plants

In Lebanon, the 'Amber Man' digs up golden time capsules from the age of the dinosaurs

6:00am June 28, 2024

by Ari Daniel

When dinosaurs reigned some 130 million years ago, flowering plants were taking over the world. That change is sealed in ancient amber specimens on the slopes of Lebanon that Danny Azar knows so well.

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'It feels like I'm not crazy.' Gardeners aren't surprised as USDA updates key map

12:08pm November 17, 2023

by Julia Simon

The USDA is updating an important map for gardeners and growers picking plants and flowers. The new map shows the contiguous U.S. is about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the last map 11 years ago.

United Auto Workers members attend a solidarity rally as the UAW strikes the Big Three automakers on September 15, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.

UAW has a unique strike strategy. It keeps Detroit Big 3 automakers guessing

4:12pm September 19, 2023

by Andrea Hsu

For the first time, the UAW is on strike against the Big 3 U.S. automakers at once. Workers at three plants have been called out so far, with more to follow Friday if there's no progress on a deal.

Environment

New bill would benefit North Carolina's plant biodiversity

4:08pm April 20, 2022

by David Ford

A new house bill in Washington may bring millions of dollars to North Carolina to protect the state's biodiversity.

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Tobacco plants are being used in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. One is already being tested in humans.

Tobacco Plants Contribute Key Ingredient For COVID-19 Vaccine

5:09pm October 15, 2020

by Joe Palca

Here's irony: tobacco plants may be key in preventing COVID-19. Two companies are using the plants to produce proteins for a vaccine. One candidate vaccine is already in a clinical trial.

Environment

North Carolina Botanist Leads Study Documenting Extinct Plant Species

7:04am September 14, 2020

by Bethany Chafin

A recently published report led

Glass Gem corn is bred specifically for its beauty.

National

Glass Gem Corn: Poster Child For The Return To Heirloom Seeds

7:46pm November 25, 2019

by Melissa Sevigny

An Oklahoma man exploring his Cherokee roots discovered a forgotten variety of corn and revived it with help of heirloom seed savers. The revived Glass Gem corn now has 19,000 Facebook followers.

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Environment

How Climate Change Affects Fall Crops In North Carolina

7:00am November 25, 2019

by Eddie Garcia

When fall arrived this year, it didn't make its entrance with crispy air and cooling temperatures.

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Cherokee Nation Cultural Biologist Feather Smith-Trevino holds an unripe Georgia Candy Roaster Squash at an educational garden in Tahlequah, Okla., where traditional native plants are grown.

National

How A Seed Bank Helps Preserve Cherokee Culture Through Traditional Foods

11:32am April 02, 2019

by Tove Danovich

The seeds are free for any Cherokee, but recipients have been limited because demand is so high. Collecting the seeds has been difficult and emotional, but the program has helped unify the community.

An artist's rendering shows a needle-like carbon nanotube delivering DNA through the wall of a plant cell. It also may be possible to use this method to inject a gene editing tool called CRISPR to alter a plant's characteristics for breeding.

Science

Scientists Thread A Nano-Needle To Modify The Genes Of Plants

11:16am March 11, 2019

by Joe Palca

Getting DNA into plant cells is tricky. Researchers have tried using infectious bacteria, as well as gene guns that shoot gold bullets. Then a physicist came up with a new approach almost by accident.

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