60-second Science

Going outside has many benefits, from positively affecting our nervous system to diversifying our microbiome. But you don’t need a forest preserve to benefit from nature—sometimes even a houseplant or the smell of lavender can improve our life. Kathy Willis, a professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford, joins host Rachel Feltman to discuss her new book Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants Is Good for Our Health. Willis suggests ways for even city dwellers to reap the benefits of nature, such as strolling through urban parks or keeping plants in their office. Read Willis’s book: Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants Is Good for Our Health (Pegasus Books, 2024) Listen to our previous episodes about plants: Do Plants ‘Think’? We Might Not Know Enough about Consciousness to Be Certain How to Grow Your Houseplant Collection Ethically  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Dis