Scientists Discover Oddity Inside Moss
UC Riverside researchers have discovered that desert mosses host internal fungi, challenging the long-held belief that mosses are independent organisms. This symbiotic relationship may provide insights into how plants first colonized land and how they adapt to extreme climates.
Why it matters
This discovery could fundamentally change our understanding of plant biology and evolutionary history.
Mosses are survivors. They can dry into what looks like green dust, only to spring back to life minutes after rain. They can grow on rocks, in deserts, and there's talk of using them to terraform Mars someday. According to new research, mosses have also been hiding something.
The article is a straightforward report on a scientific discovery published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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