CrankyRants.com - Charlie Brown Kite Eating TreeThe title could stand on it’s own, but if you’re interested in the details, apparently scientists at the University of Washington are genetically altering trees to pull toxins out of contaminated ground water. Not necessarily the quicker-picker-upper, these trees and plants spend years absorbing the bad stuff through their root system and turn them into I’m guessing some form of grotesque glowing mutant tree leaves or something. Remember the “Kite Eating Tree” from the old Charlie Brown cartoons? Big tree? Giant creepy smile? Lot’s of childhood tree nightmares that resulted? That’s what it’s like.

The relatively new field of phytoremediation is the cause for the new discoveries. Through a plant’s natural ability to extract chemicals from water, soil, and air, specific trees and plants are being bio-engineered to extract specific forms of chemical by-products and waste. Great idea. Horrible dilemma for your typical environmentalist.

“Love that we’re cleaning up the toxins here… but icky water make tree cry!”