PLANTS

Wikimedia Commons, colorized by William Crochot

10 Extremely Magnified Photos of Plants

Under a scanning electron microscope, the plants that populate our world look more like alien planets.

15 Lovely Terrariums That Would Liven Up Any Room

Terrariums are lot like aquariums, but without the fish ... and sometimes without the water. These little glass homes often house low-maintenance plants like moss and cacti. Here are 15 examples of unusual terrariums that will liven up any room.

Ernesto Gianoli and Fernando Carrasco-Urra

6 Plants That Are Masters of Disguise

These plants transform to trick the untrained eye.

We live among ancient trees that are thousands of years old.

6 of the Oldest Trees in the World

The oldest known trees are thousands of years old. The ancient plants have witnessed the rise and fall of multiple civilizations.

Addictive Drugs That Are Actually Pesticides

Many plant-based drugs—such as caffeine, cocaine, nicotine and morphine—are all made for the exact same reason: to fight off insects. Why exactly do humans love ingesting insect repellent so much?

11 Non-Rose Flower Bouquets For Valentine’s Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Skip the red roses and try these unusual flower arrangements instead.

10 Awesome New Species Discovered in 2013

Geckos and shrubs and sharks, oh my! 2013 was a big year for new species. Scientists found hundreds of them this year. Here are some of our favorites.

11 Incredible Facts About Venus Flytraps

Some of the most influential people who ever lived have had a fascination with Dionaea muscipula. Here are 11 facts guaranteed to inspire one of your own.

Ramadhan Abdulla holds cassava on his farm in Tanzania. © Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Jake Lyell

3 Insanely Important Crops You've Never Heard Of

17 Stunning Works of Mosaïculture

At a triennial competition coordinated by Mosaïcultures International of Montréal, artists from around the world present arrangements of still-living plants atop mesh skeletons, creating towering exhibition pieces that put the best-trimmed privet hedges t

Orchids: Masters of Plant Pareidolia

5 Horrifying Ways Plants Can Fight Back

Some plants have been slowly plotting their revenge.

Watch a Corpse Flower Bloom, Live

How Spiders Win the Lottery

On a cloudy spring day, a little spider scales a tall blade of grass. At the peak, the spider arches up, points its abdomen up to the sky and begins releasing strands of silk from its silk glands. Tens of thousands of strands fill the air, fanning out and

10 Plants That Smell Like Meat

How to Grow African Violets from Leaf Cuttings

Marco Thines/Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Irish Potato Famine Culprit Identified

For the first time, scientists have used dried herbarium samples to decode the genome of a plant pathogen and its plant host. The pathogen in question is Phytophthora infestans and its host, the simple potato—a duo responsible for the devastating famine t

That "Fresh Cut Grass" Smell Is a Distress Signal

Trauma, that’s what. It’s the smell of chemical defenses and first aid. The fresh, “green” scent of a just-mowed lawn is the lawn trying to save itself from the injury you just inflicted.

Belladonna or deadly nightshade: Pretty but poisonous

5 Classic Poisons and the People Who Used Them

Long before modern industries developed the cleaning products, industrial solvents, and drugs that can kill when misused, people used simple plants to murder each other.