by laurel |
I read about a cool new invention in the December-January issue of Plenty Magazine (p. 22). Aresa, a research company from Denmark, created a genetically-modified tobacco plant that they’re calling the BioSenser. The BioSenser changes color from green to red when it comes in contact with nitrogen oxide from decaying underground explosives. Scientists can drop BioSenser seeds from a plane and return 10 weeks later when the plants are growing. Any sign of red leaves will let alert them to land mines that need to be removed.
The UN reports that over 110 million active land mines exist underground in 68 different countries (I read 78 in a different source). Aresa’s new plants provide an eco-friendly detection method. Previously, mines were detected by digging up big plots of land to search for them or by a person accidentally stepping on one.
It’s fun to read about inventions like these. Cheers to Aresa for developing a new eco-friendly method that will keep harmful chemicals out of the ground and prevent accidental explosions.
Check out MineAction.org for more information on worldwide efforts to remove landmines from the ground.
Brighter Planet
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ah, that’s cute, but could they do it to a useful plant?? rather than spread tobacco…