PLANTS

In the Middle Ages, travelers brought home tales from all over the globe of wondrous and fantastic plants and beasts—but many of these travelers were just relaying stories they’d heard instead of things they’d actually seen. These stories, in turn, were w

The large, circular bald spots of naked earth were spotted in Australia.

Researchers discovered pieces of the tiny, thread-like organism called 'Tortotubus' in fossilized rock.

The plant's chemical signal lures insect tourists, who get stuck and die—then their delicious corpses draw predators who scare off insects that might munch the plant.

The recent change in the ancient organism shocked scientists.

Scientists pin down the chemical process that makes plants open up.

Why are decorative gourds so weird looking?

Looking like crap isn’t always a bad thing.

When a weed tries to take root in zero gravity, interesting things start to happen.

Plants are chattier than you think.

The accomplished mycologist made an important discovery about mushrooms—which went ignored because she was a woman.

From ricin and strychnine to coca, the Poison Garden is full of things people shouldn’t even smell, let alone touch or eat.