As a result of the study of an exotic Chinese plant, scientists have come to the conclusion that it can shoot its seeds at an incredible speed at a distance of 18 meters.
In China, this plant is called Hamamelis mollis, which means witch hazel. You should not be surprised at such an unusual name of the plant, since folk medicine has been developed in China for a long time, which used this plant to prepare medicinal potions. Since then, such exotic names have survived.
So, this very hazel witch is able to shoot seeds, the speed of which in flight reaches 12 meters per second. Only this is the speed of a bullet not of modern small arms, but of a 19th century musket.
After a year from the moment of pollination, hard fruits ripen in the hazel. Using MRI, scientists have noticed that before the seeds are released, the outer layer of the fruit contracts like a spring, and the inside of the fruit simultaneously expands. Thus, in the middle part of the fruit, pressure increases and the seeds fly out with an unusual crackle.
During flight, the seeds rotate at 26,000 rpm, which allows the seeds to stabilize in flight. This rotation is similar to the rotation of a bullet fired from a rifled gun barrel. According to researchers, this plant can "shoot" seeds at a distance of up to 18 meters.
Andrey Vetrov