Videos

How pitcher plants lure, trap, and digest insect prey… with the help of millions of mystery microbes. Focus on the habitat, life cycle, morphology and internal ecosystem of Sarracenia alata.

Smelling like a dead animal (or a zombie?) and having thermogenesis works out well for the plant known as skunk cabbage; and having this plant around works out well for our wetlands. 

Giant hawk moths fly for miles each night in search of flower nectar -- and are thus critically important as pollinators of desert wildflowers. Plant romance by the light of the full moon at New Mexico's White Sands National Monument. 

What do you get when a team of biologists from Mexico and the US sets out to explore remote areas of the Chihuahuan Desert? Lots of examples of the evolution of new species on gypsum soils — and plenty of evidence that the world is still full of things to discover. 

Plants that survive in parking lots might be considered “weeds,” but they are also really great examples of extremophiles – organisms that survive, thrive, and evolve in Earth’s toughest habitats.

Conservation takes partnership. Many off-roaders think conservationists are all “tree-huggers”… and many conservationists think off-roaders are all “tree-killers.” But somewhere in between there is a sweet spot where forests can be appreciated and cared for. In the case of the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA), that sweet spot might even help to reinvigorate a local economy.

A team of biologists drops off a cliff to learn more about one rare plant, but ends up discovering something completely unexpected with the help of science Twitter: white alumroot (Heuchera alba). 

Highlights one of the most important wild food plants to the Martu people of Australia's Western Desert, Wamula (Solanum diversiflorum) -- and a research project showing how Martu traditional practices are benefitting this species and the habitats it grows in.