![]() ![]() Because they’re connected only through loose chemical bonds, these protons will easily change places with other positively-charged ions in the surrounding environment. The acidic nature means the cell walls of the moss have lots of hydrogen ions very loosely bound to them. The moss’s cell walls are built from acidic compounds, up to 30 percent of its dry weight is uronic acid. The other reason sphagnum was so successful as a bandage is because it creates an acidic, sterile environment. In fact, it performed better than cotton bandages at absorbing blood and the other substances oozing from soldiers’ wounds. ![]() Moss is actually 90% dead plant material, and those dead cells help it absorb up to 22 times its weight in liquid. One of the keys to moss’s success is its incredible absorbing abilities. And sphagnum moss grows with abundance in both Germany and the United Kingdom, so it became just one more resource to bring to bear during the war. It might seem out of place in a war defined by new technologies like the airplane, but mosses have been used to pack wounds for hundreds of years. People in Germany were already using it to treat wounds, and, soon, so was the British Army. Because British doctors couldn’t get enough bandages and sterile supplies to keep wounds clean and covered, soldiers' injuries were becoming infected, leading to sepsis and death. ![]() A lot of the cotton wool traditionally used for bandages was being diverted to the manufacture of guncotton, a smokeless, highly flammable alternative to gunpowder. At the height of the war, providing enough bandages for British troops was a critical problem. But the presence of these substances also helped mosses, specifically sphagnum moss, come to the rescue in a big way during World War I. For example, sterols help them adapt to changing temperatures amino acids improve their consumption of nitrogen and antioxidants help them deal with the stressors in their environment. Mosses contain a number of chemical compounds that help them survive and protect them from being munched on by predators. During World War I, moss was used for packing the wounds of countless injured soldiers, saving lives on the front lines. ![]() But hiding beneath moss’s plain exterior is a hidden superpower: the ability to heal. You might’ve even stepped on some during your last walk without even noticing. At first glance, moss might seem kind of boring. Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet? Jeffrey Mckishen, James Knight, Christoph Schwanke, Jacob, Matt Curls, Christopher R Boucher, Eric Jensen, Adam Brainard, Nazara, GrowingViolet, Ash, Sam Lutfi, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, charles george, Alex Hackman, Chris Peters, Kevin Bealer, Jason A Saslow #PATREON SUPERPOWERED FREE#Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever:Īlisa Sherbow, Silas Emrys, Drew Hart. Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: SciShow has a spinoff podcast! It's called SciShow Tangents. You may not think much about moss, but it has a hidden super power, and it's been used to save countless lives. ![]()
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