🌿 Herbarium specimens: What ordinary people see VS what a scientist sees 👀🧪 People often view herbarium specimens as dried up, flattened plants - perhaps with little real-world value. But a scientist can see a window into the past & solutions for the future, such as... 🧵👇
🌎 Climate Change Indicators: When looking at a herbairum specimen, a scientist may see data to predict the future impacts of climate change (by comparing historic specimens with present day ones), allowing the development of strategies to adopt to a new climate 📊
💊 Medical Breakthroughs: Understanding different species through herbarium collections can be a crucial initial step in developing novel medicines. By studying plant compounds extracted from a dried specimen, scientists can unlock new potential treatments
🌽 Future-Proofing Agriculture: Herbarium collections can uncover resilient wild varieties and lost traits from crops, preserving and reintroducing valuable genetic diversity. A scientist may see a way to ensure long-term agricultural sustainability 💪