podcast

This week, we’re talking about a paper that looks at the internal selection processes happening within plants to decide which fruit makes the cut. Plus a number of interesting facts from the last days.

• When a Crop Goes Back to the Wil: Feralization 
• No Effect of Selective Maturation on Fruit Traits for a Bird-Dispersed Species, Sambucus racemosa, Koyama, K.; Tashiro, M. Plants 2021, 10, 376. 
• FOSSIL PLANTS found beneath MILE-DEEP GREENLAND ICE—indicating risk of rapid sea-level rise

• A multimillion-year-old record of Greenland vegetation and glacial history preserved in sediment beneath 1.4 km of ice at Camp Century
• Ancient noeggerathialean reveals the seed plant sister group diversified alongside the primary seed plant radiation
• “Pompeii of Prehistoric Plants” Unlocks Evolutionary Secret – Spectacular Fossil Plants Preserved Within a Volcanic Ash Fall 
• Climate change: ‘Forever plant’ seagrass faces uncertain future
• To keep nationalism in check, nurture science solidarity World View
• The US Is Building Walls Around Science, and We’re All Poorer for It
• Introduction, adaptation and characterization of monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii): a non-caloric new natural sweetener
• Siraitia grosvenorii
• To Protect Local Wildlife, Feed Your Cat Meatier Meals

This week, Tegan found the truth about a song from 2012. We also discuss lots of plant and non-plant science from the last week or so. Did you know that cuttlefish are as smart as a toddler?… Read more

We’re super happy to have a special guest with us this week. Aly Baumgartner is a paleontologist with a specialty in paleobotany. With her, we talk about how to find plant fossils, how to analyse them and so much more about the fascinating world of plant based paleontology. … Read more

On a week that exhausted us both we slowly descend into madness and conspiracy theories. This episode could be the last that you hear from us – but it won’t be. We talk about a cool genus of plants, Mexican botanist Helia Bravo Hollis and the right way to draw icebergs. … Read more

Welcome to another week of doomsday escapism. We bring you a cool story about transpiring tomatoes, wonder about wild cotton and are suspicious about road-side super-plants. And we ask: What is your favourite idiom that translates poorly into English? … Read more

It snowed! Well, not that you can see any of that, but we’re excited nonetheless. We’re also excited about this week’s topics: we’re talking about fabulous Acacias in Central Africa, the road towards more accessible science and a lot of homework that other people did for us. … Read more

This episode is TNT (it’s dynamite) and it’s blue (da ba dee)! We got an email from a spinach that brought us to learn more about the material sciences of plants and we talk about lots of blue facts! Also: science bots! … Read more

This week, we’re talking about noble rhubarb and an amazing story of a female adventurer, botanist and tavern owner, Jeanne Baret. Plus speculations about the moon, a lot of great inventions and a parrot who likes crisps.… Read more

Watch out! It’s a snake! Or is it? In this week’s episode, we’re diving deep underground in the search for the reason behind stunted root growth and we talk about animals that pretend to be dangerous – and some that actually are. … Read more

In this episode, Joram presents not only a plant but an entire order of plants, mostly because he has no idea how plant nomenclature works. Tegan presents the life and work of two important women, Matilda Gage and Margaret Rossiter. Aren’t we two little overachievers? … Read more