Scientists, ultimately, want to understand things. And while true understanding, often comes through patience and skill – months or years of careful observation and measured experimentation – a lot of the time, the fastest way to understand something, is to F*** that something up.… Read more
After a week off, we’re back with some cool facts from the world of plants and gulls. Did you know that gulls know your every move? There are probably some on the roof as we speak. They see you when you’re sleeping, they know when you’re awake. You better not pout, you better not cry. Sea gulls are coming to town. … Read more
Intense commercial harvesting of the alpine plant Fritillaria delavayi, which is used in traditional chinese medicine, may be driving the selection of duller, more camouflaged plants.… Read more
In biology class back in high school, I learned that plants do photosynthesis and animals don’t. But for some years now, researchers have been amazed by an exception to this rule: sea slugs that contain chloroplasts, the sub-cellular plant compartments where photosynthesis takes place. Are animals on the path to become photosynthetic?… Read more
I will use this post on plant biology to complain about getting old and becoming more easily irritated. Age affects us all. But if your knees are aching and your back is sore, well!, at least you can rest assured that plants suffer from age, too. … Read more
It’s good news week! Not only was Trump kicked out of office, we also have major news regarding the Covid and AIDS pandemic. Of course we won’t forget our passion for plants over all that joy, so tag along for a deep dive into the biology of sorghum – plus some cool facts from last week’s science. … Read more
Autumn leaf colours have amazed the public for all of human history… and puzzled scientists for just as long. While the orange, yellow and brown hues of autumn can be easily understood, the stunning reds that some species display remain in question.… Read more
Plants rely on light to survive- without it, they can’t photosynthesise. Of course, like us, plants are used to normal light-dark cycles. But what happens when the lights just don’t come back on?… Read more
Joram came so well prepared, it made Tegan angry. The two work through their disagreements though in another episode filled to the brim with tales from the (plant) science world. … Read more
Plants are great at recognising what’s going on around them. They have built in temperature sensors and timers, they know what is up (and what is down), and they’ve worked out how to reach for and follow the sun’s light. Plants recognise when it’s winter, can tell if insects nibble on them, and wince in slow motion when researchers touch them.
Now, researchers have discovered yet another thing that plants can feel: when they’re covered in insect eggs.… Read more