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Flagellate Plants
We collaborate with Go Flag Voyager. Go Flag Voyager project is funded by the National Science Foundation which focus on understanding the evolution and role of flagellate plants, which include the bryophytes, lycophytes, ferns, and gymnosperms.
Want to learn more? Visit: http://flagellateplants.org/
Moss
Created by Ayesha Qazi
To learn more about moss, their importance, and their evolution, look through some of these videos provided below!
Moss as a Biomonitor in the Chicagoland Area
Air pollution causes 3.3 million premature deaths worldwide per year. Moss is a natural product that can be used as an air pollution indicator. Due to mosses' unique anatomy and morphology it leads to multiple cation binding sites for heavy metals. These heavy metals such as Sulfur can be used to indicate different pollutants such as Sulfur Dioxide. Nkosi Evans and Estefania Long created the Bio bag project to study and measure the accumulated pollutants in moss samples distributed throughout the Cook County area. Above you'll see a map of the different Chicagoland areas these Bio bags were located and how severe the air pollution is, within that area.
Can living walls reduce air pollution
Living walls is the latest interior design trend, but did you know it can actually help your air quality as well? Moses are able to absorb different pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other toxins. Companies such as Green City Solutions are creating mobile walls of moss to clean as much urban air as 275 trees. Mosses large leaf structure and plentiful amount in different areas of the world makes it a great solution to purifying the air. If you ever wondered should you get a moss wall, the answer is 100x yes!Liverworts
To learn more about liverworts, their importance, and their evolution, look through some of these videos provided below!
Liverworts health benefits
Liverworts contain active compounds such as flavonoids which can be used in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties such as quercimeritrin. Quercimeritrin is taken as a supplement its main benefits are enhancing the immune system and minimizing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The picture above depicts a liverwort with flavonoid pigments.
Fern
Created by Ayesha Qazi
To learn more about ferns, their importance, and their evolution, look through some of these videos provided below!
Fern fever
Fern fever also known as Pteridomania infected the British empire in the mid to late 19th century. The Victorians in this era did not have the best air quality to grow plants. One day an inventor named Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward created a magical glass case, so air quality would no longer be a factor in growing ferns. All one had to do was to buy this case, put ferns in it and pour some water over them. The Victorians were so attracted by this new inventions that they started growing ferns all the time. They went so far as to make 'a wide range of "ferny" decorative objects such as pottery, glass, metals, text, wood, printed paper, stone and other materials.