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Before yesterdayNPR Topics: Environment

NPR Topics: Environment
Some plants have a genetic superpower that may help them survive a cataclysm 19 May 2026 at 11:00

Some plants have a genetic superpower that may help them survive a cataclysm

NPR Topics: Environment

By: Ari Daniel

19 May 2026 at 11:00

Many plants, including many species of bananas, have more than two sets of chromosomes. This can make the species more resilient to major environmental catastrophe, researchers find.

Get ready for a biology lesson. Certain plants have extra sets of chromosomes. And it turns out, it's a useful trait for a species facing a dramatic event like climate change.

(Image credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket)