How Pollen Works

In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating world of pollen, exploring how these tiny grains are essentially plant sperm that have been helping create the next generation of plants for hundreds of millions of years. They break down the difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms, explain the intricate mechanisms plants use for both self-pollination and cross-pollination, and discuss how flowers have evolved amazing adaptations to attract specific pollinators like bees, birds, and even beetles that love the smell of rotting flesh. The hosts also touch on modern complications like GMO crop contamination and wrap up with listener mail correcting their previous mix-up between two very different drugs.