This episode is TNT (it’s dynamite) and it’s blue (da ba dee)! We got an email from a spinach that brought us to learn more about the material sciences of plants and we talk about lots of blue facts! Also: science bots! 

• Wong, M., Giraldo, J., Kwak, SY. et al. Nitroaromatic detection and infrared communication from wild-type plants using plant nanobionics. Nature Mater 16, 264–272 (2017).
• The report that went viral
• Gyroporus cyanescens
• Blue genome: chromosome‐scale genome reveals the evolutionary and molecular basis of indigo biosynthesis in Strobilanthes cusia 
• Scientists Sequence Genome of World’s Fastest-Growing Plant | Genetics
• Get the hell off my carpet! – Plants and Pipettes
• Review with care
•  Journal papers, grants, jobs … as rejections pile up, it’s not enough to tell academics to ‘suck it up’ 
• Why blue flowers are rare
• Fragmentary Blue: Resolving the Rarity Paradox in Flower Colors
• Risk of being scooped drives scientists to shoddy methods 
• What institutional reforms will make science more efficient and reliable?
• How some plants adapt to shade
• Photonic multilayer structure of Begonia chloroplasts enhances photosynthetic efficiency 
• 33 year old bat does assisted flying

Check out the new episode of the plant book club! And while you’re there, also go and check out Flora-L Design!

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Our opening and closing music is Caravana by Phillip Gross

Until next time!

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