Mad Science and Shenanigans!
byline by Sarah Witangila

Once again, Soldan's Botany Club introduces "Mad Science”. Soldan is one of the many “devotees of mad science”. Mr. John Lawler, from the Missouri Botanical Garden, visits on Wednesdays and conducts the Botany Club experiments. We know It is very important for us all today to save our population. However, Mr. Lawler said, "It is even way more important for living plants to save their population." This is why “Seed Bank” is presented with such importance. Seed bank was described as a group of seeds that are hiding in soil in one place at the same time, and when there is a hazardous fire, most of these plants are wiped out with no hope of returning. Therefore, it was considered that if these seeds are separated or divided in different areas, there is a possibility that this population will be saved and we will have a chance of having new species of plants,

An example of a plant that might grow from the saved population, is one of the plants that most of us know as native prairie grass. These plants are native to St. Louis, but unfortunately, these beautiful plants have been forced out of what is considered their homes because of city growth. According to scienctists, having seeds hide out, is one of the very uncommon ways, but very important ways to save the seed bank.

Mr. Lawler showed us one of the ways we, can help with these seeds saving processes. This is called "Gorilla Gardening". An example of this is shown here:  

All we did was we put seeds inside clay and top soil, and after we cover with the top and make it into a clay ball, which is shown down here:

 Next  we throw these clay balls in an empty lot or a place where no one mows and when the clay is dry, after a few weeks, the seeds inside the ball they grow and hatch like a baby chicken.  As a result, we have saved several species of plants. How fascinating, and maybe created new species!