"Miss Chanandler Bong" wrote in message . com...
Are seeds alive or not? Seeds have been
found in the desert and that are 4000 years
old, but when put in moist soil, they grow.

So where does the life come from? Is it generated
when conditions are right? Or was the seed alive
but dormant? Do the conditions make life? Can't
find answers - I don't think anyone knows.

A seed that germinates after 1,000 years would have been alive for
those 1,000 years but in a type of suspended animation. It may or may
not have been dormant. A dormant seed will not germinate even when
environmental conditions for germination are optimal. Many seeds are
not actually dormant, but merely quiescent. Quiescent seeds will
germinate promptly when exposed to environmental conditions optimal
for germination. Most flower, vegetable and lawn grass seeds are
quiescent rather than dormant.

Aaron posted some links about the Beal seed longevity experiment.
Fritz Went started a similar experiment in 1947 with seeds sealed in a
vacuum. He intended the experiment to last 360 years.

http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/b...tracts/1.shtml

Biology textbooks often list from four to seven characteristics of
life. They might be of use in your determination if seeds are alive.

http://128.252.223.112/posts/archive...6518.Bt.r.html
http://128.252.223.112/posts/archive...2472.Bt.r.html

Seeds are often very tough. For long term storage, seeds are routinely
kept at liquid nitrogen temperatures. NASA put thousands of tomato
seeds into orbit for over 5.5 years. The seeds germinated well when
returned to earth.

http://www.worldandi.com/specialrepo...er/Sa20717.htm