Pollution messes up how pollinators sniff out flowers

Pollution degrades the chemicals wildflowers give off that help nighttime pollinators find them, researchers report.

James Urton-U. Washington • futurity
Feb. 19, 2024 ~8 min

Sunflowers follow the sun, but how?

New research investigates how sunflowers "see" and follow the sun as it moves across the sky.

Andy Fell-UC Davis • futurity
Nov. 2, 2023 ~4 min


Morning glory flowers grew larger over a decade

There’s been a shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants, but new research also finds one kind of flower is getting bigger.

Jim Erickson-Michigan • futurity
March 17, 2023 ~7 min

Check out flowers up close with these 3D models

Researchers have created detailed, interactive 3D models of flowers to help shed light on their evolution. Take a look for yourself.

McGill University • futurity
Dec. 20, 2022 ~6 min

Biodiversity and habitat both affect bee health

"...habitat quality has the potential to decrease or increase viral prevalence in pollinators," new research on bees and wildflowers finds.

Jim Erickson-Michigan • futurity
Dec. 9, 2022 ~9 min

Bumblebees pick up more parasites on some flower shapes

The shape of flowers has the biggest effect on how bumblebees acquire parasites, a study shows. The findings could influence what pollinator-lovers plant.

Mick Kulikowski-NC State • futurity
June 15, 2022 ~4 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

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