Dear Spinach, as per my last e-mail, please remember to not leaf out attachments in the future as the branch head requires it to determine the root of the issue. Thanks!
A recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Materials have caused quite a commotion in social media because of its seemingly science-fictional contents. In the study by MIT engineers, it was revealed that they have found a way to teach spinach how to send e-mails! Say what?
Well, it’s not as it sound like, as the spinach are not exactly sending researchers e-mails by typing on a keyboard with its leaves. Instead, the MIT developers have developed a method to transform spinach sensors into something that can detect explosive materials.
You see, the roots of the spinach will detect explosive materials in groundwater in which it is planted. Then, carbon nanotubes implanted within the plant will send a signal to an infrared camera. The camera would then send an alert to scientists monitoring the area via e-mail.
MIT’s Professor Micheal Strano led the research on the matter.
This technology is known as ‘plant nanobionics’ and while its not as cool as Iron Man’s nano tech suit in Avengers: Endgame, at least its quite a useful implementation of the technology. Professor Micheal Strano, the lead researcher in the project said that ‘plants are very good analytical chemists’ and claimed that his team’s research have overcome the plant and human communication barrier.
Furthermore, Strano also said that this technology is especially good at detecting pollution and environmental changes as plants are always absorbing a vast amount of data from their surroundings.
Awesome! Hope this technology can be used to better preserve the environment.
Also read: 10yo Boy Struggles To Sell Vegetables To Support His Elderly Grandparents Amidst Lockdown
