First Nations Science

28 February 2023 by IdeaSpies

AgTech

Few plants are hardy enough to survive the red desert plains of central Australia, where the sands can reach 50 degrees and rain evaporates as soon as it falls. But one does more than just survive – spinifex thrives.

The grass is thin, strong and barely needs any rain. Its remarkable properties have long been known to local First Nations communities, who have used the grass to make shelters and beds and its plastic-like resin as glue for spear points. Its tensile strength has since been revealed as five-times that of stainless steel.

First Nations science recognises the value of such knowledge built up in Indigenous communities over tens of thousands of years.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/indigenous-science-in-spotlight-as-desert-grass-leads-to-medical-gel-breakthrough-20230224-p5cn9s.html

What do you think?

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Comments

Michael Williams @ 2024.02.07 7:30 AM
Great post Lynn, plus work was done in Geelong at Carbon Nexus looking at spinifex as a precursor for carbon fibre. https://researchers.uq.edu.au/research-project/23303

IdeaSpies @ 2024.02.07 7:30 AM
Thanks Michael! You can post the Carbon Nexus idea if you like.

Related Posts

AgTech

South Korean researchers who combined animal cells with rice

South Korean researchers who combined animal cells with rice grains say the product can help combat food insecurity and climate change. The hybrid beef-rice—which has higher nutritional content than regular rice thanks to the addition of bovine muscle and fat cells—is said to taste nuttier and feel harder than its conventional counterpart

22 February 2024 by Eduardo Sifon... 0 Comments

AgTech

18 February 2024 by Prof.(Dr.) Sa... 0 Comments

AgTech

14 January 2024 by IdeaSpies 0 Comments

Why support us financially?

"Great ideas, research and innovation can come from anyone – so often the best ideas do not have a voice. IdeaSpies provides a platform for people to share ideas that create a better world"

Sharing Ideas that Do Good