Trees Strike Gold and Other Cool Things Science Has Learned

Science is constantly revealing more awesome and wonderful things in the world around us. From trees that show us where gold is, to the mystery of a spinning Egyptian statuette, these are the coolest things science has taught us this week.

Trees can show us where to look for gold deposits

Scientists examining eucalyptus trees in Kalgoorlie area of Western Australia got more than they hoped for when they discovered the leaves and branches contained traces of gold. The plant is able to send its roots as far as 40 metres underground in times of drought, to find traces of water underground. If the water is on a deposit of gold, however, the roots can suck up trace amounts of the metal. The gold is probably toxic, however, so it sends the gold into the leaves and branches. That way, it can be removed from the plant’s system easily.

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It also makes it easier for mining companies to find new deposits of gold, without having to dig up large portions of land. Instead of digging around blindly, hoping to strike a deposit, they can analyse the leaves of the eucalyptus tree to see if gold is likely to be under the ground.

We may be able to pass down memories through our genes

In a weird study, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine, in the US, trained mice to be fearful of a cherry blossom scent. They did this using shocks and other traumatic experiences. The scientists then looked at the mice’s sperm to see what effects this had. As it turns out, the mice’s DNA had changed: the part of their DNA that had a sensitivity to the scent were more active. That means the mice could pass down a sensitivity to the smell to their offspring. This has allowed species to pass down fears of predators and similar memories, the scientists speculate, and is particularly useful. After all, it is much better for the young mouse to fear cats instinctively, than for it to meet a cat and then learn of the danger first-hand.

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Scientists are hoping to extend this knowledge to humans. They think that the rise in neuropsychiatric disorders, obesity, diabetes and other diseases can be a result of genetic memories being passed down. Once we understand why and how these genetic memories are being passed down, we can fight them and potentially limit the effects of these terrible diseases.

Fire ants have something weird in common with toothpaste and jelly

This entry needs a little context. Fire ants are able to build rafts out of their bodies, so the entire colony can survive floods or river crossings. They do this by linking their jaws and legs together in truss-like structures.

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What does this have to do with toothpaste and jelly? Well, all three are viscoelastic materials, meaning they can resist flowing under stress, like honey, and they can bounce back to their original shape after being stretched or compressed (to a point), like a rubber band. Viscoelastic materials act not entirely like a liquid and not entirely like a solid, but more like something in between the two. Fire ant rafts can bend, flow and bounce back into shape to survive large raindrops or other forces, and this property has never been observed in what scientists call “active materials”.

Essentially, the fire ants constantly rearrange themselves, breaking and reforming new connections between various ants’ jaws and legs. As a result, the raft can store and dissipate energy at equal levels, which gives it its viscoelastic properties.

The spinning Egyptian statuette in Manchester just had a curved base

Manchester Museum made headlines a while back when it released a time-lapsed video of one of their small Egyptian statues spinning in its case. In The Manchester Evening News, curator Campbell Price said, “In ancient Egypt they believed that if the mummy is destroyed then the statuette can act as an alternative vessel for the spirit. Maybe that is what is causing the movement. I thought it was strange because it is in a case and I am the only one who has a key.”

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Of course, few really thought the statuette was inhabited by an angry Egyptian spirit, and recent tests showed that the statuette was spinning not because it was haunted but because it had a slightly curved base. The base was convex, so it bowed out just a bit. The vibrations of road traffic outside the museum and footfall within it caused the statuette to slowly rotate throughout the day.

Now, the museum has put a membrane on the statuette to keep it in place.

 

These are just a couple of the cool things science has discovered this week. What are your favourite science stories?