St. Louis-made AI tool will use space tech to identify plants
St. Louis-made AI tool will use space tech to identify plants
Publish Date: 2026-02-23 06:02:00
Source Domain: www.stlpr.org
Here are the key points from the article, summarized using an unordered list:
– Scientists at the Missouri Botanical Garden are employing spectral data, the same technology used to study distant stars, to analyze dried plant specimens in its herbarium.
– Spectral data provides crucial information about plants through the light reflected off them, revealing each species’ unique ‘spectral fingerprint.’
– This technique allows the identification of plants and can reveal important chemical traits through the electromagnetic spectrum.
– The technique is part of a larger initiative by the International Herbarium Spectral Digitization Working Group, which aims to further understand plant biodiversity changes over time.
– The team is developing an artificial intelligence tool to rapidly identify plant specimens in herbaria worldwide, although taxonomists will always be needed to assist with more challenging identifications.
– The initiative is being supported by a $14.4 million grant, which is funding both the AI tool and the herbarium’s digitization process.
– Training new taxonomists, like Naeemah Anderson, is also a key part of the project.
– Anderson is focusing her expertise on African plants and has been making determinations on under-examined specimens in the collection.
