Archeologists can tell quite a bit about ancient human life from plant fossils–dietary preferences, farming techniques, and even which sports were popular. Now, an international team of researchers found 2,300-year-old plant remains that are the earliest known evidence of plant farming in east Africa. These old flora are described in a study published July 10 […]
The Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula) captivates with its clever approach to survival, thriving in the coastal wetlands of North and South Carolina. This remarkable plant is not only known for its beautiful white blooms but also for its dramatic, insect-snaring capabilities. With leaves evolved into intricate traps, the Venus fly trap cleverly lures, captures, […]
In terms of being hard-to-kill, few animals are more resilient than the tiny tardigrade. But the “water bear” isn’t the planet’s only nearly indestructible, extremotolerant living organism—an assuming desert moss known as Syntrichia caninervis can survive in some of the most inhospitable environments. Regardless of blistering heat, punishing cold, aridity, cloud cover, or radiation, S. […]
A Secchi disk is a white circle that helps scientists understand how much phytoplankton is in a body of water. Follow these steps to make and use your own.
Think outside the Northeast this fall foliage season and experience the yellow quaking aspens out West, the orange cottonwoods in the Southwest, and the red wildflowers of the Arctic tundra.
Parasitic plants make up about 1 percent of flowering species within the plant kingdom and their quirks and tricks continue to come with surprises. Some parasitic plants are now potentially evolving to be so dependent on their host plants, that they are losing sizable amounts of genomes related to basic biological processes like photosynthesis. The […]
Follow these steps to make an DIY hanging planter that’s easy to make and beautiful to keep around your home.
Despite their small size, witch hazel seed pods pack a powerful punch. Here’s how their ‘weird, complex’ design could advance robotics.
Learning how to get tree sap off your car safely is essential to maintaining your car’s glossy look throughout the warmer months of the year.
The US Botanic Garden’s carnivorous plant collection features sticky traps, digestive juices, and sweet-smelling lures.
