Published: May 23, 2011
Science at FMNH : Ep. 1 - Early Land Plants
Liverworts, hornworts and mosses may not seem like much at first glance, but big things can come in small packages! About 450 million years ago liverworts made the jump from water to land and completely altered the evolution of life on Earth. They can be used to assess environmental pollution, and contain chemical compounds which show activity against certain cancer cell lines and HIV.
Matt von Konrat came to the Museum in 2001 from New Zealand and he studies the evolution and relationships between liverworts, hornworts and mosses (also known as bryophytes). In this video we speak with Matt and explore his research and the microscopic world of these fascinating plants.
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