Tag: plant science
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Introduction to Mr Plant Cuttings’ book project
This post highlights Mr P Cuttings’ ambition for a book about plants. Highlighting 10 need-to-know facts about our green neighbours, topics include plant diversity, structure, and senses, photosynthesis, agriculture, and cultural and wellbeing impacts of plants. By emphasising plants’ historical – and continuing – impact on human life, it hopes…
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A timely appreciation of plants
Christopher Woods’ book, “In Botanical Time,” explores the astonishing lifespans of the world’s oldest plants, illustrating their biology and ecology across 230 pages. Although well-written and richly illustrated, the book lacks source citations, which detracts from its scientific credibility. Nonetheless, it captivates readers with tales of remarkable plant longevity.
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Lichens and humans cement a friendship
The post discusses a study by Nisha Rokaya et al. exploring a synthetic lichen system to address concrete cracking. This approach combines fungi and algae/cyanobacteria to create a self-healing solution by producing calcium carbonate for repair. The research shows potential for sustainable construction but requires further testing for effectiveness in…
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The essentials of plant biology
Essential Plant Biology by Alison Smith et al. offers a comprehensive overview of modern plant biology, emphasizing molecular genetics and biochemistry, crucial for understanding plant function today. Divided into six parts, the book covers topics from plant evolution to environmental interactions, targeting undergraduates with a foundation in molecular biology.
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Can pollen save coral reefs?
Traditional sunscreens harm marine life, particularly corals. A new eco-friendly sunscreen using sporopollenin from tea pollen – developed by Chungmo Yang et al. – demonstrates effective UV protection without bleaching corals. This presents a potentially sustainable solution to mitigate environmental damage caused by conventional sun-blocking products.
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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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Some of 2025’s notable new plants
Creating weekly blog posts for Plantcuttings.uk is challenging, especially when facing inspiration blocks. Recently feeling pressured to maintain output levels, Mr Cuttings decided to discuss notable new plant discoveries of 2025. Drawing inspiration to do so from an article by Damian Carrington, he ultimately found renewed satisfaction in the writing…
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Plants light up your life (and night…)
Shuting Liu et al. (2025) explore the potential of engineered luminescent plants, specifically Echeveria ‘Mebina’. Injected with phosphorescent particles, these plants can absorb sunlight and emit light in various colors. While promising for sustainable lighting, challenges include labour-intensive production and the impact on plant physiology, limiting widespread application.
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Prize-winning plant work
The post discusses the Ig Nobel Prize winners of 2025, highlighting their humorous yet insightful research related to plants and food. It emphasizes the absence of specific Nobel Prizes for botany, despite notable plant scientists obtaining Nobel recognition. The post reflects on the lighter side of science, showcasing how fun…
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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.
Plant Cuttings 