142-Year-Old Seed Experiment Yields Viable Plants, Set to Continue Till 2100

A seed dormancy experiment launched by botanist William James Beal in 1879 continues to yield remarkable results over a century later. In 2021, researchers unearthed seeds from the experiment and found them still viable after 142 years. DNA analysis also revealed the presence of a previously undetected hybrid moth mullein among the samples, adding an unexpected dimension to the study. The findings are expected to inform land restoration practices and support efforts to manage invasive plant species. The long-running experiment is designed to continue until 2100, underscoring science's capacity for multigenerational inquiry.