How Did Plants Evolve?: Crash Course Botany #6

“You shouldn’t make decisions when you’re hungry.” Tell that to the cell that ate a bacterium 1.5 billion years ago and set in motion the evolution of all plants on Earth. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll explore how plants came to exist, the forces that drive plant evolution, and how we know what Earth’s prehistoric dystopia was like before plants came along.

Chapters:
A World Without Plants 00:00
Plants' Origin Story 1:09
Defining Evolution 3:06
The Five Forces of Evolution 5:15
Studying Plant Evolution 10:01
Plants' Evolutionary History 11:04
Review & Credits 13:54

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Thanks to the following patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
David Fanska, Andrew Woods, Tawny Whaley, Sean Saunders, Katie, DL Singfield, Ken Davidian, Stephen Akuffo, Toni Miles, Steve Segreto, Kyle & Katherine Callahan, Laurel Stevens, Burt Humburg, Aziz Y, Perry Joyce, Scott Harrison, Mark & Susan Billian, Alan Bridgeman, Rachel Creager, Breanna Bosso, Matt Curls, Jennifer Killen, Jon Allen, Sarah & Nathan Catchings, team dorsey, Trevin Beattie, Eric Koslow, Indija-ka Siriwardena, Jason Rostoker, Siobhán, Ken Penttinen, Nathan Taylor, Les Aker, William McGraw, ClareG, Rizwan Kassim, Constance Urist, Alex Hackman, Pineapples of Solidarity, Katie Dean, Stephen McCandless, Wai Jack Sin, Ian Dundore, Mark, Caleb Weeks.
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Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?

[crashcourse]

The answer to the extra credit question is… a tomatillo! What ingredients would you add to make the perfect salsa verde?

[marcusmisherky]

I love how Alexis is always giddy and excited to talk about plants😅🥰🥰keep slayin bestie🌺

[Aquanios]

I adore Alexis and all of the other hosts PBS has for their crash courses! Much love to Uncle Hank and John 💕

[BrandonPhilips]

My 6yo loves this series and so do I. Thank you for creating such an entertaining and useful program!

[tripendicular]

This host is AMAZING. I’ve learned so much. She’s funny and witty too. ❤

[skunkyraccoon]

I love these videos!! Also the butterfly clip Alexis is wearing is amazing I love how moves! It flutters!! I was kind of having a not great time today, but this made me feel much better!!

[Tomagotchiify]

I’m so happy that we got botany crash course! now i can show my friends how to grow

[akipolies]

I wish Hank and John were my uncles. That'd be a cool family to be in

[pvtpaink]

"Some times they mate with themselves instead"

I can make my own FLOWERS!!
shove my roots though the sand
talk to myself for hours
see things you don't understand

[TwistedSoul]

Perfect timing!!

I was thinking about this the other day!

I was thinking that plants must have looked very different before they evolved to produce chlorophyll in abundance, or colours to attract insects to help with pollination.

Can’t wait to watch!

[BearsThatCare]

So how did the first organism with a chloroplast inside of it pass down this ability? I get how the first chloroplast came to be but not how it became a part of the other being's evolution. I'm a recent environmental science grad and I never understood this part.

[wezul]

"And by family, we mean Kingdom" - Yall are my kind of people and I appreciate this line so much.

[NinaDmytraczenko]

Honestly jealous of plants, I want an infinite snack too :(

[TheNadOby]

Really like this course. Nod to Hank and John was neat.

[grizzerotwofour]

I couldn't stop staring at her butterfly hairclip. I now know what cats feel like

[marwald]

This girl makes science so interesting. Thank you. Keep going ❤

[barbarajeanne]

I always enjoy your classes! ❤thank you

[benjaminb]

I was just wondering how plants evolved yesterday. Y’all read my mind!!

[MrKevb]

Do they evolve at roughly at the same speed as animals or faster? Also, there is "selective breeding" which is how we turned grass into corn. That was done purposely by humans.

[wmiu]

Alexis, I love you! I'm enlightened and enchanted by your wit and charm in only five minutes of watching your video! Thank you for making it so clear and funny!!! Wish me good luck for my exam today 😂