plants

baobabs

Baobabs Are Dying – But We Still Do Not Know Why

Another one of Africa’s many mysteries. For about ten years now, some of the biggest and oldest trees on the continent, the baobabs, have been dying. Plants between 1,100 and 2,500 years old are disappearing. In particular, nine of the thirteen oldest baobabs on the continent have collapsed under their weight and have died in the last 10 years. It is shocking to think that during our lifetime so many thousand year old trees have disappeared at the same time.

nervous system

Even Plants Have a Nervous System To Communicate Stress

A minor cabbage larva bites and swallows a piece of leaf. Immediately afterwards, a wave of light propagates in what remains of the plant, as if to signal the attack in progress. This is the alarm system that plants use to activate hormonal defence mechanisms, the last bastion against parasites. This signalling mechanism is nothing more than the “nervous system” of the plants.

household plants

Best Household Plants to Grow to Purify the Air at Home

Most people would never say that, yet the substances most dangerous to health are inside our homes. How can we avoid contact with indoor sources of pollution? As well as being careful when buying furniture, preferring eco-friendly detergents and natural paints, and often changing the air at home, plants can also help. Many can purify the environment and neutralize harmful compounds.