It is an exciting time to be alive. Self-driving cars are no longer science-fiction. Colonization of Mars is more than a pipe dream. And your spinach plant can email you to tell you if there is an explosive nearby.
To that last point: MIT engineers recently managed to embed spinach leaves with carbon nanotubes that act as sensors that are able to detect explosive devices and ping that information to a handheld device, via something like a text message or email. The spinach plant knows something dangerous is nearby after it absorbs chemicals through its roots — so if there is a landmine or other explosive in the area, the nitroaromatic compounds in the groundwater will trigger the spinach's sensors.
"This is a novel demonstration of how we have overcome the plant/human communication barrier," the research team's leader, Michael Strano, told MIT News.
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And arugula lovers, never fear: "You can apply these techniques to any living plant," Strano said, and the possibilities are limitless. "Plants are very environmentally responsive," he said. "They know that there is going to be a drought long before we do. They can detect small changes in the properties of soil and water potential. If we tap into those chemical signaling pathways, there is a wealth of information to access."
The future is so close that you can already practically hear people asking, "Do I have carbon nanotubes in my teeth?"
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