Metro Post-Telegraph

Attack of the Tumbleweeds By Aaron Lambert The sight of a tumbleweed gently rolling across the earth may seem a serene one, but the truth is that tumbleweeds are no laughing matter. The sub-zero arctic storm that blew into Colorado on Monday brought with it more than just snow, below-freezing temperatures and a wicked wind […]

         Tumbleweeds became an icon symbol of wild-west films, but now they have found their way into other areas of American culture. People use them in many creative ways for various occasions. Arizona takes such pride in their tumbleweed creations, that they will host a Tumbleweed Lighting ceremony Dec. 3. Tumbleweeds are made into […]

You may have seen me passing by. I ride the wind to travel far and wide. I am a wanderer; aimless. It is a very free life to have no limits and no direction. On the occasion, it does get lonely, though. Of course, that’s until a big windstorm gets all us tumbleweeds pumped up […]

“Drifting along with tumbling tumbleweed,” is sung by country band Sons of The Pioneers. It is said that the weed is interesting to watch tumble about.

Tumbleweeds serve as an enigma of sorts, transporting those with vivid imaginations back to the Old West. Others are finding that tumbleweeds, which are essentially the exoskeletons of plants, can be useful in cooking.

Tumbleweeds blowing in the wind have always been synonymous with barren deserts and lifelessness. But now rolling tumbleweed can be a life-saving signal to doctors. The National Aeronautic and Space Administration have been working on nanotechnology that would alert doctors if astronauts have experienced radiation damage. Specially designed “nanoparticles,” shaped similar to tumbleweeds, would be […]

When we hear the word tumbleweed we can’t help but think of a Clint Eastwood wannabe riding in on a horse in some Spaghetti Western movie. But the reality is that these symbolic plant skeletons are useful for something other than movie props: soaking up uranium. By definition, tumbleweeds are the top part of a […]

A cowboy walks out of a saloon for a showdown and the tumbleweed rolls between him and his opponent.  There is only one question on everyone’s mind. Why do cowboys attract tumbleweeds?  Tumbleweeds are plants that were once anything from a flowered shrub to a thistle bush. Once they have dried up, they disengage from […]