Transparent soil like glass

A kind of transparent artificial soil allows people to observe the activity of roots and bacteria on roots.

Lionel Dupuy, a biologist working at the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, came up with the idea of ​​creating earth-like man-made materials to understand the roots of tree roots, Discovery reported. The ability to observe plant root activity will help biologists, chemists and physicists improve crop yields and find ways to prevent plant-derived diseases.

Tree roots are clearly visible in two transparent pitchers.

Dupuy's 'transparent land' is actually a material he calls Nafion . One can influence this compound to simulate chemical reactions in the soil. Initially Nafion was not a transparent material, but when exposed to a formulated solution, the molecules in the solution would bend the light, making the solution transparent.

Dupuy and colleagues used Nafion to analyze how interactions between lettuce roots and E. coli, a group of bacteria that can be harmful to humans. By transplanting a gene capable of producing the luminescent protein of the jellyfish into E. coli, the team was able to observe their life on the roots.

'Scientists have not really understood how E. coli appears in the food chain, especially in fresh produce. If you better understand this bacterial invasion of lettuce roots, we can find ways to prevent their spread in the food chain , 'Dupuy said.

Group of E. coli bacteria living in human and animal intestines. Most of them are harmless, but some strains can cause diarrhea, blood disorders, kidney failure and even death. People can get E. coli from contact with human and animal feces, contaminated water, unripe animal meat.