Chapter 1
The ultimate survival trick
Chapter 2
Real vs. fake
Chapter 3
Global resurrection siblings
Chapter 4
From ancient myth to space travel
Ch 1 · The ultimate survival trick
artiteacher Selaginella Lepidophylla Cell Walls
Our cell walls fold but they never crack (Never crack) / Safely bending till the rain comes back (Rain comes back)
artiteacher Trehalose sugar replaces water inside the drying resurrection plant, preventing delicate proteins and membranes from collapsing for years.
artiteacher These cellular bodyguards prevent internal machinery from sticking together during dry spells
Fun Fact
Water restructuring: During dehydration, the Haberlea plant restructures its remaining water molecules into ultra-stable pairs, preventing damaging ice crystals from forming even in freezing winters.
Glossary
trehalose (noun)
A disaccharide sugar composed of two glucose molecules that is found in various plants, fungi, and animals. In 2015, scientists published a study in Nature detailing how trehalose protects Selaginella lepidophylla during dehydration.
A disaccharide sugar composed of two glucose molecules that is found in various plants, fungi, and animals. In 2015, scientists published a study in Nature detailing how trehalose protects Selaginella lepidophylla during dehydration.
Quiz
What specific sugar do many resurrection plants use to create a protective, glass-like state inside their cells?
Quiz
What is the scientific term for the state of suspended animation that resurrection plants enter when dried?
Quiz
Which group of proteins acts like molecular bubble wrap to protect a resurrection plant's cellular structure?
Quiz
In which other common plant structure are Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins naturally found?
Quiz
What physical action do resurrection plants perform to shade their delicate tissues from solar damage?
Quiz
How much of their original water content can resurrection plants lose while still remaining viable?
Quiz
What structural feature prevents resurrection plant cells from fracturing as they dry?