Deep in some of the world’s most hard-to-reach places lies a wealth of plant knowledge that could offer the next life-saving cure.

In this episode, James Wong explores how Kew scientists works alongside remote communities on the ground to understand plants’ medicinal properties.

And there’s a history lesson in it too, as James learns of the enormous impact that humble quinine, (found in your G&T), had throughout colonialism through to the world wars.  

What is yet to be discovered? And what do we stand to lose if we do not protect and respect world ecosystems?

Subscribe to Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world on your podcast app to get a new episode each fortnight.

And you can share the show or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #KewUnearthed.

Follow @kewgardens for more insights into the magical, mysterious world of plants and fungi.

www.kew.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plants have the power to cure – and also kill. In this episode we hear how a spurned woman murdered her lover with just a mysterious plant substance.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was instrumental in the race to identify the material, and how it was used, so to bring the killer to justice.

James Wong hears how specialist plant knowledge uncovered the mystery from forensic samples, and a medical toxicologist shares the real challenges doctors face from plant toxins.

Subscribe to Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world on your podcast app to get a new episode each fortnight.

And you can share the show or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #KewUnearthed.

Follow @kewgardens for more insights into the magical, mysterious world of plants and fungi.

www.kew.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One wintery morning in 2014, somebody stole a tiny and extremely rare waterlily from the collection at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was never seen again, and they were never caught.

James Wong begins his journey into the mysterious world of plants and fungi by looking at the criminal underworld of plant trafficking.

Speaking to Border Force, Kew scientists and advisors, James learns about the little-appreciated fight to protect plants from extinction, exploitation, and smugglers hiding on the web – and how many of us are guilty of ‘plant blindness’.

Subscribe to Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world on your podcast app to get a new episode each fortnight.

And you can share the show or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #KewUnearthed.

Follow @kewgardens for more insights into the magical, mysterious world of plants and fungi.

www.kew.org

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Wong introduces "Unearthed", launching August 5th 2020.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.