Clive Gifford - Powered by Plants: Meet the Trees, Flowers, and Vegetation That Inspire Our Everyday Technology

Clive Gifford Gosia Herba

MEET THE TREES, FLOWERS, AND VEGETATION THAT INSPIRE OUR EVERYDAY TECHNOLOGY

Did you know that researchers are making new crash helmets stronger and safer thanks to a fruit called the pomelo? Or that humble coconuts are inspiring research into earthquake-proof buildings? What about willow trees, which have led to millions of people getting relief from headaches and other pains?

In this book, you will meet some of the most amazing celebrity super-plants that power our world. Youll see just how us plants are motivating people to invent and engineer amazing new solutions to difficult problemsfrom how to keep crops pest-free to how to produce fuels and materials that dont pollute the atmosphere.

After all, when it comes to working with nature, were the experts. Weve been flourishing in harmony for millions of years. We recycle nutrients and nurture soils and provide homes and food for billions of creatures, big and small. Weve developed amazing shapes, surfaces, and ways of coping with our environment and now, people are flocking to us for help.

Discover some of the genius ways in which people are copying our tried-and-tested methods to tackle disease-carrying mosquitoes, make eco-friendly plastics, or produce super-slippery ships that use less fuel.

Youll never look at flowers, trees, or seaweed in the same way again!

Yours sincerely,

Tumbleweed

Bamboo

Im the fastest growing plant on the planet. Well, my species is (there are over 1,000 of us). I can grow up to 35 inches in a single daybeat that, other plants! My siblings all grow pretty fast as well and we are found in dense thickets across Asia. People find our young shoots tasty, but not as much as giant pandas; they eat up to 77 pounds of bamboo a day. Greedy!

My hollow woody stems are light but strong. Engineers say I have great tensile strengththat means Im very bendy. Humans have made use of me as a flexible friend for thousands of years. Theyve bent me into bows, fishing poles, and furniture and bundled me together to build bamboo houses, fences, and other structures. Im still used in parts of Asia today to make light but strong scaffolding at building sites for skyscrapers.

The ancient Chinese found more uses for me than any other civilization. Before there was paper, they cut me into strips to form simple notebooks to write on. They also made flutes and other musical instruments from me. More than 1,000 years ago, my stems were filled with explosive black powder. When it was set alight, off I flew to become the first rockets and fireworks.

In the past few years, scientists in China learned how to process hollow fibers from my stems to make a soft, breathable fabric. This fabric dries faster than cotton and is much greener than plastic fabrics like polyester and acrylic, which are made from oil. I also have less impact on the environment than cotton as I dont need lots of chemicals to grow and require only one-third of the water.

I may reach up to 115 feet tall and look like a tree, but Im actually the most useful grass on Earth!

Vines

Vines have been helping people build bridges and other constructions for thousands of years. Were a big group of hundreds of species of climbing plants that have long, flexible stems. You might know some of us, such as ivy, passionflowers, wisteria, sweet peas, clematis, and grapevines. There are many, many more and we all have a head for heights!

As we grow upwards, we keep ourselves attached and anchored in many different ways. Some of us wind and wrap ourselves around a branch or other object for grip. This is called twining. Others, like the Virginia creeper, use sticky pads to fix themselves in place.

Ancient people found that by twisting a number of our strands together, they could make long coils of material that would support their weight and more. They tied these across ravines and above rivers to form simple suspension bridges. They used lots of our strands to attach wood or bundles of reeds together to form rafts and the hulls, or frames, of early boats. They also tied our long stems around giant rocks to haul them from place to place to build statues, temples, and palaces.

When steel cables began to be made some 200 years ago, our entwined design was copied. Many strands of steel wire braided or twisted together proved to be super strongeven stronger than us. Such cables are now used to support the heavy weight of modern bridges and the cars and trucks that pass over them. Theyre also used in powerful cranes and winches to lift heavy loads. So, when you next see a crane at work at a building site, you know what time it is... vine time!

Coconut palm

Im the most famous tree in the tropics. My thick trunk is resistant to saltwater, so its used to make huts and boats. Im topped by a graceful crown of giant leaves some of which can grow more than 20 feet long. These are used to thatch roofs and walls, make bags, and wrap food before cooking. In total, I can grow up to 98 feet high and live for 80 years.

However, my most famous feature is my rock-hard fruit, the coconut. I grow up to seventy-five of these a season. Beneath the outer layer is a very hairy husk. Its used to produce a tough fiber called coir, which can be turned into robust ropes, baskets, mats, and brushes. If the husk is burned, it gives off a special smoke that repels mosquitoes. Is there no end to my fruits usefulness?