3min chapter

Unexpected Elements cover image

Hayfever, paleobotany and snot palaces

Unexpected Elements

CHAPTER

The Battle of Humans vs. Plants

Costa Ricans get a lot of allergies but they do not get hay fever. A pollen grain is actually more like a kind of escape pod. Some plants have large sponges like balloons to help them get picked up on a breeze. Others like it bigger and stickier so they can hitch a ride on the sides of insects or bats and hummingbirds. Basically we're getting in the way of plant sex. Get it out of my head.

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