Plants cover most of the world’s land surface, there are an estimated 400,000 species. Through a process called photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce their own food, as well as releasing oxygen into the air which we need to breathe. Because of this they are vitally important to life on earth. They are also used for food, medicines and even homes for many animals.
General Sherman Tree, in Sequoia National Park: Largest living organism in the world | Image: Wikipedia
In this zone there is a scientist studying the health benefits of natural toxins in vegetables, one who is researching invasive alien plants that bully British plants and one trying to find out how much food to feed farm crops. There is also a scientist teaching bacteria to find and eat sugars from plants, and an archaeologist helping climate change by studying how people used plants 5000 years ago.