"Plants are very environmentally responsive," said Professor Michael Strano, who led the study, in a statement to EuroNews. "They know that there is going to be a drought long before we do. They can detect small changes in the properties of soil and water potential. If we tap into those chemical signalling pathways, there is a wealth of information to access."<\/p>\n
The new technology, called "plant nanobionics," uses the spinach plant roots to detect nitroaromatics in groundwater. Nitroaromatic compounds are found in man-made industrial chemicals (often found in explosives), according to EuroNews. According to the study, when the "carbon nanotubes" inside the spinach roots detect these compounds, they could send a signal to an infrared camera, which then triggers an email alert to scientists who conducted the study.<\/p>\n
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"Plants are very good analytical chemists," said Strano to EuroNews. "They have an extensive root network in the soil, are constantly sampling groundwater, and have a way to self-power the transport of that water up into the leaves."<\/p>\n
Strano added that the study has helped to "overcome the plant\/human communication barrier." This method could also apply to detecting pollution or changes in the environment in order to help fight climate change, EuroNews reported.<\/p>\n
In addition, another study from American University also found that spinach could be used to power fuel cells for metal-air batteries –– which are more energy-efficient alternatives for lithium-ion batteries that are often used for electronics like laptop computers and smartphones, according to EuroNews.<\/p>\n
Aside from being a nutritious addition to your salads and smoothies, the modest spinach plant also seems to be doing the work to save the planet too.<\/p>\n