If you have a vegetable or flower garden, you’re probably well aware of the common diseases that such plants are susceptible to: tomato blights, for example, or rose rust. Plants, like animals, must defend themselves against diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi, collectively called pathogens.

Groundhogs' pesky habits often overshadow the benefits they provide to both the ecosystem and humans—even farmers and gardeners. In celebration of Groundhog Day, let’s explore the ways in which groundhogs help make our world a better place.

Did you know that some rhododendrons can act as a living thermometer, showing you just how cold it is by the curl of their leaves? Learn about the science behind this interesting phenomenon, called thermonasty.

Why do some trees, like beeches and oaks, hold on to their leaves well past the time that others have dropped all of theirs?