Environmental Science
Phytoremediation for Soil Cleanup
Quick fact
The Tibetan pennycress (Thlaspi caerulescens) can accumulate up to 30,000 parts per million of zinc in its leaves without dying—over 300 times the level toxic to most plants.
Why this is interesting
What if the solution to polluted soil was as simple as planting a garden? Some plants can absorb toxic metals and break down oil spills—turning a cleanup project into a living, growing system.