Articles for category: Conservation, Ecology, Plants

Waterfalls in the middle of a rainforest.

Borneo’s Trees Talk to Each Other — and They’re Probably Talking About Us

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine walking through the dense, emerald forests of Borneo and realizing you’re not just surrounded by a sea of green — you’re standing in the midst of a conversation. The trees, towering and ancient, are quietly communicating beneath your feet and above your head. They’re whispering warnings, sending out invitations, and yes, they might even ...

The Venus Flytrap Doesn’t Eat for Fun — It Has to Hunt to Survive

The Venus Flytrap Doesn’t Eat for Fun — It Has to Hunt to Survive

Annette Uy

Imagine a world where your next meal doesn’t just sit quietly in a fridge, waiting to be eaten. Instead, you have to lure it in, trap it, and break it down with enzymes—all on your own. That’s the everyday reality for the Venus flytrap, one of nature’s most astonishing survivors. This peculiar plant doesn’t eat ...

Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Ecosystems

The Great Fossil Forest Under Wales: When Trees Grew Where Oceans Now Swell

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine standing on a stormy Welsh coast as waves crash over jagged rocks, the salty spray stinging your cheeks. Now, close your eyes and picture this same place hundreds of millions of years ago—lush and teeming with gigantic trees, their roots tangled in a prehistoric swamp, ferns brushing your knees. It sounds like a fantasy, ...

The Beautiful Plants That Are Secretly Ecological Assassins

The Beautiful Plants That Are Secretly Ecological Assassins

Annette Uy

If you’ve ever strolled through a lush garden or hiked a wild hillside, you’ve probably admired the dazzling colors, striking shapes, and sweet scents of the plants around you. But what if I told you that some of these gorgeous plants are quietly waging war on entire ecosystems? Like villains hiding behind angelic faces, certain ...

Autumn leaves on display.

How Plants Use Color and Scent to Communicate and Survive

Trizzy Orozco

Plants are much more communicative than one might assume. While they don’t converse using words, their use of color and scent serves as a pivotal mode of interaction with the environment. This fascinating language helps plants ensure their survival, reproduction, and plays an essential role in ecosystem functioning. Let’s delve into how plants use color ...

Blue banana.

The Banana That Tastes Like Ice Cream and Glows Under UV Light

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine biting into a banana that’s so creamy and sweet, it feels like you’re eating a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Now, picture that same banana glowing like a secret jewel when you shine ultraviolet light on its skin. This isn’t a fantasy from a faraway planet or a trick of the imagination—it’s a real ...

Strangler Figs: The Beautiful Killers of the Rainforest Canopy

Strangler Figs: The Beautiful Killers of the Rainforest Canopy

Annette Uy

A single seed, no bigger than a grain of sand, drifts through the dense, humid air of a rainforest. It lands high on a tree branch, ignored by monkeys, unnoticed by birds, and mostly forgotten by all—except for the tree that will soon become its victim. This is no ordinary seed. It belongs to a ...

Plants That Gossip: How They Warn Each Other About Danger

Plants That Gossip: How They Warn Each Other About Danger

Annette Uy

Imagine a world where the trees in your backyard whisper secrets, the grass on the playground passes along warnings, and the wildflowers at the park quietly chatter about looming threats. It sounds like the premise of a fairy tale, but science tells us it’s a living reality. Plants, often dismissed as passive, silent bystanders in ...