Scientists are studying 200-year-old tea leaves preserved in botanical collections to help protect modern tea crops from climate change. Researchers are analysing historic specimens to identify genetic traits that could improve resilience to heat, drought and other environmental stress. The findings could support efforts to develop climate-resilient tea varieties as global temperatures rise.


200-Year-Old Tea Leaves Could Help Fight Climate Change | WION

Tea, the drink that defines India and delights the world, is now under strain.
In Assam, the heart of India’s tea industry, extreme heat and erratic rains are cutting harvests in half.
Prices are rising, exports are shrinking, and workers are struggling under blazing skies.
This next report takes you inside the plantations where climate change is brewing a crisis for a 10 billion dollar global industry.

Heatwaves shrivel Assam’s tea harvests

Recent research from Northwestern University reveals that brewing tea can naturally remove heavy metals like lead and cadmium from water. During the steeping process, these toxic ions adhere to the surface of tea leaves, effectively filtering them out. The study found that a typical cup of black tea brewed for five minutes can reduce lead ion concentration by approximately 15%.

Stepping up your tea game could help reduce metal exposure

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