Botany (Crash Course)

Plants have got you surrounded. They’re in your toothpaste, your bedsheets, and your regular Taco Bell order. In Part 1 we’ll find out what botanists study and how knowledge of plants can help you navigate everyday life. Along the way, we’ll uncover plants’ pervasive, civilization-shaping power—and find that they have their own ways of communicating.

PART 1 CHAPTERS

Introduction: The World of Plant Drama 00:00
What Is Botany? 1:46
Plants Are Everywhere 3:39
Agriculture 5:32
Botanical Literacy 6:58
Plant Awareness Disparity 9:48
Review & Credits 12:17

Part 1 - What is Botany?

When you eat a salad for lunch, you’re digging into a giant pile of plant organs. That’s right - plants are made up of organs, only theirs follow a totally different set of rules from our own. In Part 2 we’ll explore what it takes to build a plant, including roots, leaves, and stems, and how one little tomato went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

PART 2 CHAPTERS