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Genetically Modified Flower Detects Landmines

Posted by michael on from the don't-step-on-the-red-ones dept.

cdneng2 writes "Yahoo has the story that a Danish company has developed a plant that can detect landmines. The genetically modified weed that has been coded to change color when its roots come in contact with nitrogen-dioxide (NO2) evaporating from explosives buried in soil." The company website has a bit more information.

13 of 518 comments (clear)

  1. What Happens by City_Idiot · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the kids of 3 world countries run out into the fields to pick the flowers??

    1. Re:What Happens by catbutt · · Score: 5, Funny

      We not only get rid of mines, but wipe out color blindness. Two birds with one stone!

    2. Re:What Happens by cduffy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      to stop cross contamination

      You mean "to prevent unauthorized use", right?

      Preventing cross-contamination is just a handy side effect.

  2. Yes, but... by dustmote · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who's going to volunteer to plant them? BOOOM!!! Still, this is a pretty neat idea. Might not be so good for people who are color-blind, like my dad. :)

    --


    -1, "1337" speak
    1. Re:Yes, but... by SkArcher · · Score: 5, Informative

      and evidently you haven't actually read the article - the plants are infertile (don't themselves produce seeds) to prevent the genetically modified weed from spreading in areas where it isn't wanted.

      It is sown from the air or from conventionally cleared strips of land.

      It grows in roughly 3 - 6 weeks.

      --

      An infinite number of monkeys will eventually come up with the complete works of /.
  3. Pick the flower by c_oflynn · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can just see a field of flowers all one colour.

    Then there is one flower that is a different colour, and you think its so unique. You go over to take a look at it...

  4. On the topic of DNA by $calar · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One of my professors does research in nanotechnology. He is currently growing nanotubes in his lab and one of the applications of this technology is as a detector, such as what this plant does, only at the nano-scale. Apparently when the technology matures, detectors of certain types of illnesses can be made. By a drop of blood on the detector, one can learn the results instantly instead of waiting for human analysis. Very cool.

  5. Good Idea by Grey_14 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is the kinda thing Genetic Engineering and Modification should be going into, not for Cheaper prices in the supermarket, or Glowing fish,
    Lets see more food in starving country's, Less Landmines, and other ways to improve life,

    Of course, thats whats been said about just about any new or improved technology in the last what, 30 years?

    1. Re:Good Idea by donutello · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Cheaper prices in the supermarket are usually the result of greater production and lower cost to produce so the same stuff that brings you cheaper prices in the supermarket is what you need to have more food in starving countries.

      GM is a tool. Like almost any other tool you can use it for good, evil or something frivolous.

      What next? You want legislation saying that computers should only be used to educate low-income students and not for playing games?

      --
      Mmmm.. Donuts
  6. What do you need flowers for! by Mieckowski · · Score: 5, Funny

    All you have to do is look at the numbers in the adjacent boxes.

    People are so lazy!

  7. Thought it was mimes by AtariAmarok · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sorry, I thought this was about flowers detecting mimes. I was so looking forward to using this during my next trip to New York City. My mistake.

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
  8. The USA still supports the use of landmines by djmurdoch · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article states

    The use of land mines was outlawed in the 1997 Ottawa Convention and more than 90 countries committed themselves last year to cleaning up the debris of war to reduce the number of civilian casualties from munitions left by armed conflicts.

    However, the USA was not a signatory to this treaty as of 2002, according to this web page. Apparently there were plans to sign in 2006, but the landmine-lovers were working to change those. Has anything changed?

    There aren't many other countries that were both democratic and non-signatories: Finland, India, Israel, Korea, Russia, Turkey (but the democracy of some of those might be questionable). The entire "Axis of Evil" made the list, though.

  9. Minesweeper Flowers by slstickle · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will these flowers be genetically engineered to have numbers on them, indicating how many mines are growing in the plots next to them?