Botany

The Biology of RuBisCO: The Engine of Life

Meet the most abundant protein on Earth. Discover RuBisCO and the slow, clumsy, but essential biology of Carbon Fixation.

The Biology of the Venus Flytrap: Hydraulic Snap

How does a plant move without muscles? Discover the Venus Flytrap and the extreme biology of Hydraulic Buckling and Snap-Instability.

The Science of Allelopathy: Chemical Warfare

How do trees kill their neighbors? Discover Allelopathy and the toxic chemical weapons that plants use to conquer the soil.

The Science of the Bamboo Bloom: Predator Satiation

Why do bamboo forests flower and die all at once? Discover the biological mystery of Gregarious Flowering and the 120-year internal clock.

The Biology of the Dodder Vine: The Parasitic Bloodhound

Meet the plant that can 'Smell' its prey. Discover the Dodder Vine and the predatory biology of a plant that tracks scents to survive.

The Science of the Fig Wasp: The Obligate Life Cycle

Why is there a wasp in your fig? Discover the incredible, 80-million-year-old obligate symbiosis between the Fig Wasp and the Fig tree.

The Science of Nitrogenase: Breaking the Triple Bond

How do bacteria turn air into fertilizer? Discover Nitrogenase and the extreme biological chemistry of Nitrogen Fixation.

The Science of Plant Hearing: Root Acoustic Response

Can a plant hear water? Discover the Science of Plant Hearing and the mechanical receptors that allow roots to track the sound of flowing water.

The Science of Plant Volatiles: Chemical Alarm Signals

Why does freshly cut grass smell so good? Discover the biology of GLVs and how plants use scent to call for help and warn their neighbors.

The Science of the Redwood Tree: Xylem Tension

How does a tree lift 500 gallons of water 380 feet? Discover the Coast Redwood and the extreme physics of Negative Pressure and Xylem Tension.

The Science of Root Swarm Intelligence

Are roots like a colony of ants? Discover the Science of Root Swarm Intelligence and how a plant's root tips make collective decisions.

The Science of Tobacco Plants: Calling the Wasp

How does a plant tell the difference between wind and a bug? Discover the Wild Tobacco plant and its high-speed chemical SOS call.