Nature — Page 8

Some bamboo species can grow almost a metre in a single day.

This extremely rapid growth is due to a unique cell expansion system that allows the plant to reach its maximum…

Young sunflowers track the sun during the day, but stop when the flower matures.

Heliotropism occurs due to asymmetric stem growth driven by hormones, but when the flower reaches maturity and…

Giant sequoias are highly resistant to fire.

Their thick, fibrous bark contains no flammable resin, which acts as a natural thermal insulator that protects the…

Rainwater contains small amounts of vitamin B12.

Bacteria present in the atmosphere and soil produce this vitamin, which is then swept into clouds and falls with…

A lightning bolt can strike the same tree multiple times.

Tall, isolated trees act as natural lightning rods. Oak and pine trees, due to their height and water content, are…

Fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants.

DNA analysis shows that fungi share a more recent common ancestor with animals, breathing oxygen and releasing carbon…

A single summer cloud can weigh over half a million kilograms.

Despite appearing light and fluffy, an average cumulus cloud contains enough water to weigh about five hundred…

Sand from the Sahara Desert fertilises the Amazon Rainforest.

Every year, strong winds carry millions of tons of phosphorus-rich dust across the Atlantic Ocean, depositing…

The largest living organism in the world is a fungus in Oregon.

The Armillaria ostoyae covers almost ten square kilometres of underground forest and is thousands of years old…

The characteristic smell of rain is caused by a soil bacteria.

Bacteria of the genus Streptomyces produce a chemical compound called geosmin. When raindrops hit dry soil, they…

There are beaches in Hawaii where the sand is naturally green.

The sand at Papakolea Beach owes its unusual colour to the high concentration of olivine, a dense green mineral from…

Some bamboo species flower only once every hundred years and then die.

This phenomenon, called gregarious flowering, occurs simultaneously in plants of the same species worldwide…

There is a mushroom that glows in the dark to attract insects.

The bioluminescence of the "ghost green" mushroom attracts nocturnal insects that, when landing on it, pick up the…

Trees can recognise their "children" and send them more nutrients.

Through the underground fungal network, mother trees identify the roots of their own offspring and redirect more…

The rhinoceros horn is made of the same protein as human hair.

Unlike the horns of other animals that have a bony core, the rhinoceros horn is composed entirely of compacted…

The smell of cut grass is actually a chemical distress signal from the plant.

When grass is damaged by a mower, it releases organic compounds called green leaf volatiles to warn neighbouring…

Marine phytoplankton produces over fifty percent of Earth's oxygen.

These microscopic microorganisms float in the oceans and perform photosynthesis, generating more oxygen for the…

A single mature oak tree can drop ten thousand acorns in a single year.

During so-called mast years, oaks produce an overwhelming amount of acorns to ensure that, even after being eaten by…

There is a lake in Australia that is naturally bright pink.

Lake Hillier owes its unusual colour to the presence of a microalgae called Dunaliella salina, which produces a red…

Trees can hear water and grow towards it.

Studies show that the roots of certain plants can detect the sound vibrations of flowing water and actively grow…

The corpse flower smells like rotting meat to attract flies.

This giant plant from Indonesia heats its central spike to volatilise sulphur compounds, mimicking the smell of a…

There is a fungus that mind-controls ants and forces them to climb plants.

The Ophiocordyceps fungus infects the ant's nervous system, forcing it to climb to an ideal height. There, it kills…

The baobab tree can store up to 120,000 liters of water in its trunk.

The spongy wood of this African tree's trunk absorbs and retains water during the rainy season. This giant reserve…

Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on the entire planet.

Some species of bamboo can grow up to 91 centimeters in a single day. This means you can actually see it growing with…