Combining a cobalt(II) chloride seed and an aqueous solution of sodium silicate forms these hollow precipitate structures that seem to grow like tiny plants. Their unique behavior is a result of a careful balance between osmotic pressure, buoyancy, and gravity, which this researcher worked to further understand in a paper published in ACS Omega. Chemical gardens have been used as science fair experiments and party tricks for years, with the first examples dating back to the 17th century. But today, scientists are paying closer attention to them, as they can glean important insights from the way the physical forces interact as the gardens grow. Chemical gardens have been grown on the International Space Station to study the effect of microgravity, and they’ve been used as a model to understand how hydrothermal vents on Earth or Mars may have formed millions of years ago. Read the full paper here: https://brnw.ch/21wSxkg DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c10551 Research video from Martina Costa Reis (fb)

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