World's first synthetic 'tree'

Scientists in the United States have created the world's first synthetic 'tree', a development that may lead to technologies for heat transfer and soil remediation. The "tree", developed in a lab at Cornell, simulates the process of transpiration, the cohesive capillary action that allows trees to wick moisture upward to their highest branches. The work, reported in the September 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 may also 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. The capillary action used in trees might be applicable to developing new passive heat-transfer methods. In a building, put these passive elements that carry heat around very effectively, for example, from a solar ollector on the roof, to deliver heat all the way down through the building, then recycle that fluid back up to the roof the same way trees do it -- pulling it back up. The synthetic tree helping to build better soil remediation systems. Instead of having to soak contaminated soil to pump contaminants out, transpiration could help pull the contaminated fluid out of the soil without the use of more liquid. Similarly, the technology could also be used to draw water out of relatively dry soil without having to dig a well down to the water table, the report said.