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As a botanist, let me be clear...
There is zero truth to this claim.
In fact, given the relatively tiny amount of time humans have existed to breed plants, this achievement is biologically (& thermodynamically) impossible.
#TrustScienceNotScaremongers
There is zero truth to this claim.
In fact, given the relatively tiny amount of time humans have existed to breed plants, this achievement is biologically (& thermodynamically) impossible.
#TrustScienceNotScaremongers
You see, plant leaves are basically living solar panels.
They harness solar energy & turn it into sugars to fuel growth.
But like the electrical grid, this energy is limited.
So to make fruit x100 richer in sugar they would have to...
They harness solar energy & turn it into sugars to fuel growth.
But like the electrical grid, this energy is limited.
So to make fruit x100 richer in sugar they would have to...
1) Have over x100 more leaves to generate all this extra sugar.
(Bearing in mind, making new leaves costs energy too)
2) Have over 99% less fruit, so there aren’t so many drains on resources. (Fruit contain other energy-intense things like seeds too)
3) A combo of both
(Bearing in mind, making new leaves costs energy too)
2) Have over 99% less fruit, so there aren’t so many drains on resources. (Fruit contain other energy-intense things like seeds too)
3) A combo of both
This is Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian botanist.
He is undoubtedly one of the most influential people in human history (that you have never heard of).
As you and I may well be alive today because of his work, here's a (short) thread about him on the 76th anniversary of his death.
He is undoubtedly one of the most influential people in human history (that you have never heard of).
As you and I may well be alive today because of his work, here's a (short) thread about him on the 76th anniversary of his death.
Vavilov dedicated his life to fighting world hunger, by studying the genetics of crops in a hope to increase yields.
Because of him, we now know that essentially all the world's food plants hail from as little as 8 'hotspots' on Earth, where farming was independently invented.
Because of him, we now know that essentially all the world's food plants hail from as little as 8 'hotspots' on Earth, where farming was independently invented.
He sent out teams to collect the last remaining examples of some of these crop types, amassing them in a giant seed bank - A vital genetic Ark essential to breeding new, improved crop varieties to help end hunger.
YOUR SPICE RACK IS TRYING TO KILL YOU.
Yep. Many (most?) flavour compounds found in plants are produced by them as toxic defence compounds.
What, what?
Here’s the botany of your spice rack (and why the word ‘toxin’ shouldn’t scare you.) ⬇️
Yep. Many (most?) flavour compounds found in plants are produced by them as toxic defence compounds.
What, what?
Here’s the botany of your spice rack (and why the word ‘toxin’ shouldn’t scare you.) ⬇️
Plants can’t run away or hide from threats, so they us a different evolutionary strategy: Chemical weapons.
They have evolved the ability to produce hundreds of weird and wonderful toxins to kill the cells of bacteria, fungi, viruses & bigger herbivores.
They have evolved the ability to produce hundreds of weird and wonderful toxins to kill the cells of bacteria, fungi, viruses & bigger herbivores.
The weird thing is, while they are dangerous at high doses, at lower doses the same compounds can have health benefits.
In fact, traditional medicine is essentially us hijacking these compounds and deploying them in our own bodies.
In fact, traditional medicine is essentially us hijacking these compounds and deploying them in our own bodies.
