Grapes on a vine

The Great Grape Graft That Saved the Wine Industry

Grape varieties from North America seemed harmless to French winemakers. But destructive bugs were imported with the plants.
A chicken surrounded by chicks

So You Want to Buy a Pet Chicken?

Looking for a sense of comfort and security by buying a chicken? You'll get more than you bargained for.
A massive American Elm tree sits backlit by the rising sun in Overlook Park in northern Portland, Oregon.

Why Learning the Names of Trees Is Good for You

Getting to know trees can lead to new ways of looking at the world.
Anatomic drawing of Tumeric

These Plants Are Ready for Their Closeup

Move over cats of the internet, here comes something greener.
A Canada Goose

Has the U.S. Government Abandoned Birds?

Recent changes to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 leave birds vulnerable to industry, experts say.
Source: . Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University, Washington, DC

Plant of the Month: Stanhopea Orchids

How did some orchids transform from rare, all-but-inaccessible flowers into popular houseplants you can purchase at a supermarket?
A large tree with moss-covered roots.

Ten Stories about Trees for Arbor Day

They talk to each other via underground networks, grow shy, migrate across the Earth's surface, and reverse some of the damage caused by climate change.
Pear seedlings from a book about Luther Burbank

The Marvelous Experiments of Amateur Plant Breeders

Over 100 years ago, a horticulturalist introduced hybrid plants to California gardeners. Up sprouted a movement of amateur experiments in plant biology.
A golden retriever on the beach

Dogs and Cancer

Because we share many of the same cell types with our pets, they develop some of the same cancers. Comparative oncologists study these parallels.
Squirrel Hoarding

Your Brain Evolved to Hoard Supplies and Shame Others for Doing the Same

Have people gone mad? How can one individual be overfilling their own cart, while shaming others who are doing the same?