How Flowers Made Our World with Dr. David George Haskell | Foodie Pharmacology

About this episode

Dr. Cassandra Quave interviews Dr. David George Haskell about the transformative impact of flowering plants on the planet and human civilization.

Flowers may seem delicate, but they have transformed the planet! In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. David George Haskell, author of the new book How Flowers Made Our World, about the revolutionary rise of flowering plants. They discuss how grasses helped shape human evolution as “grass apes,” why orchids rely on intimate fungal partnerships, and how floral chemistry communicates with pollinators through scent and even electrical fields! From the endosperm that feeds much of humanity to the cultural and aesthetic power of flowers, this conversation examines how flowering plants engineered ecosystems, nourished civilizations, and continue to shape our future. How Flowers Made our World: The Story of Nature’s Revolutionaries is available for pre-order now! Learn more at https://dghaskell.com/

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Cassandra Quave

Guest: Dr. David George Haskell

Topics covered

• flowering plants
• ecosystems
• human evolution
• pollination
• cultural significance of flowers

Keywords

• flowers
• ecosystems
• pollinators
• orchids
• grass apes
• floral chemistry
• human evolution

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Co-Conspiracy Entertainment, dghaskell.com

Books & works: How Flowers Made Our World

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