Spiderwort: Nature's amazing radiation detector

[Cetacea]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8OJyA59tQB4/S5eRA9rrEzI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/7T5v6qj_KlE/s320/Spiderwort+stamens.jpg


Of particular interest are the numerous, fuzzy, blue hairs on the stamens. These mutate at a cellular level and turn pink when exposed to low levels of nuclear radiation, and with amazing accuracy.

Anything above normal ambient levels will cause this mutation.




"One species of spiderwort has found a very unusual scientific application ... as a radiation monitor. The stamen hairs of this spiderwort are each a chain of single cells, like beads on a sting. The stamen hairs grow by the successive addition of cells to the chain. In this particular species, the cells of the stamen hairs are usually pink. But, there is an occasional blue cell. The blue color is the result of a single point mutation in the cell's genetic material. The likelihood of this mutation occurring is proportional to the radiation to which the cell is exposed. So, counting the number of blue cells in the stamen hairs gives an estimate of the radiation to which the flowers were exposed. Since the cells in each hair grow sequentially, the location along the stamen hairs of the blue cells tells when the radiation exposure occurred. This species of spiderwort was once planted around a nuclear power plant in Japan to monitor the release of radioactive material from the nuclear plant. Not only did the spiderworts tell how much radioactive material was released and when, they also told how the wind dispersed the radioactive material."

http://www.redrockcanyonopenspace.org/page13aaa.html

[nebenaube]

1. based on the excerpt you just posted

You have it entirely backwards;the image you posted has been nuked.

[Cetacea]

8. Blue is the native color.

I had it right. The quote from the link below is backwards, though. Thanks for pointing it out!

[bobbolink]

14. You are correct... blue is the color of the native. Great photo!

[MineralMan]

2. You might want to reread and edit.

You've gotten the colors backwards. Just a note to help you out.

[Cetacea]

5. Thank you

I had to post and run and can't edit now. Thanks again!

[FloriTexan]

3. I have these in my garden...

guess I'll be taken a closer look at them.

[democratXX]

4. Interesting

I have a spiderwort too- thanks...

[damntexdem]

6. Uh oh, Japan will have to ban them for causing unwarrented panic.

;-)

[tnlefty]

12. *snort*

LMAO, but do they even grow in Japan. I have lots of them, and some Asiatic Lilys, but I don't know about spiderworts in Japan, mine are blooming their little heads off here in SE TN.

[Cetacea]

17. They have been used in Japan

It seems to be a very hardy plant.


Dr. Sadao Ichikawa, of Saitama University in Japan, was the geneticist
who discovered the radiation change.
------------------------

upon a search you will come up with these:

<http://www.gdr.org/spiderwortdefon.htm>http://www.gdr.org/spiderwortdefon.htm

The Spiderwort is a natural radiation detector which may hold a fragment
of promise in further research in the deactivation of radiation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Spiderwort detects radiation that conventional instruments don't.

There is experimental evidence from an antinuclear group in Japan that a
certain species of Spiderwort plant shows effects of radiation exposure
when the radiation is not detectable by any instruments. This indicates
that biologically sensitive is much greater than currently assumed or
else that some types of radiation which are capable of biological
effects exist which cannot be detected by electronic means and are not
allowed for conventional theory.

[tnlefty]

18. I wasn't trying to discount, nor make fun of your post...

I was being a slight smartass, and perhaps I shouldn't have been. Please see post 10. More like, I don't think that I can grown rice here, but spiderworts are gorgeous right now. Sorry for any confusion.

Considering the disaster in Japan, coupled with the fact that we live close to 2 of TVA's reactors, this will come in handy. Thanks.

edit: and I was laughing at the post above mine that Japan will have to ban them for being natural truthtellers.

[janet118]

7. Wow . . . I think this may be away regular people can monitor

wind and air currents around nuke plants. I think we should give these away at anti-nuke rallies.

[Cetacea]

9. kicking for weekenders

[tnlefty]

10. Thanks for this, as I had no idea.

We have them planted in mass in one area, some planted around in different flower beds. Ours are the purple/blue color, and my husband fussed at me years ago for buying them at like $5.00 a pot, dividing them, then dividing them again, and giving some away to relatives.

They're his favorites now and he doesn't care to remember fussing at me in the beginning. LOL

[slipslidingaway]

11. Very interseting, thanks for posting. n/t

[bobbolink]

13. I have witnessed this personally. There is an area close to here where there are a number of the

pink ones.

Turns out, there is radon there!

When I found out about this years ago, I was stunned. Like a canary in a coal mine!

thanks for posting this, and that beautiful picture! Did you photograph it?

:yourock:

[Cetacea]

16. Cool.

I am planning on getting me some! The photo is not one of mine, but I do plan on photographing these little gems as soon as I get some. You rock more !

[somone]

15. This has been known for quite some time

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1981/4/1/gift-plant-detects-nuclear-radiation-pa/