During unusually high temperatures and droughts, researchers have found that walnut trees emit large amounts of aspirin into the air, possibly as a warning to other trees to prepare for the changes.

Scientists with National Center for Atmospheric Research hope that the findings will open new doors to study how plants impact air quality, but also to develop a warning system to tell farmers when crops are beginning to fail. Scientists have long-known that plants in laboratory settings can produce aspirin-like chemicals, but this study is first known record of plants emitting noticeable levels of the chemical into an ecosystem when under stress.

Read more of this story »

Go to Source