Author: Chris Martine

Video: How to save a species from going EXTINCT | Plants are Cool, Too!

Another amazing episode of the video series Plants are Cool, Too! is out, and this time Chris Martine goes to Hawaii. Highlighting one of the coolest and most…

Video: Off-road Enthusiasts and Coal Land Forest Restoration | Plants are Cool, Too!

Conservation takes partnership. Many off-roaders think conservationists are all “tree-huggers”… and many conservationists think off-roaders are all “tree-killers.” But somewhere in between there is a sweet spot where…

Video: Rappelling Scientists Find Rare Species Hiding for 100+ Years | Plants Are Cool, Too!

A team of biologists drops off a cliff to learn more about one rare plant, but ends up discovering something completely unexpected with the help of science Twitter….

Video: Allegheny Ice and the Blue False Indigo | Plants are Cool, Too!

Key concept: Even plants we use in gardens can be rare in nature – and student Cheyenne Moore is doing her best to help protect one of the…

Video: Rare plant biodiversity protection at the National Tropical Botanical Garden | Plants Are Cool, Too

Behind-the-scenes view of the plant conservation pipeline at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua’i, where plant people are working every day to protect the plants of Hawai’i…

Video: Hunting for New Species in the Chihuahuan Desert (15:00), by Chris Martine

Key concepts: 1) New species are continuing to evolve right before our eyes, and 2) Scientists often work across international borders. What do you get when a team…

Video: Restoring Forests on Old Coal Mines (10:00), by Chris Martine

  Key concept: How one coal region community is inspiring recreational vehicle users to help restore forests on lands devastated by mining. Many off-roaders think conservationists are all…

Video: Carnivorous Pitcher Plants (13:16), by Chris Martine

Key concept: How pitcher plants lure, trap, and digest insect prey… with the help of millions of mystery microbes. Guest expert for this episode of “Plants are Cool,…

Video: Hawkmoth Pollination in the Desert (14:43), by Chris Martine

Key concept: Isolated populations of desert wildflowers are kept connected thanks to moths that might carry pollen as much as 18 miles per night. Dr. Krissa Skogen (Chicago…

Video: Skunk Cabbage is Smelly… and Important (8:37), by Chris Martine

Smelling like a dead animal (or a zombie) and having thermogenesis works out well for the plant known as skunk cabbage; and having this plant around works out…

Video: Fossilized Forests (14:59), by Chris Martine

Key concept: Most plant fossils are impressions, but the ones in  Clarkia, Idaho are actual leaves encased in rock for the last 15 millions years… and we might…

Video: Can a Fence Help Solve Hawaii’s Biodiversity Crisis? (7:22), by Chris Martine

Key concept: The first predator-proof management fence installed in the US is helping to prevent species extinction in Hawaii. Dr. Marian Chau and Kim Shay are the guest…

Video: The Last Real Forest in New York (7:04), by Chris Martine

  Key concept: The largest cities on the planet are home to millions of humans, but there is still plenty of nature to discover and appreciate in these…

Video: Extreme Weeds of Parking Lots (8:21), by Chris Martine

  Key concept: Plants that survive in parking lots might be considered “weeds,” but they are also really great examples of extremophiles – organisms that survive, thrive, and…