It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Our scientists have revealed that gum trees from the Western Australian goldfields draw up tiny particles of gold via their roots and it ends up in their leaves and branches.
The eucalypt acts as a hydraulic pump – its roots extend tens of metres into the ground and draw up water containing the gold. As the gold is likely to be toxic to the plant, it’s moved to the leaves and branches where it can be released or shed to the ground
Prospectors be warned – the discovery is unlikely to start an old-time gold rush – the ‘nuggets’ are just one-fifth the diameter of a human hair and invisible to the eye.
the title was probably chosen as a tongue-in-cheek play
rangerdanger
Gold doesn't grow on trees.
This is not evidence to the contrary...edit on 23-10-2013 by rangerdanger because: 2nd line
ATSmediaPRO
It doesn't really "grow" gold, just transfers from the roots to the leaves. The process is called phytogeochemistry. Apparently people have been using this method of prospecting copper, zinc and nickel for awhile.
Link to actual study quoted in article: Natural gold particles in Eucalyptus leaves and their relevance to exploration for buried gold deposits
0bserver1
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan
I know but at first I couldn't find anything about it.. but Thnx for supporting the storyedit on 0b36America/ChicagoThu, 24 Oct 2013 03:42:36 -0500vAmerica/ChicagoThu, 24 Oct 2013 03:42:36 -05001 by 0bserver1 because: (no reason given)
fluff007
reply to post by 0bserver1
Wow it is amazing that the tree still absorbs the gold even though it is toxic. But it does not grow on the tree. It is in the tree..
I saw this earlier on a forum on a course I am doing on Coursera. A student posted it and it gathered quite a bit of attention.
Btw. Money is paper. And paper is made from trees....
s/f