How Does Your Garden Flow?
It seems that humans don’t have the monopoly on wearable sensors – Iowa State researchers have developed a tiny sensor for measuring the speed of water movement in plants. Made from graphene oxide and attached to the plant using adhesive tape, the microsensor can measure transpiration in real time. The authors believe this low-cost “plant tattoo sensor” has potential for diagnostics, testing pesticides on crops, and environmental monitoring.
Credit: Liang Dong/Iowa State University.
Reference: S Oren et al., Adv Mater Technol, 2, 1700223 (2017).
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A former library manager and storyteller, I have wanted to write for magazines since I was six years old, when I used to make my own out of foolscap paper and sellotape and distribute them to my family. Since getting my MSc in Publishing, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and content creator for both digital and print, writing on subjects such as fashion, food, tourism, photography – and the history of Roman toilets. Now I can be found working on The Analytical Scientist, finding the ‘human angle’ to cutting-edge science stories.
