Winds of Change.NET: Landmine Detecting Plants

February 7, 2004

Landmine Detecting Plants

by Joe Katzman at February 7, 2004 2:05 AM

Good Morning Silicon Valley had this interesting report last week. The humanitarian uses of this research are obvious:

"A genetically modified weed has been developed that could someday be used to detect landmines. Sow it over a landmine field and Thale Cress, which in its original state turns brown when subjected to stressful conditions, will turn a warning red when its roots detect traces of explosives."

Just don't mow the red ones, Johnny...

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Comments

#1 from Clark Taylor at 7:03 am on Feb 07, 2004

Intersting quote there... "Sow it over a landmine field...." Somehow, after sowing the plant, I doubt you'll have much need for the red colored leaves to know where the landmines are :)

#2 from Alexander at 2:37 pm on Feb 07, 2004

True if the explosives have leaked trace amounts everywhere. If not, or if the plants turn shades of red, indicating how much explosives it has 'detected', then the deminers work will be made easier. Just want to know, what about us color blind people? :)

#3 from Patrick Brown at 11:24 pm on Feb 07, 2004

Apparently work on using bees to detect landmines is also showing some promise. Bees are good for this because they're good at detecting chemicals and they can be trained like dogs, to search for certain vapors. Here's a paper from Sandia National Laboratory on the topic:

http://www.sandia.gov/media/minebees.htm

Joe - I'm sorry - I can't figure out the instruction for URLs at the top of the comment box! :-(

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