SciFri Radio: Plants

SciFri Radio: Chile Peppers
In this segment, live from Tucson, Arizona, we'll take a scientific look at the chile pepper, from the chemistry and biology of a pepper's burn, to...

SciFri Radio: Tobacco Plants Grow Cancer Vaccines
Researchers report that they've been able to use tobacco plants as biological factories to manufacture specialized proteins needed for an...

SciFri Radio: Tiny Beetle, Big Impact
An increase in the numbers of mountain pine beetles feeding on trees in Canada could turn the carbon-sink forests into greenhouse gas liabilities....

SciFri Radio: Better Agriculture through...Charcoal?
Researchers presenting work at the American Chemical Society meeting say that adding charcoal to soil may provide a big boost to agriculture.

SciFri Radio: Biofuels Research Roundup
Ira talks with several researchers looking at innovative ways to harvest energy from plant materials, including gasoline-like chemicals, ethanol,...

SciFri Radio: Arctic 'Doomsday' Seed Vault Opens
A frozen vault containing samples of seeds from around the world has begun accepting seeds for storage. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault aims to...

SciFri Radio: Michael Pollan - In Defense of Food
Ira talks with author Michael Pollan about his latest book, "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto."

SciFri Radio: Wildlife Safari
Stuck at home for the holidays? Not anymore - we're going on safari. In this segment, Ira talks to three world-explorers who document wildlife in...

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Particles of Science

Do Not Fear the Worm Bin

Wary of indoor composting? Don't be, says SciFri guest Deborah Martin, author of "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide." A healthy worm has a pleasant odor, she says! Listen.

Healing Honey

A new study by researchers at the University of Ottawa suggests that honey helps kill the bacteria that cause chronic sinusitis. Read more about the study.

Free the River

SciFri guest Ivor van Heerden says that perhaps the best thing we can do to protect coastal Louisiana against hurricanes is to let the river run wild. Listen to van Heerden. This allows new wetlands to be created, which can reduce wave energy significantly.

Vaccine Safety

Wary of vaccinations? SciFri guest, Paul Offit, says vaccines are probably more rigorously tested than anything else we consume. Listen to Dr. Offit.

SciFri Newsbriefs: Plants

Newsbrief: Strange Relations
A tiny grass family turns out to be an ancient flower lineage.

Newsbrief: Age-Old Orchid
A fossilized orchid, the first ever discovered, reveals the age of the flower family.

SciFri Videos: Plants

Video: Gardening in Alaska
How do plants grow in the land of the midnight sun? Science Friday visited a greenhouse in Denali National Park to find out what it takes to...

Video: Your Video: Blue Dog Greens
Travel to Bangor, Michigan to meet organic farmer Dennis Wilcox. Find out where those mixed baby greens come from. SciFri listener Brad Kennedy of...

Video: Your Garden's Favorite Beverage
Find out how to brew worm tea: a potent power-packed beverage for your plants. Warning: worm tea not for human consumption.

Video: Cultivating the Perfect Pepper
If you've had supermarket salsa, you've probably eaten one of Ed Curry's chili peppers. He's a top pepper breeder in the valley where Geronimo and...

Video: Behold the 1000 Pound Pumpkin
Visit Robert Sabin's pumpkin patch: he has been growing giant pumpkins--the breed is Atlantic Giant--for over ten years. Does his top pumpkin have...

Featured Video: Behold the 1000 Pound Pumpkin
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Images courtesy of ViewsFromTwo/flickr and the Dragonweaver/flickr. Shot and produced by Flora Lichtman.

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Blogs

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