> What do scientists use to clean up radioactive material?And the answer: sunflowers. Photo courtesy: Pixabay.Sunflowers are what environmental scientists callhyper-accumulators, which are plants that have the ability to absorb highconcentrations of toxic materials in their tissues. Fields of sunflowers havebeen planted near the sites of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plantmeltdowns, to help remove radiation in the soil.While most plants simply absorb nutrients from the soil, sunflowers take it astep further. Sunflowers are quick growers that require plenty of nutrients,many of which are just as effective even if they’re isotopes leftover fromradioactive activity. While it seems peculiar, and even a bit impossible, asunflower does not discriminate between radioactive and otherwise – oftentimesthe radioactive isotope mimics the naturally-occurring nutrient. Sunflowers thenpull the isotope out of the soil and into their stems and leaves, effectivelycleaning the soil.Scientists first investigated the use of this technique after the devastation ofChernobyl in the 1990s. Much to their surprise, sunflowers were extremelyeffective in cleaning water sources. However, the sunflowers were less effectivefor soil-cleaning, as the radioactive elements had a longer time to become fixedto minerals in the dirt. Proponents of the sunflower method have most recently turned their gaze tocleanup efforts in Fukushima, following the 2011 nuclear disaster. Beyond itssuccess in cleaning radioactive areas, the patches of sunflower fields offer areprieve from nuclear fear and a bright sight for sore eyes. Community membersrally around the effort, and plant flowers all over their convalescent city.Learn more about the cleanup efforts here[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-disaster-sunflowers/sunflowers-melt-fukushimas-nuclear-snow-idUSTRE77I0PG20110819].