
Why watering your plants at midday won't damage their leaves
10 May 2023
It is a long-held idea that midday watering will scorch plants' foliage and damage their health – but this isn’t supported by the evidence, says James Wong

10 May 2023
It is a long-held idea that midday watering will scorch plants' foliage and damage their health – but this isn’t supported by the evidence, says James Wong

24 April 2023
An electrochemical transistor made from balsa wood opens up the possibility of embedding sensors and other electronic devices in plants, which could help in agriculture and forest management

19 April 2023
Some carnivorous plants seem to tailor the cocktail of scents they emit to the prey they want to attract, which shows that their smell plays a key role in luring insects and other creatures

19 April 2023
Orchids seem unique in how they inspire such a devoted following, but why are these much-loved plants so diverse and widespread, wonders Penny Sarchet

16 April 2023
Sunflower pollen’s spiky texture dramatically reduces the prevalence of a widespread gut parasite in eastern bumblebees

11 April 2023
Warmer and wetter weather has been linked to higher rates of infection in an analysis of plant virus outbreaks across the world from 1984 to 2019

5 April 2023
There are many smartphone apps that aim to identify plants from photographs, but tests have found that most are not very accurate

25 March 2023
Researchers created a plant-based robotic arm by connecting a Venus flytrap equipped with soft electrodes to a metallic structure and wirelessly commanding it to grab things

23 March 2023
South African daisies co-opt the genes they usually use to grow root hairs and transport iron to create petals that resemble female flies – enticing males to land and pollinate the plant

15 March 2023
Martian soil is generally poor for growing plants, but researchers have used CRISPR to create gene-edited rice that might be able to germinate and grow despite the hostile habitat