A newly developed "plant tree of life" may help scientists crack an "abominable mystery" declared by Charles Darwin. Flowering plants first evolved over 140 million years ago.

Almost every plant we eat has a flower, and flowering plants populate every corner of the planet. But many questions remain about how and when this vast group emerged throughout the history of ...

In 2024, new studies have exposed additional layers of this story, showing, for example, that along with bacteria and eukaryotic cells, archaea also exchange vesicle-bound RNA, which confirms that the ...

A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 17, 2024, Section D, Page 3 of the New York edition with the headline: A ‘Second Tree of Life’ Could Wreak Havoc.

To do the most good for the most things, and support the most life, plant an oak tree, according to research from University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy.