Henri Dutrochet
Osmosis Observer
Today is the birthday of the French physiologist and botanist Henri Dutrochet, who was born on this day in 1776.
Dutrochet discovered and named the process of osmosis working in his home laboratory as he was investigating the movement of sap in plant tissues. Dutrochet shared his discovery with the Paris Academy of Sciences on October 30th, 1826.
Like the cells in our own bodies, plants don't drink water; they absorb it by osmosis.
Dutrochet also figured out the green pigment in plants is essential to how plants take up carbon dioxide.
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Henri Dutrochet
