta hosts a session on NASA's role in food production, focusing on how NASA's technology aids agriculture through water management and soil monitoring. Matt Rodell, a NASA hydrosphere scientist, explains the use of satellites like SNAP and GRACE for monitoring soil wetness and groundwater, which are crucial for sustainable farming. The session highlights NASA's collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture to manage water resources, especially in drought-prone areas like California. The discussion concludes with insights into the future impact of climate change on water availability.

What is the main reason NASA is involved in food production?

• To develop new types of cheese

• To monitor water resources for agriculture

• To create space food for astronauts

• To design agricultural machinery

Which NASA satellite is used to measure soil wetness?

• Apollo

• SNAP

• Voyager

• Hubble

What does the GRACE mission measure?

• Ocean currents

• Atmospheric pressure

• Earth's gravity field

• Soil temperature

Why is water management critical in California's Central Valley?

• Because of water-intensive crops

• Due to high levels of pollution

• Because of high population density

• Due to frequent earthquakes

What is the purpose of NASA's collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture?

• To create new types of fertilizers

• To schedule irrigation for vineyards

• To develop new farming equipment

• To monitor pest populations

How might climate change affect droughts according to NASA?

• Droughts will become less frequent

• Droughts will become more frequent and intense

• Droughts will have no change

• Droughts will only affect coastal areas

What is NASA's role in addressing future water resource challenges?

• Creating artificial lakes

• Monitoring and forecasting droughts

• Building new dams

• Developing desalination plants