>> Ted: NEXT, WHAT THE END OF TITLE 42 MEANS FOR ARIZONA AND HANDLING A SURGE OF MIGRANTS.

END SYPHILIS IN NEWBORNS IN THE WORST AND HOW SOLAR FARMS TO HANDLE BIOCRUSTS IN THE DESERT.

THAT'S NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

TITLE 42 IS SET TO END AT 9:00 ARIZONA TIME MAKING IT EASIER TO TURN AWAY MIGRANTS HAS RESULTED IN THREE MILLION MIGRANTS IN THREE YEARS AND THE ORDER ENDS TONIGHT AND REPLACED BY TITLE EIGHT, THE PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION PROCESS.

BORDER TOWNS IN ARIZONA AND OTHER STATES ARE PREPARING FOR ASSYLUM SEEKERS LOOKING TO ENTER THE COUNTRY.

CITY OFFICIALS ARE YU MA ARE WORKING, WITHHOLDING THE BORDER PATROL.

THOMAS GALVIN ASKING FOR EMERGENCY RESOURCES TO HELP ADDRESS THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN MIGRANTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CREATING NEEDLESS CONSEQUENCES AND THEY DESERVE EMERGENCY RESOURCES TO ENSURE SAFETY AND SECURITY.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PLANNING TO SEND AN ADDITIONAL 1500 TROOPS TO BORDER AREAS WITH HELP AND ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND THE TROOPS WILL NOT BE PERFORMING LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS, BUT SOME IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES DON'T LIKE THE IDEA.

>> WE DON'T NEED MILITARY PERSONNEL.

WE NEED MORE JUDGES, WE NEED MORE PROCESSING PERSONNEL TO HELP THESE PEOPLE SEEKING REFUGE AS GUARANTEED IN OUR CONSTITUTION.

>> Ted: MUCH MORE ON THE END OF TITLE 42 IN A MOMENT.

>>> THE NUMBER OF MOMENT FILING UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS IS AT THE HIGHEST IN TWO YEARS.

THE LABOR DEPARTMENT REPORTING 264,000 FIRST-TIME CLAIMS LAST WEEK.

THAT'S UP 22,000 FROM THE WEEK BEFORE AND TEN THOUSAND MORE THAN ECONOMISTS WERE EXPECTING AND WEEKLY CLAIMS HAVE BEEN TRENDING UP.

A SIGN COULDN'T ACCORDING TO ECONOMISTS THAT THE LABOR MARKET IS SOFTENING.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED, THE PANDEMIC ERA POLICY KNOWN AS "TITLE 42" ENDS TONIGHT AND WE'RE JOINED BY EVELYN CRUZ FROM THE COLLEGE OF LAW TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> NICE TO SEE YOU, AS WELL.

>> Ted: A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER HERE AND LET'S START WITH THE BASICS.

WHAT IS "TITLE 42"?

>> THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW AND A RELEASE TO HELP AND WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THEY USED PROVISION WITHIN TITLE 42 TO SUSPEND CERTAIN PROVISIONS UNDER TITLE 8 WHICH CONTROLS IMMIGRATION.

UNDER THAT PROCLAMATION, BASICALLY, THE IDEA WAS THAT ANYONE WANT TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM WHO NORMALLY HAS THE RIGHT TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE BORDER SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR ASYLUM AND HAS THE PROCESS CONTINUE TO DECIDE UPON PROOF OF STATUS.

WELL, UNDER TITLE 42, THAT WAS SUSPENDED AND A PERSON COULD NOT APPLY FOR ASYLUM AND AT MOST, APPLY FOR WITHHOLDING AND WORKED WITH A COUPLE OF PROVISIONS UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THAT, BASICALLY, SUSPENDED THE WAY THAT PEOPLE FROM REFUGEE CAMPS TO IMMIGRATE BECAUSE WE STOP RECEIVING REFUGEES AND THIS ALLOWED PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO APPLY AND HAD TO WAIT OUTSIDE IN MEXICO.

SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BASICALLY, BROUGHT TO A HOPE A PROCESS THAT NOT ONLY IS A VERY ROBUST PROCESS THAT HAPPENS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

IT ALSO HAPPENED DURING A TIME WHERE WE HAD A LOT OF TURMOIL IN A LOT OF COUNTRIES.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS THIS PENNED UP AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FLEEING FROM CIRCUMSTANCES IN THEIR COUNTRY THAT MAKE THIS POSSIBLE AND THEY'RE THEIR ONLY OPTION ISOPTIONIS TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE U.S. BORDER.

>> Ted: AND THEY ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES.

>> THEY ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS CREATED SOME PROVISIONS THAT WILL PUNISH INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTEMPT TO NOT PRESENT THEMSELVES AND INSTEAD GO AROUND THE SYSTEM INCLUDING DENIAL OF THEIR ASYLUM REQUEST.

>> Ted: THAT'S TITLE 42, BUT BEFORE YOU EXPLAINED THAT ASPECT OF IT.

AND WHY IS IT GOING AWAY?

>> BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS TECHNICALLY OVER.

TITLE 42 IS A HEALTH EMERGENCY.

THIS WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED USE OF TITLE 42 AND ONE LAW DOES NOT OUTDO ANOTHER.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES.

IT'S GOING AWAY BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS OVER.

ALTHOUGH, THERE WERE A LOT OF CASES THAT WERE GOING TO THE COURTS AND WE DIDN'T DEBT A RESOLUTION WHETHER IT WAS CONSTITUTIONAL OR NOT.

>> Ted: TEN TO 13 CROSSINGS A DAY EXPECTED.

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU OR AT LEASE APPLICANTS SHOWING UP AND BEING PROCESSED.

>> IT'S HARD TO TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE APPLYING BECAUSE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS THAT HAVE SETTLED IN DIFFERENT PARTS THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA THAT ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES OR TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEIR LIVES WHERE THEY HAVE LANDED.

>> Ted: BORDER CITIES AND TOWNS AND HEARING A LOT ABOUT THEM AND BORDER STATES LIKE ARIZONA AND A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT A SURGE AND AN ENACT TO HANDLEINABILITY TO TO HANDLE ALL OF THESE FOLKS.

>> THE WAY THE NORMAL PROCESSING UNDER THE CONGRESSIONAL STRUCTURE FOR ASYLUM WORKS THAT A PERSON WHO PRESENTS THEMSELVES AT THE BORDER AND INDICATES THEY WILL RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY HAS A RIGHT TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO THE BORDER, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THAT.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS ESTABLISHED SOME PROCEDURES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING THESE FAMILIES UNDER AN ELECTRONIC GUARD PROCESS AND RELEASING THEM, TRANSPORTING FAMILIES TO OTHER PLACES.

AND CREATING ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR HOUSING APPLICANTS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE PROCESSING DONE AND ANY PERSON'S APPLICATION WITHIN 30 DAYS.

HOW WELL THIS WILL UNFOLD, WE'LL SEE.

BUT THEY ARE SENDING TO THE BORDER A LOT OF ASYLUM OFFICERS AND A LOT OF JUDGES TO PROCESS THESE APPLICATIONS.

BUT THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE PRIORITIZED AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR CLAIM IN SUCH A SITUATION.

>> Ted: I'VE READ PROCESSING CENTERS ARE OPENED THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA, TRUE?

>> THAT IS THE PLAN THAT THEY ARE HAVING, IS TO CREATE OUTSIDE LOCATIONS, OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES, LIKE I SAID.

MOST OF THE TIME, THE ONLY TIME TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM IS BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A REFUGEE CAMP OR BECAUSE YOU PRESENT YOURSELF AT THE U.S. BORDER.

AND SO BY CREATING OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN SUBMIT THEIR REQUESTS FOR ASYLUM, THAT MIGHT HELP.

BUT THAT WILL TAKE TIME AND PROBABLY SOME CONGRESSIONAL WORK.

>> Ted: GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

THE ADMINISTRATION SAID THAT THE NEW POLICIES WILL DISCOURAGE AND ACTUALLY LOWER ILLEGAL, UNAUTHORIZED ACROSSINGS AT CROSSINGS AT THE BORDER.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> IF A PERSON IS DENIED ASYLUM, THEY'RE INELIGIBLE TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES LIGHT FOR FIVE ILLEGALLY FOR FIVE YEARS AND CAUGHT CROSSING INTO THE UNITED STATES, THEY'LL BE PROCESSED AND THAT CARRYING A MINIMUM OF SIX YEARS' JAIL SENTENCE IN A FEDERAL PRISON.

THEY'RE SENDING GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS FROM THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE TO PLACES LIKE SAN DIEGO AND ANOTHER BORDER TOWN TO DO THE PROSECUTIONS OF THOSE ILLEGAL RE-ENTRIES.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING.

>> Ted: WE ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT SO SORRY TO CAUGHT YOU SHORT.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THINGS WILL GET OVERWHELM.

HOW JUSTIFIED ARE THOSE CONCERNED?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO REALIZE, THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT HEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE CRIMINALS BUT FEARFUL BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION IN THEIR HOMELAND.

IT WILL TAKE TAX OUR RESOURCES, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A FEAR OF SECURITY.

>> Ted: EVELYN CRUZ, COLLEGE OF LAW, ALWAYS GOD TO YOU GOOD YOU HAVE AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: AND WHAT'S BEHIND ARIZONA LEADING THE NATION IN SYPHILIS RATES IN NEWBORNS?

♪♪ >> Ted: ARIZONA WAS THE WORST IN THE NATION IN TERMS OF NEWBORN SYPHILIS RATES AND PRELIMINARY DATA INDICATES THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE LAST YEAR.

STEPHANIE JOINS US NOW AND GOOD TO YOU HAVE HERE.

THIS IS PRETTY SOBERING STUFF AND ARIZONA LEADING THE NATION FOR STIFF LIST IN NEWBORNS.

>> THIS IS A BIG HEALTH PROBLEM AND DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES OTHER PROBLEMS GOT PUSHED TO THE SIDE, OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED HEALTH PROBLEMS WERE ONE OF THEM.

ARIZONA HAS PRETTY HIGH RATES OF ALL SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AND ALWAYS HAS.

BUT IN 2021, SO THE CDC LAST MONTH IN APRIL RELEASED A REPORT AND IT ACTUALLY RANKED THE STATES ACCORDING TO THEIR RATES.

THE MOST ALARMING PART OF THE REPORT WAS THAT ARIZONA RANKED FIRST FOR CONGENITAL SYPHILIS, WHICH IS SYPHILIS PASSED FROM THE POM TO THE MOM TO THE BABY AND PASSED THROUGH THE PLACENTA.

>> Ted: IS IT IT A LACK OF PRENATAL CARE.

YOUR STORY TALKED ABOUT FENTANYL AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DOCTORS BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT BEING CAUGHT.

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF FACTORS, TRUE?

>> I TALKED TO THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HET HELP SERVICES AND I READ A LITTLE BIT AND I READ THE REPORTS AND THERE ISN'T ONE SINGLE REASON THAT YOU CAN CITE FOR IN.

THIS.

SOME ARE INTERTWINED, BUT CERTAINLY ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT I THINK IS A PRETTY BIG FACTOR IS DRUG USE.

AND AS WE KNOW, FENTANYL AND METHMETHAMPHETAMINE HAS INCREASED AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE USING DRUGS, THEY'RE AFRAID PEOPLE WILL TAKE THEIR DRUGS AWAY OFTEN.

THE FACTOR THAT MISUSING DRUGS, ILLICIT DRUGS CAN IMPAIR YOUR JUDGMENT AND YOU MAY NOT GET PRENATAL CARE AND THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE IF YOU GET PRENATAL CARE, YOU'LL BE TESTED FOR SYPHILIS.

>> Ted: AS FAR AS COVID, YOU MENTIONED COVID CAN'T I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR ASTRAY BECAUSE A LOT OF ENERGY AND ATTENTION AND MAYBE NOT SHOWN ONTO AREAS LIKE THIS, BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH ARIZONA AND WHY ARE WE NUMBER ONE?

THIS IS ALL OVER >> STI, SWORD, MAKING BIG HEADLINES IN APRIL AND NATIONWIDE AND ARIZONA STOOD OUT BECAUSE IT HAD SOME OF THE HIGHER RATES.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER -- AND THIS IS WHAT MY SOURCES TOLD ME, IS WELL, IS IT DURING COVID THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE TYPICALLY -- USUALLY ASSIGNED TO THE STI INVESTIGATORS WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS?

THEY WERE DOING COVID CONTACT TRACING DURING THAT TIME.

SO YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE, AS YOU MENTIONED THE RESOURCES TO DO ALL THE STI AND STI INVESTIGATION IS HUGE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO TESTS POSITIVE FOR SYPHILIS, YOU NEED TO CONTACT THEIR PARTNERS.

YOU NEED TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHO THE SOURCE WAS AND STOP IT.

BUT IF IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO DO THAT, THINK OF ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE POTENTIALLY INFECTED.

>> Ted: AND THERE'S A STIGMA ATTACHED TO STIS IN GENERAL, SYPHILIS IN PARTICULAR.

AND THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF REPORTING, I WOULD IMAGINE.

>> I THINK IT MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE LESS LIKELY TO BE TESTED OR EVEN CONSIDER THAT THEY NEED TO BE TESTED.

THEY MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE THAT MAYBE A PARTNER IS MAYBE HAVING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND NOT JUST WITH THAT PERSON.

>> Ted: ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A FACTOR IN A VARIETY OF HEALTH ISSUES AND IS IT A FACTOR HERE IN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO ANY POPULATION THAT HAS PROBLEMS ACCESSING HEALTHCARE WILL BE MORE AT HIGHER RISK FOR AN STI.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS AND CERTAINLY IN 2020, I LOOKED AT THE DATA AND THE HIGHER RATES WERE GILA, NAVAJO WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TESTING AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO THE PRENATAL CARE THAT THEY NEED.

AND THERE IS AN EFFORT IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS TO BRING SYPHILIS TESTING TO PEOPLE'S HOMES.

BECAUSE THAT'S HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR SOME PEOPLE TO GET TO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS OR CLINGSCLINICS.

>> Ted: SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA FOR PRIVACY CONCERNS.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO GO TO THE CLINIC AND BE TESTED.

>> Ted: FOR PREGNANCIES, FIRST AND THIRD TRIMESTERS EAR AND DELIVERY, BECAUSE THIS THING CAN TAKE A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP AND SHOW SYMPTOMS.

>> AND PEOPLE CAN ALSO GET REINFECTED.

AND IT'S EASILY TREATABLE.

THIS IS THE BIG MESSAGE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ABOUT SYPHILIS, THAT IT'S EASILY TREATABLE WITH PENICILLIN.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT SO EASY TO GET THE DRUGS IF YOU'RE IN A RURAL AREA, BUT IT TAKES CARE OF THE INFECTION.

YOU KNOW, IT CAN AVOID A LOT OF HEARTACHE.

>> Ted: IT SOUNDS THESE NUMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

>> YES, AND HOPEFULLY THE CONGENITAL NUMBERS WON'T INCREASE, BUT USUALLY, IF JUST A HIGH RATE OF SYPHILIS, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A HIGHER CHANCE OF CONGENITAL SYPHILIS AND ARIZONA WAS NUMBER SEVEN FOR ITS RATE OF SYPHILIS AND THAT MAY BE A PART OF THE REASON WE'RE NUMBER ONE FOR CONGENITAL.

ONE OF THE BIG TRAGEDIES, IT CAN BE FATAL IF IN BABIES.

IN 2021, THIS WERE 4 14 BABIES AND IN 2022, THAT WENT UP TO 21.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DO THE REPORTING.

I CHECKED BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS COMING ON AND WE HAD THREE DEATHS THIS YEAR, WHICH COULD BE HIGHER AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE CASE INVESTIGATION.

>> Ted: REPORTING ON THIS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TOPIC TO LIFE AND ARIZONA REPUBLIC AND LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE YOU ON THIS SHOW FOR THIS TOPIC EVER AGAIN.

>> I HOPE SO, TOO.

>> Ted: ASU RESEARCHERS FIGURED OUT OTHER WAY TO USE SOY LAR FARMS TO REGENERATE BIOCRUST FOR EXPANDING SOIL RESTORATION AND FOR MORE ON THIS, WE WELCOME DR. FERRAN GARCIA-PICHEL, DIRECTOR OF THE BIODESIGN.

AND A LOT GOING ON BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT SOLAR FARMS TO REGENERATE THE SOIL?

>> YES.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR ABOUT A DECADE NOW.

WE ARE INTO THE GOOD MICROBES AS OPPOSED TO THE BAD MICROBES AND THERE'S MICROBES THAT CAN GROW NATURALLY IN DESERT SURFACES AND HELP TO STABILIZE THE SOILS NATURALLY.

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THOSE MICROBIAL ASEMMABLES ARE GONE AND THE CONSEQUENCES IS THAT THE SOILS ARE UNSTABLE AND WE GET HABOOBS AND HIGH DUSTS IN THE AIR AND SO ON.

SO ONE POTENTIAL APPROACH TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM IS TO REGENERATE THOSE MICROBIALIAL ASEMMABLAGES.

>> Ted: IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU'RE GROWING DIRT.

>> NOT QUITE.

WE'RE GROWING MICROBES TO ADD TO THE DIRT AND SO THEY SORT OF GLUE THE DUST PARTICLES TOGETHER INTO THE GROUND.

>> Ted: GOTCHA.

>> THE TRUTH IS, IT'S SO FAR A BOUTIQUE ENTERPRISE.

FOR EXAMPLE, MY WHOLE TEAM MAYBE COULD TREAT A FEW ACRES A YEAR WORKING FULL-TIME AND NOW THIS APPROACH OF USING EXISTING SOLAR FARMS ALLOWS US TO INCREASE THIS CAPACITY BY TEN THOUSAND FOLD.

>> Ted: WE'RE SEEING SOLAR PANELS HERE AND NOW DOES THIS WORK?

ARE YOU GROWING THIS IN SHADE OR HOW DOES THIS WORK?

>> THE REALIZATION THAT UNDER THE SOLAR PANELS, THE DESERT HABITAT IS A LOT LESS HARSH WITHOUT THEM BECAUSE WHEN IT RAINS, THE SOIL REMAINS WET LONGER AND THE INSULATION IS LESS AND JUST A LESS HARSH ENVIRONMENT AND THE MICROBES GROW FASTER, BETTER, AND CAN BE HARVESTED TO TREAT OTHER AREAS.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU SAY NATURALLY GROWS FASTER, IT GROWS FASTER.

>> IT DOES GROW FASTER COMPARED TO NOT HAVING THE PANELS.

THEY WILL GROW UNDER BOTH CONDITIONS AND JUST PROBABLY A FACTOR OF FIVE OR SIX-FOLD FASTER.

>> Ted: ON YOUR RESEARCH WHEN YOU TRANSPLANT SOMETHING UNDER THE SOLAR PANELS AND PUT IT INTO THE WILD, INTO THE REAL WORLD, DO THEY HANG ON AND ATTACH AND WORK?

>> WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.

THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP.

SO OUR RECENT STUDIES THAT HAVE US SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, THIS IS ABOUT THE CAPACITY AND WE SHOW THAT IT CAN BE USED AND NOW WE NEED TO BRING ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO DO IT IN A LARGE SCALE AND WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET.

THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE WORK BEYOND SIGNS, BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THE OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF SOLAR FARMS, THE FARMERS THAT HAVE THEIR AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN NEED OF TREATMENT, OURSELVES, THE SCIENTISTS.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BIOCRUST IS DAMAGED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY, ONCE IT'S DAMAGED, IT IS GONE FOREVER AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO REGENERATE WITHOUT YOUR HELP?

>> IT CAN TAKE UP TO A HUNDRED YEARS TO FULLY RECOVER.

>> Ted: OH, MY GOODNESS.

>> THESE MICROBES GROW WHEN THE SOIL IS WET AND IN ARIZONA, THE SOIL IS NOT WET OFTEN.

THE ACTUAL TIMES ARE SHORT.

SO IF WE CAN ACCELERATE THAT PROCESS BY ANY FACTOR, THEN WE'RE MUCH BETTER OFF.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

>> Ted: WE'RE RUNNING OUT TIME BUT I'M FASCINATED.

DOES IT LOOK OUR SMELL DIFFERENT WHEN YOU TOUCH IT?

>> YES.

IT IT FEELS CRUSTY.

SO WHEN YOU TOUCH IT, IT FEELS LIKE A COOKIE IF IT'S DRY AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THE SOIL PARTICLES ARE HELD TOGETHER BY THESE MICROBES AND ESSENTIALLY, WHEN THE WIND BLOWS OVER, IT DOESN'T TAKE ANY SAND GRADES ALONG.

>> Ted: THIS COULD BE A GAME CHANGER.

>> WE THINK SO.

>> Ted: WHAT'S NEXT IN THE RESEARCH?

>> JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP AND APPLYING THIS IN THE NEXT SCALE.

>> Ted: CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RESEARCH.

IT SOUNDS FASCINATING AND THE KIND OF THING PEOPLE DON'T THINK MUCH ABOUT AND YOU THINK ABOUT THIS.

DR. FERRAN GARCIA-PICHEL FROM ASU'S BIODESIGN CENTER FOR FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED BIO DYNAMICS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.