Helianthus, or sunflowers to you and me, have more to offer than just edible seeds and oil. Before more modern materials were available, the pith within the sunflower stalk was used in life-jackets to provide buoyancy and they're actually able to absorb radiation and high concentrations of toxic materials, including zinc, copper and lead as well as radioactive waste from soil and water. Grown in radioactive hotspots such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, the nuclear waste is absorbed and converted into a carbon-based substance in the plant material. Not just a pretty face!
