One of the world’s longest-running experiments has been going for 144 years!
In 1879, botanist William Beal wanted to study how long buried seeds would remain viable. He buried bottles w different seeds in a secret spot on Michigan State's campus.
Every 20 yrs, a small group scientists dig up the bottles & seeds continue to germinate 🌱 (My husband @DavidLowry is the one on the right).
The paper from their last dig is now out so this #science story is back in the news. yahoo.com/news/discovery-insid…
This entry was edited (2 years ago)
Rokosun
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Bill Hooker
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Eugene Wallingford
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Sheril Kirshenbaum
Unknown parent • • •@clew I'm not sure about the first question.
Very few folks know the location of the seeds (I don't) and they dig them up in the middle of the night with headlamps so that onlookers won't be there. I expect someone must be consulted when it comes to new buildings, but perhaps David knows more.
KellyAnn Romanych (she/her)
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Ives
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •long-term experiment which measures the flow of a piece of pitch
Contributors to Wikimedia projects (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.)Le Néandertal sous benzo
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Holzbank der Ältere
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •mattmaison
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •