Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda David Haskell: When the world burst into bloom
Apr 14, 2026
David Haskell, a biologist and author who studies ecology and how flowers shaped life, joins to explore flowering plants' rise and influence. He describes how flowers communicate with sight, scent and electricity. He highlights fruits, grasses, orchids and their roles in ecosystems. He also reflects on close observation, interconnectedness, and how floral life reshaped human evolution.
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Fruits Are Flowers' Seed Insurance
- Fruits are matured ovaries that protect, nourish, and attract dispersers, giving seeds a decisive survival advantage.
- David Haskell explains apples evolved to entice birds and mammals to carry seeds, unlike exposed seeds of pines that are left on their own.
Grass Is A Hidden Flower Powering Humanity
- Grasses are flowering plants whose inconspicuous wind-pollinated flowers and nutrient-dense seeds underlie most human calories.
- Haskell notes wheat, corn, and rice are grass seeds and grasslands shaped human evolution and diet.
Flowers Use Multimodal Conversation Channels
- Flowers communicate using multiple channels: color, scent, and even electric fields that insects detect.
- Haskell cites magnolias visible from 100 meters, roses producing hundreds of scent chemicals, and unique electrical fields sensed by bee hairs.
