Corn yields might be improving due to efficient farming, but researchers have found that it is very sensitive to water availability in the soil, which is drying out on a global scale as groundwater becomes scarce or difficult to reach. Record temperatures and prolonged droughts in 2022 led to reduced crop yields in many regions. 'Heatflation' is the term used to describe how higher temperatures lead to smaller harvests and higher prices. But it is not only extreme heat that hurts crop yields - increased and more severe flooding, more frequent landslides, and unexpected frost are also damaging. As you can see, we'll need to achieve a lot to keep corn around in our lives.