Venus flytrap chemical triggers discovered
The Venus flytrap has a “memory”. In order to avoid reacting to a “false alarm”, the plant does not snap shut at the first touch of the sensory hairs. Instead, there must be at least two stimulations of the hairs within 30 seconds. After that, the trap closes fast so that the prey cannot make a last-gasp escape. How does the trap’s memory work? The hypothesis is that certain messenger chemicals are released every time the hairs are stimulated, and these substances accumulate in the trap. Only when these substances reach a certain threshold concentration does an ion channel open – like the mechanism used to transmit signals in our nerve cells—producing an action potential that allows the leaves of the trap to shut.
Researchers isolate the substance that causes Venus Flytraps to close
Lesson’s in flower arrangements
Design is one of my weakest areas so I really enjoy watching professionals put things together.
The rose arrangement is notable for the two tiers of roses. The tall bunch has the outer petals removed, most of the leaves and then is tied together.
These are placed onto a frog.
The lower roses are trimmed very short then placed on the outer edges of the frog.
The sunflower arrangement is interesting in the mechanics behind it. You have fabric held together in frames that allows light to shine through. The frame also has some magnets glued to the frame. The sunflowers are placed in small black plastic containers that have magnets on the back.
Thin wires are threaded through the stem behind the leaves. The wire is wrapped around the stem of the leaf. You can then bend the leaf to cover your container.
