UK plants flowering a month earlier due to climate change

Climate change is causing plants in the UK to flower a month earlier on average, which could have profound consequences for wildlife, agriculture and gardeners.

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Feb. 2, 2022 ~6 min

Morning glory symbiosis may yield new psychedelic drugs

The best-known ergot alkaloid is LSD. Finding the compounds in morning glories could lead to psychedelic drugs for mental and physical conditions.

Barri Bronston-Tulane • futurity
Dec. 22, 2021 ~4 min


Team creates ‘elusive’ poppy molecule in the lab

Researchers report synthesizing setigerumine I, an alkaloid molecule found in trace amounts in the poppy family Papaveraceae.

Mike Williams-Rice • futurity
Nov. 16, 2021 ~5 min

Roads threaten bee movement and pollination

Roads can block bee movement and flower pollination, a new study shows. But relatively simple fixes, such as "road diets," can help.

Jim Erickson-Michigan • futurity
May 13, 2021 ~9 min

When did we start giving flowers for Mother’s Day?

The author of a book on the history of cut flowers digs into the history of our obsession with them, including how they became the go-to Mother's Day gift.

Jennifer Rainey Marquez-Georgia State • futurity
May 4, 2021 ~7 min

Plant flower ‘billboards’ in your garden to help bugs in trouble

You can help declining insect populations by planting groups of the same kinds of flowers together, researchers say. They act like big ads for bug food.

Samantha Murray-Florida • futurity
April 26, 2021 ~4 min

Tiny beetle fossil reveals how insects greeted Earth's earliest flowers

Preserved in amber, a tiny beetle has shed light on the moment the world first burst into bloom.

Chenyang Cai, Research Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol • conversation
April 15, 2021 ~7 min

Why do flowers smell?

Not all flowers smell good, to people at least, but their scents are a way to attract pollinators.

Richard L. Harkess, Professor of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, Mississippi State University • conversation
March 1, 2021 ~5 min


Evidence backs Darwin’s theory about ‘runt’ flowers

Until now, no one had properly tested Darwin's hypothesis on the link between cleistogamy and bilateral symmetry in flowers.

Frederique Mazerolle-McGill • futurity
Feb. 3, 2021 ~6 min

Flowers boost predatory insects’ pest control skills

Predatory insects are super pest controllers. Planting flowers can help them help farmers to reduce the use of pesticides.

Katherina Killander-U. Copenhagen • futurity
Jan. 25, 2021 ~6 min

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