
Can Virtual Reality Mimic Nature’s Power to Make Us Healthier?
Just seeing nature in VR brings some health benefits—and helps scientists learn why we need the real thing

Can Virtual Reality Mimic Nature’s Power to Make Us Healthier?
Just seeing nature in VR brings some health benefits—and helps scientists learn why we need the real thing

Quantum Light Experiment Proves Photosynthesis Starts with a Single Photon
Scientists have used quantum technology to track individual particles of light as they begin the process of photosynthesis

This Frog May Be the First Amphibian Known to Pollinate Flowers
A tiny, orange Brazilian tree frog may be the first known amphibian pollinator, further broadening our understanding of which animals perform this crucial biological function

Strawberries Have 8 Sets of Chromosomes to Thank for Their Survival
Hidden beneath the surface of the treasured strawberry is a unique branch of the evolutionary tree, where eight sets of chromosomes are better than two

This Might Be the World’s Oldest Tree. And It Could Die of Thirst
Lañilawal, a Patagonian cypress that may be one of the oldest trees on Earth, needs greater protection if scientists are to understand its secrets of survival, an environmental scientist says

Plant Cell Parts Turn into Glass to Soak Up Sun
Chloroplasts’ choreography keeps plant cells powered

Stressed Plants ‘Cry’—and Some Animals Can Probably Hear Them
Microphones capture ultrasonic crackles from plants that are water-deprived or injured

What Is It Like to Be a Plant?
Plants acting with agency, wolf symbolism, therapeutic art, and more books out now

The Science of Spring’s Green Show
Spring’s burst of brightness comes before chloroplasts grow and mature

Do Trees Really Support Each Other through a Network of Fungi?
Trees communicate and cooperate through a fungal web, according to a widespread idea. But not everyone is convinced

How Scientists Are Using AI to Talk to Animals
Portable sensors and artificial intelligence are helping researchers decode animal communication—and begin to talk back to nonhumans

This Overlooked Scientist Helped Save Washington, D.C.’s Cherry Trees
Mycologist Flora Patterson helped make the USDA fungus collection into the world’s largest. She also made a mean mushroom “catsup”