Scientists have discovered the world’s largest plant a seagrass meadow that has grown by repeatedly copying, or cloning, itself. A genetic study found that the underwater field of green seagrass that lives off Australia’s western coast is a single organism. The organism, 180 square kilometers in size, has survived by making copies of itself for over 4,500 years. The research was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The University of Western Australia’s Jane Edgeloe helped write the study. She wrote that the researchers confirmed that the meadow was a single organism. They did this by sampling and comparing the DNA of small pieces of seagrass from across the sea. Several plants and animals can reproduce without sex. Researchers wrote that the process can create very fast growth. But clones of a single organism can be at increased risk of disease. The scientists call the meadow of Poseidon’s ribbon weed “the most widespread known clone on Earth.” Widespread is a term that means common over a wide area. Although the seagrass meadow is very large, it faces risks. Ten years ago, the seagrass covered an area of around 18 square kilometers more than it does today. But storms and rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change have recently killed almost one tenth of the ancient seagrass bed.
Title: What Is the World’s Largest Plant?
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/A9.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='What Is the Worlds Largest Plant?' data-article-id='6149'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11917'>Scientists have discovered the world’s largest plant a seagrass meadow that has grown by repeatedly copying, or cloning, itself.</span> <span data-start-time='11917' data-end-time='23146'>A genetic study found that the underwater field of green seagrass that lives off Australia’s western coast is a single organism. </span> <span data-start-time='23146' data-end-time='35813'>The organism, 180 square kilometers in size, has survived by making copies of itself for over 4,500 years.</span> <span data-start-time='35813' data-end-time='41229'>The research was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.</span> <span data-start-time='41229' data-end-time='48583'>The University of Western Australia’s Jane Edgeloe helped write the study. </span> <span data-start-time='48583' data-end-time='54938'>She wrote that the researchers confirmed that the meadow was a single organism. </span> <span data-start-time='54938' data-end-time='63521'>They did this by sampling and comparing the DNA of small pieces of seagrass from across the sea.</span> <span data-start-time='63521' data-end-time='67917'>Several plants and animals can reproduce without sex.</span> <span data-start-time='67917' data-end-time='73375'>Researchers wrote that the process can create very fast growth. </span> <span data-start-time='73375' data-end-time='80021'>But clones of a single organism can be at increased risk of disease.</span> <span data-start-time='80021' data-end-time='89500'>The scientists call the meadow of Poseidon’s ribbon weed “the most widespread known clone on Earth.”</span> <span data-start-time='89500' data-end-time='94708'>Widespread is a term that means common over a wide area.</span> <span data-start-time='94708' data-end-time='100042'>Although the seagrass meadow is very large, it faces risks. </span> <span data-start-time='100042' data-end-time='109208'>Ten years ago, the seagrass covered an area of around 18 square kilometers more than it does today. </span> <span data-start-time='109208' data-end-time='119563'>But storms and rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change have recently killed almost one tenth of the ancient seagrass bed.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/A9.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18683 data-hint-location='89500' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_term_widespread.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the term widespread?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='common over a wide area'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/common_over_a_wide_area.wav'><span>common over a wide area</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/extremely_rare.wav'><span>extremely rare</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/a_topping_for_toast.wav'><span>a topping for toast</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/a_cotton_material_for_sleeping_on.wav'><span>a cotton material for sleeping on</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18684 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/according_to_the_article_what_type_of_plant_is_the_worlds_largest.wav'>According to the article, what type of plant is the world's largest?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='seagrass'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/fern.wav'><span>fern</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/daisy.wav'><span>daisy</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/seagrass.wav'><span>seagrass</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/sea_cucumber.wav'><span>sea cucumber</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18685 data-hint-location='41229' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/the_university_of_western_australias_jane_edgeloe_helped__blank__the_study_.wav'>The University of Western Australias Jane Edgeloe helped <span class='blank'>write</span> the study. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='write'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/write.wav'><span>write</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/white.wav'><span>white</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/writhe.wav'><span>writhe</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5550/whine.wav'><span>whine</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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