One of the World’s Oldest Scientific Experiments Rises from the Earth
Under cover of darkness in a secret location, a group of scientists from Michigan State University embarks on a treasure hunt following a hand-drawn map.
The object of their search: a bottle filled with sand and a bunch of really old seeds. The researchers are participating in a multi-century attempt to figure out how long seeds can lie dormant in the soil without losing their ability to germinate. Bottles of seeds were buried 142 years ago and one bottle is dug up every 20 years to measure their persistence. New technology has expanded the scope of the project allowing the keepers of the stash the ability to look inside the seeds to discover how they tick.
Read the full story in The New York Times here or in IFLScience here.
If the story fascinates you, join the Great American Seed Up and Urban Farm U for Seed Up Saturday to learn more about the ancient art of seed saving. In these uncertain times, Seed Up Saturday is 3 hours of seed education to empower you to increase your food security by learning to save seeds.
Saturday, May 22, 2021 from 9am 12pm AZ/Pacific Time. Reserve your spot at SeedUpSaturday.com.