Branch Out

Go behind the scenes with Senior Horticulturist Terra-Nova Sadowski at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney to discover what it takes to curate and care for the incredible display of over 20,000 plants inside The Calyx. The latest immersive horticulture display is called Love Your Nature. It celebrates and showcases the colourful, diverse, and fascinating world of plant reproduction and diversity. You'll learn about prehistoric plants that use clones, spores, and seeds to reproduce, and flowering plants that employ colours, shapes, and scents to attract animals. The Calyx is open daily from 10am to 4pm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover how the creator of the machete-wielding philodendron turned this harmless houseplant into armed greenery in this 'fast flora facts' edition of Branch Out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Branch Out host Vanessa Fuchs went to the Pint of Science event at the Keg & Brew in Surry Hills, Sydney to hear an awesome presentation from Dr Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez - a researcher from Western Sydney University known as the “tree detective.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An experiment in the 90's by two Russian artists revealed that people from various countries around the world all like the same kind of painting. Discover why and what the results of a new study using twins says about our love for nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To help protect plant species from the impacts of climate change, scientists from the Australian Institute of Botanical Science and UNSW created a cutting-edge data framework for predicting seed germination using a thermogradient plate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout human history, the gifting and trading of plants has been a way for people to connect. Discover the story behind the Instagram-famous 'friendship plant' that used to be impossible to find, and how you can grow one at home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orchids are found on every continent, except Antarctica, growing everywhere from hot swamps to cold mountain tops. Unfortunately, a large proportion of Aussie native orchids are threatened or endangered. From isolating the fungi needed to germinate their seeds to studying their pollinators - discover how scientists like Jessica Wait at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science are using science to help save orchids from extinction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the era of the Dutch golden age in 1637, it’s said that one tulip bulb could of bought you a beautiful house on the canal in Amsterdam. Discover how the obsession with these unique flowers allegedly caused the first and most famous market bubble crashes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the 'great pacific garbage patch' to 'wet wipe island' - pollution is out of control. But in 2021, Gary Moran went viral for not needing to put out his red council bin for 3 years and 4 months. Discover his simple hacks to reduce your household waste as we feature an episode from the Plants Grow Here podcast by Daniel Fuller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microscopic hairs of a leaf clinging to a murder suspect's jacket is all a forensic botanist needs to crack the case. Discover how two high-profile kidnapping-murder cases in America and Australia were solved using forensic botany and how the field has continued to evolve. You'll also learn the truth behind why the world's most famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, knows so much about poisonous plants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#WitchTok videos are clocking up billions of views. Discover why witchcraft is on the rise and the important role plants and nature have to play in its resurgence amongst young people in this magical episode featuring Christina Oakley-Harrington - a modern witch and founder of Treadwells, a famous London bookstore dedicated to the occult. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how photosynthesis was uncovered by scientists, how this amazing set of biochemical reactions might help find aliens, and meet a cunning species of bacteria that's evolved with stolen photosynthesizing technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine trying to put together a puzzle with over 900 million pieces without the picture on the box... That's how PhD candidate Stephanie Chen describes her world-first research assembling the complete genome of the iconic waratah species. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From M. Night Shyamalan to the Bible - this debut episode of our Fast Flora Facts edition of Branch Out covers all sorts of amazing bite-sized facts, stories and research about the biggest group in the plant kingdom - trees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science communication is a lot like story telling. Hear from Laura Skates, Renee Cawthorne and Dr Karl about the importance of talking on behalf of plants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Extreme plants call for extreme botany. Explore the dangerous world of cliff faces, low rainfall and challenging temperatures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know a lot of our listeners, like us, are stuck in lockdown - so we've got a special delivery for you! A bonus episode of Branch Out to celebrate National Tree Day. Tune in to hear a casual chat with Andy Leigh, Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney who is studying the effects of climate change on trees and the ecosystems they exist in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The theme for NAIDOC week this year is Heal Country. But what does it mean? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear from students, recent graduates and trainees who are just starting out in their careers as plant scientists. A big thank you to everyone who participated in this episode; Adam Pigott, Piret May, Ryan P. O'Donnell, Ruby E. Stevens, Melanie O'Donovan, Philippa Alvarez, Yasmin Assar, Justin Collette and Lyndle Hardstaff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out what photosynthesis has to do with economics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices