Plants
Types of plants, including flowers, trees, water plants and weeds- Explore more »
Deer May Be Peeing Themselves Out of Their Favorite Winter Habitats
Special patches of trees shield deer from harsh winter weather, but deer urine stimulates growth of competitive plants in those havens
June 10, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Could “Magic” Mushrooms Be Used to Treat Anxiety and Depression?
Emerging research indicates that low doses of the active chemical psilocybin, found in the fungi, can have positive psychiatric effects
June 10, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
When Large Birds Disappear, Rainforests Suffer
A century after toucans and toucanets disappeared from patches of Brazilian jungle, trees have evolved to have smaller, weaker seeds
May 30, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Plants Frozen Under a Glacier for 400 Years Can Come Back to Life
Long-buried mosses recently exposed in the wake of a Canadian glacier's retreat are sprouting new growth, a study shows
May 27, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Save the Amazon, Increase Malaria
People in Brazil living close to forests are 25 times more likely to catch malaria than those living near places where all the trees have been cut down, new research shows
May 23, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Princeton University Celebrates the Art of Science
In a new exhibition, the university showcases 43 images rooted in scientific research that force viewers to contemplate the definition of art
May 21, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Scientists Finally Pinpoint the Pathogen That Caused the Irish Potato Famine
DNA analysis of 166-year-old potato plant leaves has revealed the disease strain that caused the starvation of millions
May 21, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Macoto Murayama’s Intricate Blueprints of Flowers
The Japanese artist depicts blossoms from various plant species in fastidious detail
May 10, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell
Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent odor
May 03, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Genetically Modified E. Coli Bacteria Can Now Synthesize Diesel Fuel
By combining genes from different bacteria species, scientists created E. coli that can consume fat and excrete diesel fuel
April 22, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Intriguing Science Art From the University of Wisconsin
From a fish's dyed nerves to vapor strewn across the planet, images submitted to a contest at the university offer new perspectives of the natural world
April 19, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
10 Things We’ve Learned About the Earth Since Last Earth Day
Pigeon-eating catfish, Antarctic trash, and more: A list of surprising, alarming and exciting discoveries about our planet from the past year
April 19, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Where Have the Trees of Guam Gone?
Scientists are investigating whether the obliteration of the island's bird species is thinning the tree canopy and could ultimately alter the forests' structure
April 11, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
Bean Leaves Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite by Using Tiny, Impaling Spikes
Researchers hope to design a new bedbug eradication method based upon a folk remedy of trapping the bloodsuckers as they creep
April 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
What Makes Rain Smell So Good?
A mixture of plant oils, bacterial spores and ozone is responsible for the powerful scent of fresh rain
April 02, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Greening of the Arctic is Underway
As the climate changes, trees and shrubs are poised to take over tundra and alter the Arctic's ecosystems
March 31, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A Survey of the 161 Bacterial Families That Live on Your Fruits and Veggies
The first-ever sequencing of the "produce microbiome" reveals that grapes, peaches and sprouts host the largest diversity of harmless bacteria
March 27, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Sea Monkeys, Ferns and Frozen Frogs: Nature’s Very Own Resurrecting Organisms
As Easter draws near, we celebrate creatures that seemingly die and then come back to life
March 25, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Even Bees Get a Buzz When They Drink Caffeine
The drug, naturally present in coffee and citrus plant nectars, is shown to improve honeybees' long-term memory
March 07, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg


