Out of the hedgerow

These are often the bane of dog, or long-haired cat, owners everywhere. These burrs are not only very spiky, but each spike has a little hook on the end that allows the burr to attach itself to the clothing of passing walkers or unsuspecting pets as they brush past them. Thus the plant disperses its seed far away from the mother plant. But did you know that they were also the inspiration for the invention of Velcro? The Swiss engineer, Georges de Mestral went out on a hunting trip with his dog in the Swiss Alps, on his return, his trouser legs and his dog’s fur were covered in burrs from the burdock plant. As an engineer, he began to wonder how the seeds stuck so effectively to his trousers and his dog's fur. He examined the burrs under a microscope and discovered that they had very tiny hooks which allowed the seeds to catch on to things like fabrics, which have tiny loops... and the rest, as they say, is history!