Developed by Danish company Aresa Biodetection, the modified plant known as RedDetect has roots sensitive to the nitrogen dioxide gas that is released by underground landmines as they decay. Upon detection, the normally blue flowers of the plant turn to red signalling the danger beneath. Prof. Carston Meier, of the University of Copenhagen, who served as scientific adviser to Aresa, stated that, "this plant can easily spot landmines and that one person can check and clear just 2 sq. meters a day." Whilst at the moment looking more like this (the idea being developed using a hardier species of cress signals via change in leaf colour) :
you can imagine fields may be scattered with seeds and within weeks little blue flowers may usher skipping children along safe paths previously untrod. With more than 100 million land mines worldwide that kill or injure 26,000 people in 45 countries per year, the most popular method of detection in rural communities being the pokey stick method this is hands down a wonderfully beautiful solution to one of the most abhorrent of human problems.
Obviously there is a risk as with all genetically modified plants of something like this happening.
But I say throw caution to the wind, with a handful of RedDetect, most probably its less likely to kill you than your average fucking land mine.
