The old sci-fi movie spoof Attack of the Killer Tomatoes may not be as far-fetched as the silly but lovable flick leads us to believe. Scientists have found that the hairs on the stalks and stems of tomato and potato plants are used to trap small insects which die and fall to the ground where their nutrients are eventually absorbed into the plant's roots. In another case, a significant increase in the number of dead kudus (an antelope) in Africa has been linked to a certain acacia tree from which they take a large portion of their diet. The trees themselves are becoming scarce due to climate changes and humans taking their habitat. To protect themselves from over-grazing, they make a poison which ingested in large enough quantities can easily kill a 450 pound kudu. The weird part is that the trees are in some way communicating with one another; when one tree in an area is forced to increase toxin production due to grazing, other trees which are not being grazed also are producing more poison. They are talking amongst themselves. Well, maybe not talking as we know it, but they are working together to save themselves, which surely implies a certain amount of intelligence.
Next time you slice a tomato or peel a potato, put on your most hideous face and belt out your most sinister laugh as you do your horrific deed. These carnivorous plants are evolving and are out to get us. They are intelligent creatures whom are obviously plotting our eventual demise; aeons ago they had the world to themselves, and now they want it back. Eat or be eaten!
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Did you know that potato and tomato plants are so closely related that when grown near each other they can--and sometimes do--cross-pollinate? I've seen potato plants grow small tomatoes. Word!
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Another sci-fi spoof I dearly love is Mars Attacks! I wonder how much truth will eventually be found in that film?
7 comments:
I did not know this of maters and taters. Interesting. Good thing evolution is just a myth...
plants are pretty cool indeed. I have a rose bush which has changed the color of rose 3 times already and for the life of me I can't figure why.
I can't growl at taters though, they are just about my favorite food. In fact, I think the angels in heaven eat mashed garlic taters for supper every night and don't gain an ounce to their heavenly figures.
happy Tuesday.
Hi, Tammy.
I've noticed some hybrid roses change color occasionally. Weird.
I'm sort of burned-out on garlic, but I do love potatoes anyway I can get them. I love raw spuds and fried with onions. Brown beans and potatoes were our staple foods when I was growing up.
Happy Tuesday to you.
If some folks work hard enough they can get a tater with a mater flavor. You grow a french fry already flavored like catsup.
Something I would pass on, but I bet it would be very popular
Well, if Colonel Sanders can make a fortune with his grease balls, I bet you could do so with your all-in-one taters and ketchup. Your future lies before you.
BTW: I've never seen potatoes grow on tomato plant roots, but they possibly do.
If I could develop that I think I could make some dollars.
Cross polination is a very strange thing.
Think like a honey bee. :-)
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