In an astonishing discovery that sounds like something out of a fairy tale, scientists in Finland have found that gold can actually form inside the leaves of a tree. Researchers say that tiny particles of gold, invisible to the naked eye, were detected within the needles of Norway spruce trees growing near a gold mine — quite literally, trees that “grow” gold.
The breakthrough study was conducted by a team from the University of Oulu and the Geological Survey of Finland, who collected and examined 138 needle samples from 23 spruce trees near the Kittilä gold mine in northern Finland. To their surprise, four of the trees contained microscopic gold nanoparticles embedded within bacterial biofilms — thin, sticky layers created by microbes living on the plant’s surface.
For decades, scientists have known that certain metals like gold, can dissolve into the soil as ions from nearby mineral deposits. Plants are capable of absorbing these dissolved particles through their roots, often with the help of microbes that assist in nutrient absorption and survival in tough conditions.
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But this study goes a step further — unveiling how bacteria living inside the needles of the tree can change dissolved gold into solid nanoparticles, effectively turning part of the plant into a natural gold factory.
“Our study offers the first clear indication of how gold moves from the soil into plant shoots and forms nanoparticles within spruce needles,” explained Dr. Kaisa Lehosmaa, the study’s lead author. “Gold in the soil exists in a soluble form carried by water. Inside the spruce needles, microbial activity turns it into solid, nanosized particles.”
The particles are extremely small — a millionth of a millimetre — and far too tiny to be commercially mined. Yet, the discovery could revolutionize gold exploration techniques.
As per Dr. Lehosmaa, identifying similar bacteria in other plants might one day allow scientists to use vegetation as a natural indicator of hidden gold deposits which is assumed to be a sustainable, eco-friendly method of mineral exploration that brings science a little closer to nature’s own treasure map.