iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Haller's pasqueflower (Pulsatilla halleri ssp. slavica) from the buttercup family is currently in full bloom in our alpine garden.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

The spikemoss Selaginella picta with sporophylls and striking white upper leaves.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

They were already visible at the beginning of January, but only now are they in full bloom: winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) from the buttercup family are currently flowering en masse and are being visited by all kinds of pollinators.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Everyone starts small, even the Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus)!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

In Gnetum gnemon, pollen is absorbed via a pollination drop that is secreted at the micropyle. This acts as a physical-chemical medium for pollen fixation and supports successful fertilization.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

The superhydrophobic leaves of the algae fern Azolla caroliniana, which floats freely on water, are hollow and inhabited by symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

A jar full of flowering Utricularia subulata. This carnivorous plant has underground suction traps.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Nothing beats classical histology! Photo by Arroj Sajjad

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Venus Flytrap cake, fresh from the lab meeting :) Thank you @aroojsajjad.bsky.social

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SEBiology @sebiology.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Abstract submissions for #SEBconference Florence 2026 are officially open! 🎉 Deadline: 6 March 2026. Submit today and be part of cutting-edge biology in Florence. More information www.sebiology.org/resource/seb-conference-florence-2026-abstract-submission-is-now-open.html

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Ralf Reski @reskilab.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Peat moss Sphagnum medium in a bioreactor #MossMonday #BlueSkyMossFotos #Sphagnum

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

The seed pods of snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) could also have come straight out of a pirate movie...

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Prakash Lab at Stanford @prakashlab.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

(1/n) What if you never had to make your bed? What if your laundry could fold itself? Folding is everywhere around us - but did you know that folding flat sheets are at the ❤️ of diversity of shapes in the animal world - since 500 million years ago. Our latest work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nudC...

youtube.com

Self-folding laundry

YouTube video by PrakashLab

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

The plant community of the year 2026 is the feather grass steppe. This is known to occur in the dune areas around Darmstadt and has already been targeted several times on our “Friends' excursions.” A near-natural dune can also be found in our botanical garden. www.nul-online.de/aktuelles/ne...

nul-online.de

Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2026 ist die Federgras-Steppe

Die Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2026 ist die Federgras-Steppe. Sie ist in Deutschland auf Trocken- und Wärmegebiete beschränkt, wo sie auf nährstoffarmen Böden in südlicher Lage wächst. Mit der...

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TU Darmstadt @tuda.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

🏆 Engagiert, reflektiert, praxisnah – Athene-Preise 2025 verliehen! Gestern wurden im Anschluss an den „Tag der Lehre“ an der TU Darmstadt die Athene‑Preise für gute Lehre gemeinsam mit der Carlo und Karin Giersch Stiftung verliehen wurden – mit insgesamt 46.000 Euro dotiert.

tu-darmstadt.de

Engagiert, reflektiert, praxisnah: Athene-Preise verliehen

An der TU Darmstadt sind am gestrigen Mittwoch (19.) die „Athene-Preise für gute Lehre“ verliehen worden. Seit 2010 würdigt die Carlo und Karin Giersch-Stiftung mit der Auszeichnung das besondere Enga...

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Liz Haswell @ehaswell.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

I started to work on MscS-Like proteins 20 years ago, dreaming that they were involved in plant mechanotransduction. And it is becoming more & more clear that they are! #plantscience 🧪 "DmMSL10 is crucial for mechanosensing, facilitating AP firing by generating a receptor potential (RP) amplitude."

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 01/10/2025

🌿 The Venus flytrap’s secret touch sensor A new study reveals that the protein MSL10 acts as a highly sensitive mechanosensor in the Venus flytrap. It enables the plant to detect touch, fire electrical signals, and snap shut on its prey. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #SciComm #Plants 🧪

nature.com

MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap - Nature Communications

The Venus flytrap, a carnivorous plant, catches prey by sensing touch. Here, the authors show that DmMSL10 functions as a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in sensory hairs, initiating long-range calcium and electrical signals required for trap closure.

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The Global Plant Council @globalplantgpc.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

How do plants recover after drought? buff.ly/UG9TXGG via @salkinstitute #PlantScience #Science #Plants #drought #water

Image: Cross-section of Arabidopsis leaf under drought conditions (top) and after 15 minutes of rehydration (bottom). Each color (blue, pink, green) represents a different recovery-induced gene being expressed. Credit: Salk Institute

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Press release from TU Darmstadt @tuda.bsky.social on the exciting discovery of the Great capricorn beetle (Cerambyx cerdo) in the botanical garden: www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet...

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arielcamp.bsky.social @arielcamp.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Peter Kappel @peterkappel.bsky.social from @poppingalab.bsky.social introduced me to the fascinatingly mobile, three-dimensional jaws of leeches with some clever imaging experiments

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

The Darth Vader plant, Aristolochia salvadorensis!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

Coffee party time with our friend's association: great weather and flowering Aloe ovatifolia - not much left to be desired :)

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Some biology students received a very special, unofficial certificate at this year's graduation ceremony...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Plant identification exerises - every student's dream!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Great talk by our guest Prof. Linnea Hesse from Hamburg University about the functional morphology of plants in 3D and over time. Let's hope we can do even more together in the future! Foto by Arooj Sajjad.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Relaxed interview shooting for a TUDa-related movie in our Botanical Garden. Thanks Arooj @aroojsajjad.bsky.social for your participation!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Maybe someone has a fitting paper in the pipeline? The Journal of Biosciences launches a Special Issue about functional morphology and biomechanics of plants and animals. Guest editors for this issue are Wencke Krings, Simon Poppinga, Thomas Speck, and Stanislav Gorb. www.ias.ac.in/Journals/Jou...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

From June 14-22, the BioBlitz, a participatory campaign for citizens to record the diversity of wild species, will take place in the Botanical Garden of the TU Darmstadt @tuda.bsky.social. There will also be a special day of action on June 14 from 11 a.m. We look forward to beautiful finds!

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TU Darmstadt @tuda.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Wir begrüßen Simon Poppinga @poppingalab.bsky.social als neuen außerplanmäßigen Professor am Fachbereich Biologie. Poppinga forscht zu Biomechanik, Funktionsmorphologie und Biomimetik und leitet seit 2022 den Botanischen Garten der TU Darmstadt. Zum Interview 👉 www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

The TU Darmstadt @tuda.bsky.social Open Campus day was a blast - good weather (mostly) and 6 hrs of non-stop discussing plant science with the public. A huge thanks to the team, @aroojsajjad.bsky.social and Peter Kappel! Photo by Sebastian Hess.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

We will be supporting the TU Darmstadt Open Campus - Tag der Wissen schaf(f)t with an information stand about the Botanic Garden and ongoing research projects, a guided tour of the biodiversity measures on the Campus Lichtwiese, and a children's lecture on carnivorous plants!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Echium wildpretii in front of the Teide volcano, during our botanical excursion to Tenerife. Photo by Kerstin Reifenrath.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

The dead horse arum lily (Helicodiceros muscivorus) temporarily captures its pollinators in so-called kettle traps.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Deherainia smaragdina surprises with green petals and a strong cheesefoot odor...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

In order to promote biodiversity, a new maintenance concept for some areas on the Lichtwiese campus of TU Darmstadt is being implemented as part of a pilot project with the involvement of the Botanic Garden. www.tu-darmstadt.de/nachhaltigke...

tu-darmstadt.de

Schafe auf der Lichtwiese

Das Besondere: In diesem Frühjahr sind 40 Schafe zu Gast an der TU Darmstadt! Um die Biodiversität zu fördern, wird im Rahmen eines Pilotprojekts ein neues Pflegekonzept für einige Flächen auf dem Cam...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Flowering Mibora minima, the smallest grass in the world.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Lots of pollen on the yew (Taxus baccata), during a public guided tour in the Botanical Garden :)

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) in full bloom

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Bulbophyllum lasiochilum has a motile labellum for pollinator interaction.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

In addition to suction, the anterior and posterior suckers of the Mediterranean medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana) can also hold on by grasping, clinging and other effects. The BiPas project in our lab investigates this further! Image from DOI: /10.1098/rsif.2020.0300

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Beautiful orchestration of Jeffrey's pine cone scales during drying. doi.org/10.3390/plan...

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

The flower of Roridula gorgonias, a carnivorous plant with symbiotic bugs that feed on prey caught in glue traps and fertilize the plant with their excrement.

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Our Nepenthes alata x merrilliana captured a big cockroach!

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

The leptosporangium of Adiantum peruvianum shooting its spores, recorded with 50.000 fps

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PoppingaLab @poppingalab.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Selaginella uncinata, the blue spikemoss, has a striking bluish shimmer that supports photosynthesis in shady environments.

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