Tag: ferns
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A super book about fern biology
Ferns: Lessons in Survival From Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants by Fay-Wei Li & Jacob S Suissa, illustrated by Laura Silburn, explores fern biology, diversity, and evolution. The book combines engaging text with extensive illustrations, making it visually appealing and informative. Although technical at times, it serves as an excellent introduction…
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Rare earths: Botany meets geopolitics
The post discusses He et al., 2025’s work with Blechnum orientale, a fern that accumulates rare earth elements (REEs), in particular the mineral monazite. This discovery raises important questions about plants being a sustainable source for REEs. The post also provides background to REEs, and doesn’t ignore their geopolitical significance.
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Exploitation potential of plant products…
This post delves into the chemical capabilities of plants and humans’ innovation in utilizing plant compounds. It highlights the discovery of a new insecticidal protein from ferns with potential for crop protection. Additionally, it explores the creation of sustainable polymers from cellulose, offering an alternative to conventional plastics. These advancements…
Plant Cuttings 