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Keeping seeds alive through storage

Seeds contain living embryos whose ability to germinate can decline during storage. Seed banks like the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew extend that lifespan for decades by drying seeds and freezing them at about -20°C, though 'recalcitrant' seeds like acorns and mangoes are killed by drying and require completely different preservation methods.

3–5 min

Questions you could explore

  • How do storage conditions affect a seed’s chances of germinating later?
  • Why can one storage method fail for some species?

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How does a honey bee dance give directions?

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5–7 min

How can an octopus change color so quickly?

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Nature and biology

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3–5 min

Finding prey through returning echoes

Nature and biology3–5 minAn echolocating bat uses the delay and character of returning sound to follow a target. Its calls can change as it approaches prey, connecting the sound it sends with the information it needs next.

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