The rapid development will change the Corn Belt in significant, unforeseen ways. Residents are just beginning to grapple with what that means.By Alexia UnderwoodTAZEWELL COUNTY, Ill.—To the untrained eye, Central Illinois is all lush fields of corn and green soybeans shortly before harvest. The wind shuffles through the row crops, and the air is warm and humid and full of insects. The horizon is dotted with power lines, strung together by wire, and the occasional water tower—the only objects that disrupt a vast sky.Â
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: November 30, 2025 06:15 AM
Atmospheric COâ‚‚
426.8 ppm
+18.1
ppm/year
Atmospheric CHâ‚„
1927.61 ppb
+2.73
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year