The length of time a seed can remain viable is known as its lifespan or longevity. Seed longevity is a complicated property that varies significantly between species and even between species-specific seed lots. From anecdotal "Thumb Rules" to empirically based models, biophysical explanations for why those models sometimes work or fail, and the profound realization that seeds are the model of the underexplored realm of biology when water is so limited that the cytoplasm solidifies, our scientific understanding of seed longevity has advanced. Moisture and temperature, as well as the duration of a person's life, are crucial environmental variables that determine survival or demise. The mechanisms by which these factors influence glassy properties and cause cytoplasmic solidification are becoming better understood. The chemical reactions that go into aging are slowed down but not stopped by cytoplasmic solidification. The seed's metabolic capacity is reduced as a result of the continued degradation of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, which eventually hampers the seed's ability to germinate.
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