Science and Nature

Crash Course Botany

Over the next 15 episodes, Alexis Nikole Nelson will spill plants’ secrets—how they evolved, how they function, and just how vital they are to human societies and all of life on Earth.

The Future of Botany

12m 21s

We’ve learned a lot about plants throughout this series, but there’s much more to discover. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll peek into the future of botany. We’ll consider current plant mysteries, bridges between Western science and traditional knowledge, and what it might take to garden on the moon.

Episodes

  • Plant Cells & Hormones: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Plant Cells & Hormones

    S1 E3 - 12m 57s

    At first glance, plant and animal cells have a lot in common: they’re both highly organized, keep their DNA tucked away in an envelope, and are kinda juicy inside. But plant cells have evolved some wild features that set them apart from animal cells. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll ask: are plants more than the sum of their cells?

  • What Are Plants Made Of?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Are Plants Made Of?

    S1 E2 - 15m 51s

    When you eat a salad for lunch, you’re digging into a giant pile of plant organs. That’s right—plants are made up of organs, only theirs follow a totally different set of rules from our own. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll explore what it takes to build a plant, including roots, leaves, and stems, and how one little tomato went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • What is Botany?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What is Botany?

    S1 E1 - 13m 36s

    Plants have got you surrounded. They’re in your toothpaste, your bedsheets, and your regular Taco Bell order. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll find out what botanists study and how knowledge of plants can help you navigate everyday life. Along the way, we’ll uncover plants’ pervasive, civilization-shaping power—and find that they have their own ways of communicating.

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