George Washington Carver was a lot more than peanuts. He was born a slave, in Missouri, during the American Civil War and died in the middle of World War II. In between, he was part of creating a more sustainable farming system, particularly for poor African American farmers in the South. Carver essentially had a … More George Washington Carver, Planter of Productive Farmers.
Letter to a farmer from a plant scientist sharing values we share and why scientists say the world is warming up and how that links to local experiences. … More To a Farmer From a Plant Scientist
If you’re a plant scientist in the UK or EU (or a scientist of any kind), please do use the comments section below to talk about what Brexit might mean for you and your career. This post can serve as a repository of accounts about how policies impact STEM and vice-versa. Though the precise nature … More Brexit, Science policy, and Unintended Consequences of Trading Lemons.
One of my favorite podcasts is Flash Forward, created (& hosted) by Rose Eveleth. She explores a potential future and then comes back to the present to discuss how plausible it is and the implications of a future like that, and just what that future says about our present world. So with that in mind, … More Chez GMO
Under a canopy of trees, akin to looking up at the night sky, there is a sense of being a small part of something bigger. Unlike the night sky, there are more immediate ways of experiencing the forest than the night sky. More accessible sounds, smells, sights, and textures to immediately experience. And if you … More Bringing back a forest.
Quiet Branches is back to regular posts about science. I’ll try to get one post up each week through the holidays, including some guest posts! Excited to bring you more plant science stories. Creating a plant Plants are ubiquitous in our day-to-day lives. We all benefit from the products they produce. Air, food, shelter, clean water, … More Shoot apical meristems.
Today was a quieter day for me at Plant Biology. I missed a lot of sessions and just was more internally focused today, though I did do a bit of networking, which was good, got my CV reviewed, gave my business card to a lot of people. As with many things, I do have a … More #plantbiology15 day 2.
As you add condiments to your burgers, hot dogs, etc. at a summer barbecue, take a minute to reflect on where they come from. Most are plant products. And a recent study published in PNAS tells the story about how humans wound up with mustard. As life got going, it started to fill new niches … More Cutting the Evolutionary Mustard.
For the last 3 years, Fascination of Plants Day has been observed to take note of plants in our world and to really become aware of these organisms that are right in front of us and yet go unnoticed so often. Plants are ubiquitous to the point that they’re a medium we exist in. Even in … More Fascination of Plants
One of my favorite podcasts is Good Job, Brain, a weekly trivia podcast out of the San Francisco bay area. They’re a pub trivia team and they’re dedicated to trivia. On the podcast, they mix quizzes and stories about our world and they do it in a fun, engaging way. In the most recent episode, “Cheers!”, … More Grapes, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The Quiet Branches 