Experiment: Those Swell Seeds

On January 9, 1948, a 220-foot (67 m) steel schooner named the Cali left
Guayaquil, Ecuador, loaded with grain, bound for Santiago, Cuba. On January
27, the Cali began taking on water during a storm near Grand Cayman Island.
As the seawater leaked in, the grain swelled up so much that it ruptured the
hull and destroyed the ship!

To the casual observer, seeds appear lifeless and simple. However, under the
right conditions, they will germinate (start growing). But this process depends
heavily on the presence of water. God designed seeds with the amazing ability
to soak up and hold the water necessary for the complex processes of life.

Most seeds, such as grains, beans, corn, and nuts, undergo a resting phase
before they begin growing into new plants. During this phase, most seeds contain
very little moisture. The seed coat, or outer skin, keeps water out. The chemical
processes that keep the cells functioning in the seed are slowed almost to a
halt. Seeds can remain in this resting state for months, years, or even centuries.
The delay allows seeds to survive harsh, unsuitable environmental conditions.
It also allows time for transportation by wind, water, animals, or people.

When conditions become favorable, the seed coat goes through a marvelous transformation
that allows water to soak the seed. The process of seeds absorbing water is
called imbibition.

During imbibition, a seed can swell to several times its original size. This
swelling can cause tremendous pressure—often over 1,000 pounds per square inch
(6900 kPa). Swelling seeds can break rocks and concrete or, in the case of the
Cali, rupture a steel cargo ship. This swelling bursts the seed coat, allowing
the new plant to grow and lodging the plant in place so it can’t wash away or
be blown away by wind. The expanding plant can then take root in even the hardest
soils.

What causes imbibition in seeds? Certain molecules in seeds, such as starches
and cellulose, develop tiny electrical charges when wet. God uniquely designed
water to bond easily with these molecules. Like tiny magnets, these substances
then pull more and more water into the seed, causing the seed to swell up like
a water balloon. The added water activates the seed’s growth hormones, causing
germination. Whenever you cook oatmeal, rice, or beans, you observe imbibition.

Seeds don’t hold a monopoly on imbibition. It also occurs in other plant and
animal products, such as wood and sponges. In an ancient stone-cutting technique,
people would drive dry wooden pegs into holes drilled into rock. When the wood
pegs were soaked with water, the pegs swelled, splitting the rock. Some archaeologists
believe that the Egyptians cut stone blocks in this way to build the pyramids.

So the next time you notice a blade of grass peeking through a crack in the
sidewalk, or as you cook your next pot of scrumptious beans or rice, remember
to praise the Creator for His wisdom. He gave even little seeds unique designs
that allow them to expand to the ends of the earth, glorifying their Maker as
they provide food and other necessities for living things (Genesis 1:29–30).

SourceThis article originally appeared on answersingenesis.org

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