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 scent produced by this orchid is oddly familiar.

Exposure to the harmless outer shell of the cowpea mosaic virus inspires the immune system to attack tumors.

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 fuzzy green balls are revered as national treasures, celebrated in religious ceremonies, and kept as pets.

Some plants may be luring bees with caffeinated nectar.

One major threat? Collectors and horticulturists harvest the wild plants and sell them illegally.

To unlock the secret to renewable energy, science is taking a cue from nature.

Before he was a sexologist, Kinsey's traveled the country on a hunt for gall wasps.

Viridi is sort of like a Tamagotchi for gardening.