Science communication is a lot like story telling. In this episode of Branch Out, hear from Laura Skates, Renee Cawthorne and Dr Karl about the importance of talking on behalf of plants. 

Branch Out

Talking About Plants

Extreme plants call for extreme botany. This week on Branch Out, we’re exploring the dangerous world of cliff faces, low rainfall and challenging temperatures. We chat to horticulturalist Madeline Arnott-Bryce about succulents, and Dr Russell Barrett about plants that grow in the Kimberley region in WA.

Extreme Botany

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. 

Tree Change

The theme for NAIDOC week this year is Heal Country. But what does it mean?On this episode of Branch Out, we chat to Clarence Slockee, from Gardening Australia.Clarence is a proud Bundjalung man, with a deep connection to the land and sea. His career has spanned performing, education, television and landscaping - just to name a few.He talks us through his relationship with the environment, and what Heal Country means to him.Find out more about NAIDOC week on the NAIDOC week website, naidoc.org.auAnd, you can find our NAIDOC week resources on the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney's website. 

Heal Country

This week we’ve got some special guests on Branch Out – students, recent graduates and trainees who are just starting out in their careers as plant scientists. Rose Kerr chats to them about how they got started, and where they see plant science being needed in the future.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.

Starting in Science

Our new host, Rose Kerr, sits down with Andrea Westerband, a field ecophysiologist, to find out what photosynthesis has to do with economics.Plants have to be careful where they “spend” water and nutrients during photosynthesis. Scientists like Andrea are trying to find out why and when they do this, in order to understand how plants will react to changes in climate. Even more curiously, some clues are hidden in the soil!This episode was recorded in collaboration with Pint of Science Australia, which runs from May 17th to May 28th, showcasing science through podcasts, events, talks, games and more. Check out their website for more information.

The Plant World Economy

You are invited to join us for the global launch of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science. It's on the 25th of March at 7pm (AEST) and you can tune in here.Looking for some fresh plant science while you wait for new episodes of Branch Out? Watch our exciting new video series, What the Flora!? here.Branch Out will be returning in 2021 with new episodes to be released in the coming months. 

Introducing the Australian Institute of Botanical Science

Prepare to blush as we explore the unusual, ingenious and sometimes even deceptive ways plants are gettin' it on for the survival of their species. Plant sex is real, it’s happening all around us and it’s not just up to the birds and the bees. Our flowering flora have honed a whole range of different reproduction processes over hundreds of millions of years to pass on their genes - and some of them, are just down right amazing. In this slightly raunchy episode of Branch Out you'll also hear about the incredible scientific efforts to make sure some of our most endangered plants, like orchids, can keep gettin' it on. 

Let's talk about plant sex

Plants have developed an array of deadly defences and chemical compounds can turn an innocent looking ornamental into a deadly assassin. Different toxins affect different parts of our body too, causing everything from kidney failure, heart failure, brain damage and even death. It's why humans have used poisonous plants in weapons to kill prey and even commit murder. But most of the time, our run in with poisonous plants is a mistake with thousands of accidental poisoning illnesses and deaths each year all around the world because it's often very hard to tell the difference between something that’s poisonous, and something that’s not.

Poisonous plants

When we hear 'pandemic' we immediately think of COVID-19. But there's a deadly plant disease pandemic called 'myrtle rust' tearing through Australia that arrived long before COVID-19. It's spreading fast and attacking plants in the Myrtaceae family such as our iconic eucalypts. In this episode you'll discover the cutting-edge science that is our best bet for saving our species. It's the same science that will could save us from COVID-19 - DNA research.

Battling a plant disease pandemic

We're in the middle of once-in-a-century pandemic and coming into peak flu-season in the southern hemisphere. Medicine is on our minds and surprisingly, many developed in the last century were derived from naturally occurring molecules found in plants, bacteria, and fungi. In this episode you'll discover some of mother nature's miracles, the latest in cutting-edge medicinal cannabis research and traditional Chinese herbal medicine - treating everything from dementia to endometriosis. You'll also learn how to grow a couple of plants at home that can help relieve cold and flu symptoms.

Plants that heal

Australia is a no doubt a sunburnt country and the unique landscape shares a long and important relationship with fire. But even the most fire-adapted plants were devastated by the intense summer bushfires. While new growth is emerging and cutting-edge science is saving species - there's still a long road to recovery for the flora that went up in flames.

Bushfire impacts, recovery & outlook

Did you know aspirin was derived from salicin found in the bark of several varieties of Willow tree? Plants are the source of so many amazing past and new inventions we need in our lives. In this episode you'll discover how scientists are utilising the waste material from banana plants to create biodegradable food packaging to combat the plastic pollution problem. You'll also learn how researchers are potentially turning cashew nut shells into more environmentally friendly sunscreen. 

Amazing plant-based inventions

Even though Australia is new to the wine-making world stage it has produced really iconic drops and inventions such as cask wine and screw caps for bottles. But how did grape vines get here? Discover the art, history and science of wine-making and how it all started down under. 

No Plants No Wine

Australian plants have been used by Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years and now people all over the world are finding a connection to country through cooking with bush foods. Unfortunately, some of these plants are endangered and scientists are collecting and banking seeds to protect their future both on our forks and in the wild.

Banking our bush foods

Discover the surprising world of plants with science and stories from Australia's oldest scientific institution. Branch Out is your backstage pass into labs, Botanic Gardens, the Australian bush and the minds of experts who are protecting the future of plants.

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Branch Out

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