vegetation
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NASA mission will study Earth's 'breathing' from space
Scientists know that the Earth "breathes" carbon, particularly through plants that absorb carbon through photosynthesis when they're healthy and give it up when they lose their leaves or die. They haven't had an extremely detailed look at that breathing cycle, however, which is where NASA and the University of Oklahoma come into play. They're launching a satellite mission, the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory, that will both study plant health as well as the exchange of key gases (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane) between the land and the atmosphere.
Parrot's latest plant sensors can also do the watering for you
Following last year's Flower Power plant sensor, Parrot's decided to take it to the next level with two new Bluetooth Smart devices: the H2O and the Pot (pictured above). Starting off with the smaller device, the H2O is essentially a direct successor to the Flower Power, but featuring more accurate monitoring (of soil moisture level, soil fertility, temperature and brightness) and the new watering capability. The latter part is done so by attaching a screw-top water bottle of up to two liters, which will provide up to three weeks of autonomous irrigation with a soft jet. With the existing database of over 8,000 plants, the device can determine the optimal amount of water needed for your plant, and the companion app will remind you if more water or fertilizer is needed.
