I’m doing an experiment to see if using a pine cone as a weather indicator really works. Have you heard about this? KNWA news station says:
“Pinecones open their scales to disperse the seeds, when the air is dry, and close their scales when the air is moist, which keeps the seeds dry on the inside. So, if it’s closed, higher humidity. If it’s open, a lower humidity.”
Weather and Radar site says:
“There is a commonly held conception that an open pine cone is a sign of good weather. This statement is actually correct! In damp conditions, the structure of pine cones become more flexible and have a ‘closed’ shape. This results in the scales absorbing moisture and shielding the seeds inside until better days arrive. When dry conditions arrive, the outer parts of a pine cone’s scales become drier, resulting in the cone opening. Therefore it is easy to check humidity levels based on their shape.”
And if you want a simple explanation for kids, here’s one from Science Sparks:
PINECONE FACTS FOR KIDS
“Pine cones open and close depending on the humidity to help seed dispersal. Inside the pinecone, there are lots of feather light seeds. When the weather is dry the pine cone opens up, and any wind will catch the seeds and allow them to be dispersed in the air far away from the original tree.
When the humidity rises, and rain is likely, then the pine cone closes up to prevent the seeds from escaping as being so light, the seeds will become waterlogged, and they will travel only a short distance from the original source, which would be shaded and have to fight the “parent” tree for resources.”
I went out in the backyard and found a pine cone and tied a length of twine around the stem end of it. I then looped it on a planter hanger in the garden that I can see from the house.
The pine cone looks like it hasn’t changed, probably because the weather is supposed to be good for the next few days (until Saturday?).
I hope you found this pine cone information interesting. Please share the link to this post if you wish.
One of my earlier blog posts that was science related was about Earth Day and some fun facts and also how to reduce your carbon footprint. Read it here: https://livingwithdana.com/2024/04/earth-day-celebrate-all-year/
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And here’s the #WalmartCreator #affiliate link for the shorts (with pockets!): https://walmrt.us/3XLfdtl
Thanks for reading my blog. Have a great day!
