/oss/taxonomy/term/1612/all en /oss/article/did-you-know/magic-mistletoe <p>There's been a mystique around mistletoe since ancient times, probably on account of the curious way it grows. The plant is a “hemiparasite,” meaning that it can either grow in soil, or, more commonly, it can spring from the branch of a tree. How did "kissing under the mistletoe" become a thing? People probably stood under the branch in awe, admiring the pretty flowers, giving others an opportunity to take a little liberty with their smooches.</p> Thu, 20 Dec 2018 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7501 at /oss /oss/article/health-quackery/profiting-nature <p>When you walk through the gates of the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, you enter a living pharmacy.  But instead of finding shelves with bottles, you’ll find beds of plants with intriguing signs like “Cardiology,” “Parasitology” or “Anesthesiology.”  Inscriptions identify the species from which medications such as digitalis (heart disease), quinine (malaria) or colchicine (gout) are derived.  This amazing garden was founded in 1673 with the purpose of training apothecary apprentices in identifying plants.  Indeed, back then, botanicals were the main source of drugs, and an apothecary had t</p> Tue, 05 Jun 2018 16:52:11 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7126 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/there-scientific-explanation-behind-moses-and-burning-bush <p><span>Suggestions have been made that the Dictamnus albus plant, found throughout northern Africa is a candidate for the burning bush. In the summer, the plant, also known as the “gas plant,” exudes a variety of volatile oils that can catch fire readily and may give the impression that the bush is burning. So was Moses witnessing the combustion of a mix of terpenes, flavonoids, coumarins and phenylpropanoids? An interesting hypothesis about the burning bush, but one that can be readily doused.</span></p> Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:21:28 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6978 at /oss /oss/article/biology-environment/there-aint-no-cure-summertime-buzz <p>There’s a buzz in the air these days, a loud one. I’m sure you’ve heard it but it could have easily been mistaken for a malfunctioning drone plane stuck in the trees. The sounds of summer are slowly becoming dominated by the mating songs of male Cicadas, as their relatively long lives culminate in a grand finale. And it sure is noisy.</p> Sun, 14 Aug 2016 06:55:45 +0000 Adam Oliver Brown PhD 2351 at /oss