New research into the biomechanics of explosive seed dispersal in squirting cucumbers (Ecballium elaterium) reveals how these plants have adapted a suite of unique traits that help propel their ...

Take a look at squirting cucumber explosive seed dispersal in real time and slowed down. Credit: Helen Gorges/CC BY-NC-ND One doesn’t normally associate ballistics with botany, but most of us don’t ...

Three summers ago, Kiel University biomechanist Stainslav Gorb, returned to Germany after a vacation in Turkey with a present for Ph.D. student Helen Gorges. "He came back and was like, 'Helen, I ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. An odd little gourd called the squirting cucumber has an explosive reproductive strategy that has intrigued naturalists since the ...

Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment. Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the ...

Some plants have a real party trick. While most plants quietly grow, produce flowers, and spread their seeds, certain species have developed a much more dramatic way to reproduce. Their seed pods can ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. An odd little gourd ...

Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Email Share this page on Print Three summers ago, Kiel University biomechanist Stainslav Gorb, returned to Germany after a ...

(CNN) — An odd little gourd called the squirting cucumber has an explosive reproductive strategy that has intrigued naturalists since the days of the Roman Empire. Squirting cucumbers blast their ...