Branch Out

Branch Out

By Botanic Gardens of SydneyScienceEducationNatural Sciences
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Branch Out episodes

  • Let's talk about plant sex

    Prepare to blush as we explore the unusual, ingenious and sometimes even deceptive ways plants are gettin' it on for the survival of their species.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    26 min
  • Poisonous plants

    Plants have developed an array of deadly defences and chemical compounds can turn an innocent looking ornamental into a deadly assassin.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    24 min
  • Battling a plant disease pandemic

    When we hear 'pandemic' we immediately think of COVID-19. But there's a deadly plant disease pandemic called 'myrtle rust' tearing through Australia that arrived long before COVID-19. Discover the cutting-edge science that is our best bet for saving our plant species.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    24 min
  • Plants that heal

    We're in the middle of once-in-a-century pandemic and coming into peak flu-season in the southern hemisphere. Medicine is on our minds and surprisingly, many developed in the last century were derived from naturally occurring molecules found in plants, bacteria, and fungi.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    31 min
  • Bushfire impacts, recovery & outlook

    Australia is a no doubt a sunburnt country and the unique landscape shares a long and important relationship with fire. But even the most fire-adapted plants were devastated by the intense summer bushfires. While new growth is emerging and cutting-edge science is saving species - there's still a long road to recovery for the flora that went up in flames.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    26 min
  • Amazing plant-based inventions

    Plants are the source of so many amazing past and new inventions we need in our lives. Discover how scientists are utilising the waste material from banana plants and cashew nut shells to create more environmentally friendly products.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    23 min
  • No Plants No Wine

    Even though Australia is new to the wine-making world stage it has produced really iconic drops and inventions such as cask wine and screw caps for bottles. But how did grape vines get here? Discover the art, history and science of wine-making and how it all started down under.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    27 min
  • Banking our bush foods

    Australian plants have been used by Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years and now people all over the world are finding a connection to country through cooking with bush foods. Unfortunately, some of these plants are endangered and scientists are collecting and banking seeds to protect their future both on our forks and in the wild.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    34 min
  • Climate change & future-proofing plants

    Climate change is the defining issue of our time and 47% of Australia's vegetation could be impacted by an increase in mean annual temperature by 2070. Three passionate scientists share how they are trying to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on flora and our future.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    36 min
  • Deceptive and dangerous stingers

    The world's most painful stinging trees call Australia home. Explore this amazing example of plant defence as a range of scientists share their stinging experience and what they’re doing to protect the future of these surprisingly important rainforest plants.

    Order our book: What the Flora?

    Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom.

    You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case.

    The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

    33 min

About Branch Out

From the publisher's feed

From catching killers to making medicine - discover the surprising world of plants with your host, Vanessa Fuchs, as you hear from passionate experts from around the world protecting flora and our…