Friday, December 26, 2025

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MSU

Experiment started years ago by Dr. Beal continued today

Over 130 years ago, in the fall of 1879, Dr. William James Beal started one of the longest-running experiments in the world, and it’s taking place under the feet of MSU students walking to class across campus. The experiment’s focus was on how long the seeds of different species of weeds can lie dormant underground and still be able to grow when exposed to the proper conditions.