Conversations With a Plant
Reuters reports on the latest in Israeli brilliance: Scientists “listening” to plants to find water pollution.
Scientists in Israel have discovered a new way to test for water pollution by “listening” to what the plants growing in water have to say.
By shining a laser beam on the tiny pieces of algae floating in the water, the researchers said they hear sound waves that tell them the type and amount of contamination in the water.
“It is a red light, telling us that something is beginning to go wrong with the quality of water,” said Zvy Dubinsky, an aquatic biologist at Israel’s Bar Ilan University. “Algae is the first thing to be affected by a change in water quality.”
And you know what they say in Israel: 2 plants, 3 opinions.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
Never let it be said that we goofy Aquatic/Marine Biologists won’t find a new use for a heat lamp! Or any other excuse to play in the water. The important thing is not to play with the heat lamp and the water at the same time.
Because that might lead to a work accident.
And… I was just reading today about scientists in the U.S. using enzymes and algae to make fuel… So keeping algae happy is going to be very important to optimizing output.