Many think of plants as passive, but in fact, these organisms display complex behaviors—and we have much to learn from them. In this episode, we continue our conversation with the plant scientist Beronda L. Montgomery, who wrote about the wisdom of the natural world in Lessons from Plants (Harvard University Press, 2021).

Released on February 5, 2026.

Episode Transcript

Guest

Beronda L. Montgomery is a writer and scientist who studies how plants and photosynthetic bacteria perceive, respond to, and are impacted by environments in which they exist. She is the author, most recently, of When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical History (Henry Holt, 2026).

Related Content

Beronda L. Montgomery Fellowship Bio

Beronda L. Montgomery Personal Website

Lessons from Plants

Episode 504: The Stories Trees Hold—America’s Black Botanical Legacy

Credits

Ivelisse Estrada is your cohost and the editorial manager at HRI, where she edits Radcliffe Magazine.

Alan Catello Grazioso is the executive producer of BornCurious and the senior multimedia manager at HRI.

Heather Min is your cohost and the senior manager of digital strategy at HRI.

Anna Soong is the production assistant at HRI.

Special thanks to Cabin 3 Media for their invaluable contributions to the editing of this podcast episode.