This development could change poetry forever. Roses are red and now they’re also blue. True blue roses were once thought impossible. Roses can make red and yellow pigments but don’t…
Category: Plants
‘Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!’ is a joyous guide to eating wild plants
The joy that author Alexis Nikole Nelson injects into this cookbook makes foraging approachable.
Plants under attack leave behind a surprising call for backup
When insect pests get the munchies, some plants call in the microbes. Gnawing fly larvae provoke cowpea plants to release chemicals into the soil that nurture a helpful community of…
Bamboo toilet paper intrigued me. Reality turned out to be messy
We are flush with toilet paper options. I’m looking to minimize the environmental impact of every wipe, and it’s overwhelming. I’ve been barraged with ads touting bamboo toilet paper’s environmental…
Chinese money plant leaves hide a mathematical pattern
A common houseplant hides a pattern that may reveal how some leaf veins form. The leaves of the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) display a geometric pattern called a Voronoi…
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday at a new state flower exhibit
America is turning the big 250 this year. To celebrate, the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., has a new exhibit of state flowers. Through October 12, visitors can go…
Some plants can feed on dust that lands on their leaves
Instead of relying on the soil for nutrients, plants may grab some of those essentials from airborne particles. Feeding through leaves is already well-established in agriculture — farmers spray liquid…
Treetop toilets may act as communication hubs across mammal species
When a human has a sudden need to take a number two, they might seek out a public bathroom. When mammals in the cloud forests of Costa Rica need to…
