Branch Out

Branch Out

By Botanic Gardens of SydneyScienceEducationNatural Sciences
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Branch Out episodes

  • Branch Out season 3 sneak peek
    Check out what's coming up in the next season of Branch Out. Hit subscribe to make sure the fortnightly episodes appear in your podcast app.
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    4 min
  • Plants with Bite: sticky, sneaky & freaky

    What makes a plant a killer? Join one of Australia's foremost experts on carnivorous plants, and discover the different tactics these murderous munchers use to lure, trap and trick their prey.

    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.

    21 min
  • What's a herbarium?

    You might think the National Herbarium of NSW is where we keep our finest coriander, mint and basil. Actually, this vital facility contains over 1 million plant specimens used for scientific research, and some are almost 250 years old! Walk through the corridors of this 165-year-old building and discover this historical hub and heart of plant sciences.

    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.

    20 min
  • Growing communities with gardens

    Some communities can't access green space, depriving them of the physical, mental and social benefits that nature brings. Discover how the Community Greening program is changing the health and wellbeing of communities one garden at a time.

    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.

    18 min
  • Detective botany & DNA with Barbara Briggs

    Dr Barbara Briggs is one of Australia’s leading botanists and police used her skills in the 1960’s to assist a kidnapping-murder case. But over the course of her 59 years of research at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, she’s been part of an even bigger investigation: EVOLUTION.

    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.

    19 min
  • Botany, bryophytes and a bizarre discovery

    They're among the first types of land plants to appear on Earth about 470 million years ago, but bryophtes are easy to overlook - unless you're Matt or Trevor. On a field trip to the very tip of Far North Queensland, they came across a curious new species growing in a highly unusual place...

    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.

    18 min
  • No Plants No Future

    There's a back-up plan for plants going extinct in the wild - it's called seedbanking. Scientists from the Australian PlantBank spend weeks in the field tracking down native plant material from all over the country to bring back to the incredible facility in Western Sydney, so they don’t disappear forever.

    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.

    18 min
  • Protecting Our Prehistoric Pine

    The Wollemi Pine was thought to be extinct for 60 million years until it was accidentally discovered by David Noble in 1994 during a weekend bushwalk, 150km from Sydney. Our living fossil captures the imagination and attention of the world because it offers a window into the past, but now scientists are focused on protecting its 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.

    20 min
  • No Plants No Animals

    Discover how the remarkable digestive ability of the endangered Southern Cassowary keeps itself, rainforests, and us alive.

    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.

    17 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…