World's first synthetic tree is no giant redwood, but may lead to technologies for heat transfer, soil remediation

In Abraham Stroock's lab at Cornell, the world's first **synthetic tree** sits in a palm-sized piece of clear, flexible hydrogel -- the type found in soft contact lenses. The researchers' work, reported in the Sept. 11 issue of the **journal Nature**, bolsters the long-standing theory that transpiration in trees and plants is a purely physical process, requiring no biological energy. It also may lead to new passive heat transfer technologies for cars or buildings, better methods for **remediating soil** and more effective ways to draw water out of partially dry ground. Whole article on "news.cornell.edu":[ http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept08/stroock.trees.aj.html]

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