Sunflowers: The Symbolism Behind Ukraine's National Flower Explained
After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the world started seeing a lot more sunflowers. Here's the symbolism behind Ukraine's national flower explained.
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The History Of Washington D.C.'s Famous Cherry Trees Explained
Thousands of cherry blossom trees donated by the Japanese were planted in Washington, D.C., in 1912.
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Extinct Plants That Would Wreck The Earth If They Were Alive Today
The true rulers of Earth are not humans but plants. And some plant ancestors were involved in Earth's mass extinctions. Imagine if some were around today.
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Which Orange Came First: The Color Or The Fruit?
The English language has a knack for using the same word to describe different things. The word orange is a perfect example. Did the fruit or color come first?
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The Truth About The Supreme Court Case That Declared Tomatoes Vegetables
To-may-to, to-mah-to -- however you say it (or slice it), it's still delicious, full of nutritional benefits. Fruit or vegetable? Does it matter? Legally, yes.
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The History Of Animal-To-Human Organ Transplants Explained
When did people start trying to patch up their bodies with the body parts of animals? This is the history of animal-to-human organ transplants explained.
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The Fruits Of The Holy Spirit Explained
For millennia, Christians have deemed the existence of the Holy Spirit, and its presence in the life of the believer, as a key point of Christian dogma.
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The Real Reason We Put Ornaments On The Christmas Tree
Some credit Martin Luther with Christmas tree ornamentation. Others date it back to ancient Egypt, or Rome. Whatever the roots, it's a widespread custom today.
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George Washington's Favorite Fruit Might Surprise You
None other than the Father Of Our Country, George Washington, was a fan of a native North American fruit. So what exactly was it?
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Why Easter Island Has No Trees
The island has a modest and largely Polynesian population, but it's best known for some of its other residents: the iconic and mysterious Easter Island heads.
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Why Some Scientists Predict The Sun Might Turn On Earth's Plants
Plants need sunlight, but as with most things in life, there can be too much of a good thing.
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Deadliest Plants In The World
Some plants are delicious, but others will kill you if you eat them, some don't like being touched, and there's one tree that doesn't even like being looked at.
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The Truth About The Deadliest Flower In The World
When it comes to poisonous flowers, you may be inclined to think that the deadliest specimens come from exotic tropical locales, but you'd be wrong.
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Plants That Are Near Extinction
Today, plants are also going extinct at an alarming rate. Let's talk about a handful of the plant species that are facing extinction — you might be surprised.
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The Bizarre Truth About Corpse Flowers
Specimens of corpse flowers exist all over the world. What are they all about, anyway?
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How This Charming Fruit Bat Is Easing Into Retirement
This charming fruit bat is not the oldest living bat, but he is close. Now, he's enjoying retirement at a sanctuary in Texas.
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The Untold Truth Of The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The lighting of the Christmas tree in New York City's Rockefeller Center has been a holiday tradition since 1933, but the origins of the tree itself go back two years earlier. In 1931, with the country in the grips of the Great Depression, Center employees decided to spread a little holiday cheer.
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Why Do We Eat Fruitcake At Christmas?
As the domestic goddess (and apparent fruitcake lover) herself, Martha Stewart, explained on her website, it's a sinfully rich dessert filled with dried fruits and nuts. The fruits have to be soaked in a sugar syrup before being dropped into the batter. Fruitcakes are typically very dense cakes.
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This Is The Oldest Bonsai Tree In The World
Age is a virtue when it comes to bonsai trees.
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What You Didn't Know About Bonsai Trees
Bonsais are not a type of tree. It's an art form traditionally practiced in Japan and influenced by Buddhism.
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Whatever Happened To The Wallflowers?
Throughout the later 90s, it seemed The Wallflowers and frontman Jakob Dylan were everywhere, after bursting onto the scene in the with songs "One Headlight". If you ask some people, they'd say the band was a one-hit-wonder. But The Wallflowers are still alive and kicking -- even touring.
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This Is The Most Expensive Flower In The World
There are lots of nominees for "most expensive flower," and the ground shifts considerably in terms of when the petals are being estimated.
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The Reason Wasabi Is One Of The Hardest Plants To Grow
In the wild, wasabi grows exclusively on the rocky banks of cold, freshwater rivers. The plants are as finicky as pandas: the water has a temperature range of only about 9 degrees; sun is important, but not too much sun.
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Plants Use 'An Internet Of Fungus' To Communicate
Sadly, you won't find many real-world examples of giant Venus fly traps snacking on demented dentists and convincing Rick Moranis to keep quiet about it.
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Why The World's Largest Flower Smells Like Rotting Corpses
Who knows why you're hellbent on nabbing the world's biggest flower? Maybe you need to apologize to your significant other for making the world's biggest mistake. But here it is. Meet Rafflesia arnoldii, heavyweight champion of the world of flowers.
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Do Plants Have Genders?
Is there really such a thing as boy plants and girl plants? Do plants have genders? There actually isn't one answer to that question.
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Do Plants Poop?
The classic book Everyone Poops is a perfect example of truth in advertising. The cover even shows "everyone:" a rosy-cheeked child, a horse's butt, a bird, and...an apple with a bite taken out of it? What? Do apples poop after being bitten? The bigger question, perhaps, is this: do plants poop?
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