Unbe-leaf-able Discoveries

God’s creativity and generosity show up all over the place, including in the plant kingdom. The more we study our leafy friends, the more amazing discoveries we make that point to the Creator. You could say these designs are pretty plant-tastic.

This Meal Rocks!

Some plants that grow in the mountains of Brazil make meals of something surprising—rocks. These plants live in an area with lots of stones and not much soil, so they need another way to survive. They have hairy roots that carve into rock and ooze acids that dissolve the stone. The plants can then absorb the nutrients.

Plants Say What?

Scientists already knew that some plants can sense sound waves, light and darkness, and smells. But now, for the first time, they have recorded plants making sounds. When they placed microphones near the plants, they picked up ultrasonic noises (sounds that humans can’t hear). The plants made sounds when they were stressed, such as when they needed water.

Fungus Fake Out

Scientists have discovered a fungus (a living organism different from a plant) that copies the look of a flower to attract pollinating insects such as bees. When the fungus grows on a plant called yellow-eyed grass, it sprouts fake yellow structures that look just like the flowers of the grass. By tricking insects into visiting its phony flowers, the fungus spreads its spores so more grow on new plants.

A Fern in Need Is a Fern Indeed

Researchers have discovered that staghorn ferns in Australia form “communities.” Different parts of the plant serve different purposes but make up one big colony—kind of like an ant colony where the ants have different jobs but share the work.