A Modern Mystery or The Age Old Desire to Survive?

By Emma Morton

Flowers have reportedly sprung from a steel pipe with no access to soil or water. Farmer Ding from China told the Sohu News, "I was cleaning the pipes, then my hand touched something fluffy."

The stems are slimmer than human hair, and have little white flowers on top. There is speculation amongst local people that these flowers are the legendary Youtan Poluo flower, which blossoms only once every 3,000 years. Although many believe that the Youtan Poluo flower is just a metaphor for how rare it is to encounter a Buddha.

On closer inspection of these ‘flowers’, there is a remarkable resemblance to lacewing insect eggs. Lacewings lay their eggs on threadlike stalks to prevent cannibalism amongst the newly hatched larvae.

Only time will decide which theory is correct, but Ding is certain that the flowers have brought him luck.

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