Plants don’t just grow, they build. From towering trees to delicate flowers, complex plant shapes are sculpted with remarkable precision. Now a study by biologists and biophysicists at Université de Montréal reveals how plants build their organs in three dimensions.

Anthers—the male reproductive organs of flowers—are crucial structures responsible for producing and releasing pollen and play a key role in fertilization, a process necessary for fruit and seed production, the scientists say in their paper, published last week in Nature Plants.

It’s the first time that scientists have successfully reverse-engineered the physical properties of cells located deep within a plant organ based on experimental data.

With increased awareness about food sources and their environmental impacts, replacing animal-derived products in food and drugs is a significant research area. One common—but often overlooked—animal protein is gelatin, found everywhere from candy to plastic-free packaging.

In Physics of Fluids, researchers from the University of Ottawa present gum tragacanth as a plant-based alternative to gelatin for creating edible films.

“Gelatin has unique properties and its use is versatile,” said author Ezgi Pulatsu. “To fully replace gelatin, we must replicate its microstructure and understand its function in different applications.”

Serratia marcescens, a pathogen with an uncanny resemblance to blood, has had an outsized influence on modern science.