This has been a lighter month in terms of cool science news with only two articles but both are really cool ones.

• The first one discusses how rice seeds are are able to sense rainfall. Experiments proved that dormant seeds are stimulated to germinate when they detect the vibrations of raindrops hitting a puddle or the ground. Mechanically, this is achieved by the vibrations dislodging gravity-sensing organelles called statoliths in some of their cells, sending a signal to the seeds to sprout. The biological advantages of this mechanism is obvious and could be exploited to get seeds to grow faster under the right conditions. We’ve always known that plants are not passive living organisms as they have senses that respond to the environment around them, but it’s always amazing to learn just how responsive they are.
• These days I’m always happy to report any news that isn’t in the life sciences and this archaelogical discovery certain qualifies, even if it arrives suspiciously close to this year’s release of The Odyssey film. Researchers have found a papyrus fragment of Homer’s Iliad in the gut of an ancient Egyptian mummy. The mummy in question was buried in a Roman-era tomb around 1,600 years ago. Though papyri have often been found incorporated as part of the mummification process, this is the first time that it involved a Greek literary text.