Scientists in Israel grow date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds

Seeds found in Judean desert are male and female, leading to hopes of producing dates

A handful of date seeds from fruit that ripened around the time of Jesus have been successfully planted and grown in southern Israel, researchers have revealed.

The seeds, dubbed Adam, Jonah, Uriel, Boaz, Judith and Hannah, were among many others discovered at archaeological sites in the Judean desert.