Enlarge / A blow fly trapped on a carnivorous sundew plant. (credit: Cathy Keifer | Getty) Toward the end of the 19th century, lurid tales of killer plants began popping up everywhere. Terrible, tentacle-waving trees snatched and swallowed unwary travelers in far-off lands. Mad professors raised monstrous sundews and pitcher plants on raw steak until […]
Ah, March. Some might call it a month, but those of us who celebrate know it’s a state of mind. And after yesterday, March is unequivocally here. Read more…
Enlarge / Artist’s representation of the microstructure of Velcro. Scientists at the Italian Institute of Technology have created a soft, biodegradable and soluble Velcro inspired by the particular micro-hook structure of leaves on the “catchweed” plant ( Galium aparine ). (credit: Clouds Hill Imaging Ltd. /Getty Images) There’s rarely time to write about every cool […]
Enlarge / Macro-photo of green Romanesco cauliflower showcases the vegetable’s striking fractal pattern. (credit: Cathy Scola / Getty Images ) It’s long been observed that many plants produce leaves, shoots, or flowers in spiral patterns. Cauliflower provides a unique example of this phenomenon, because those spirals repeat at several different size scales—a hallmark of fractal […]