DEVELOPING: Plants Unleash Secret Heat Signal to Lure Pollinators

Breaking News: Plants Unleash Secret Heat Signal to Lure Pollinators Researchers have discovered that ancient plants produce heat to attract pollinators, a phenomenon previously unknown in the plant kingdom. According to a new study published in the journal Science, these heat-producing plants, called cycads, have been using this strategy for millions of years. Cycads, found in tropical forests worldwide, produce heat when they have pollen ready for pollination. This heat signal is visible to nocturnal insects such as beetles, which can home in on the target. The study suggests that this heat-producing mechanism was used by some of the earliest plants to attract pollinators, long before the evolution of brightly colored flowers. Cycads are one of the most endangered plant groups, and their unique heat-producing ability may hold the key to understanding their survival strategies. The study's findings could also have implications for the development of new pollination techniques in agriculture. This is a developing story, and further research is needed to fully understand the significance of this discovery. Scientists will continue to study the heat-producing mechanism of cycads and its potential applications.