Prompt Cast
Michigan State University's Long-Running Seed Experiment Faces Challenges Due to COVID-19
TLDR Michigan State University's century-long experiment to determine seed longevity and the existence of natural seed banks has been postponed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after years of waiting, a team of scientists has finally excavated a bottle containing seeds that have been buried for over 140 years and discovered that some of the seeds are still viable, showcasing the resilience of nature.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
One of the world's longest running experiments is in jeopardy as a group of scientists hunt for bottles filled with scientific gold.
04:09
In 1879, Professor William Beale buried bottles filled with seeds on the campus grounds of Michigan State University to determine how long seeds can remain viable underground, and every five years for 100 years, a scientist would dig up one bottle and see if anything would grow.
08:00
For over a century, bottles filled with seeds have been buried on the campus grounds of Michigan State University and every 20 years, scientists dig them up to see if anything will grow.
11:44
The question of how long seeds can last in the soil is still a mystery to scientists, and if some seeds can survive for ages in regular conditions, it suggests the existence of natural seed banks all over the world; however, the experiment to dig up the seeds at Michigan State University had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
15:41
Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the study on seed longevity at Michigan State University had to be postponed again, with the researcher expressing concerns about his own health and hoping for the development of a vaccine.
20:14
After years of waiting, Frank Toulouski and his team are finally planning to excavate the bottle containing seeds that have been stuck for over 140 years, with the hope of discovering if any seeds are still viable, and they plan to record themselves at the dig and call the host afterwards.
24:08
After digging in the snow and hitting a few obstacles, Frank and his team finally find the bottle containing the seeds, and they plan to put them in the soil to see if they will germinate.
29:21
After eight days, the seeds in the growth chamber finally started to germinate, with two little leaves popping out of the soil, and a total of nine plants have now grown; this is seen as a story of resilience and the joy of being alive.
