Articles for tag: ClimbingVines, LifeOnEarth, NatureSecrets, PlantBiology, RainforestEcology

Tree bark and tangled vines are the main focus.

How Climbing Vines Outsmart Forest Giants (Without Lifting a Leaf)

Suhail Ahmed

They don’t build skyscrapers; they steal them. In forests from Panama to Pennsylvania, climbing vines hitch a ride up the bodies of trees, saving energy on wood and spending it on leaves, speed, and stealth. Scientists are now piecing together the playbook behind this apparent shortcut, revealing a suite of strategies that turn tree architecture ...

green and white snake on brown soil

Why Some Seeds Wait Centuries to Germinate

Suhail Ahmed

  In an age of instant everything, seeds are our patient contrarians. Some lie silent for centuries, tucked into ruins, lakebeds, or dry caves, then burst into life as if time never passed. The mystery is captivating: what stops decay, and what finally flips the switch to growth? The answer blends physics, chemistry, and evolutionary ...