South Africa’s famous fynbos must be preserved – but burning invasive plants on site isn’t the best strategy: Invasive plants and trees were introduced to South Africa from as early as the 17th century for a range of commercial, subsistence and ornamental uses. Today, every area of the country has been invaded by a variety …
The secret world of plants living in our limestone pavements: It's lively down there. Chris276644 Anyone out winter walking in the Yorkshire dales will probably be familiar with the dramatic scenery of limestone pavements. Distinctive and beautiful, they can also be found elsewhere in Britain, as well as in mainland Europe and Canada – not …
Plants and bookcases in, living rooms and blank walls out: how your Zoom background can make you seem more competent: Working from home has made job interviews and starting a new role easier in many ways. You don’t have to worry about a missed train or spilt coffee derailing a job interview if it’s on …
How scientists are helping plants get the most out of photosynthesis: italianestro/Shutterstock Photosynthesis is the starting point for almost every food chain, sustaining most life on Earth. You would be forgiven, then, for thinking nature has perfected the art of turning sunlight into sugar. But that isn’t exactly true. If you struggle with life goals, …
Namibia and Angola’s remote Ovahimba mountains reveal a haven for unique plants – new survey: The Kaokoveld region, covering north-western Namibia and south-western Angola, is one of the remotest areas in southern Africa. Although it’s extremely dry, it is a centre of species endemism: many species occur only there and nowhere else on earth. New …
Wild plants may edit their genomes in the same way we make GM crops – and it could be crucial to evolution: zhukovvvlad/Shutterstock Genetically modified (GM) crops may be controversial, but similar processes happen naturally with wild plants. However, scientists have long been puzzled about how these processes happen. Our recent study may help researchers …
Wild animals leave DNA on plants, making them easier to track – here’s what scientists found in a Ugandan rainforest: The world is losing animals at an alarming rate due to habitat degradation, climate change and illegal human activities in the wildlife protected areas. In fact, it is estimated that, by 2100, more than half …
Flowering plants survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid – and may outlive us: Zamurovic Brothers/Shutterstock If you looked up 66 million years ago you might have seen, for a split second, a bright light as a mountain-sized asteroid burned through the atmosphere and smashed into Earth. It was springtime and the literal end of an era, the …
Wildfires have wreaked havoc this summer – these plants were prepared: A pine forest in the Canary Islands after a wildfire. Tamara Kulikova/Shutterstock Summer 2023 has seen wildfire crews tirelessly battle forest fires worldwide. The Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the Moroccan coast, have faced their worst fires in 40 years, but amid the …
How did plants first evolve into all different shapes and sizes? We mapped a billion years of plant history to find out: From minuscule moss to colourful flowers and tall trees. Philip Donoghue / James Clark Plants range from simple seaweeds and single-celled pond scum, through to mosses, ferns and huge trees. Palaeontologists like us …
The secret world of moss, ancient ancestor of all plants and vital for the health of the planet: Macromitrium microstomum is found throughout New Zealand on the trunks or branches of smooth-barked trees, or on rock Silvia Pressel, Author provided When people consider extraordinary plants, most probably don’t spare a thought for moss. It blends …
Tiny but tenacious: arctic-alpine plants are engineers and warning bells: Purple saxifrage, snow pearlwort and drooping saxifrage (left to right). Sarah Watts, Author provided When most people consider the arctic, or high-altitude mountain landscapes, they think of endless snow, ice and bare rock. But pastel-coloured flowers, sometimes just a few millimetres wide, bloom in these …
Thirsty tomatoes emit ultrasonic sounds – and other plants may be listening: Tobacco plants produce sounds at a frequency outside the human hearing range. S.Phoophinyo/Shutterstock Plants may appear silent, indifferent organisms to us, but recent research has found they make high-pitched clicking sounds when they are struggling to find water. In principle, neighbouring plants could pick …
Humans weren’t the first engineers, doctors and farmers – bacteria, plants and animals have lots to teach us: There are hidden worlds in nature PeopleImages.com/Yuri A/Shutterstock Life existed without human beings for more than 99.9% of Earth’s history. Yet we often ignore the achievements of species that preceded us by billions of years. I explore …
How plants can change your state of mind: Stock-Asso/Shutterstock Plants look so different from animals, that it’s easy for many people to think of them as alien and separate from us. Most people appreciate how pretty flowers and trees look and know photosynthesis is essential to life. But our mental and physical connection to plantlife …
The animals and plants that only exist in captivity – and why time is running out to restore them to the wild: The Socorro dove (_Zenaida graysoni_) was confirmed to be extinct in the wild in 1981. Johann Alexi/Freigabe-Nachweis, CC BY-SA It was April in 1981 when a party of four camped for two days …
The amazing system plants use to shape their roots and why it could help protect crops from climate change: lewan/Shutterstock Plants have colonised the vast majority of the Earth’s surface. So what is the key to their success? People often think of plants as simple, senseless life forms. They may live rooted in one place, …
Growing plants on buildings can reduce heat and produce healthy food in African cities: Seylou/AFP via Getty Images Persistently high temperatures and related heat stress are a big problem for people living in cities, especially in slums and informal settlements. It’s a problem that is expected to continue. According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel in …