One wintery morning in 2014, somebody stole a tiny and extremely rare waterlily from the collection at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was never seen again, and they were never caught.

James Wong begins his journey into the mysterious world of plants and fungi by looking at the criminal underworld of plant trafficking.

Speaking to Border Force, Kew scientists and advisors, James learns about the little-appreciated fight to protect plants from extinction, exploitation, and smugglers hiding on the web – and how many of us are guilty of ‘plant blindness’.

Subscribe to Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world on your podcast app to get a new episode each fortnight.

And you can share the show or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #KewUnearthed.

Follow @kewgardens for more insights into the magical, mysterious world of plants and fungi.

www.kew.org

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force

One wintery morning in 2014, somebody stole a tiny and extremely rare waterlily from the collection at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was never seen again, and they were never caught.
James Wong begins his journey into the mysterious world of plants and fungi by looking at the criminal underworld of plant trafficking.
Speaking to Border Force, Kew scientists and advisors, James learns about the little-appreciated fight to protect plants from extinction, exploitation, and smugglers hiding on the web &ndash; and how many of us are guilty of &lsquo;plant blindness&rsquo;.
Subscribe to Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world on your podcast app to get a new episode each fortnight.
And you can share the show or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #KewUnearthed.
Follow @kewgardens for more insights into the magical, mysterious world of plants and fungi.
<a href="http://www.kew.org/">www.kew.org</a>
<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force</a>

From the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Unearthed returns — celebrating 25 years of the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, the most biodiverse place on our planet.

Hosted by Cate Blanchett, Kew’s ambassador for Wakehurst, this series explores the story of the world’s largest wild seed bank — a vault and living laboratory where science and conservation meet. From restoring habitats to protecting biodiversity, these seeds hold the promise of our planet’s future.

This is no distant insurance policy. It’s one we’re already relying on — and one that will only grow in importance as our climate changes and biodiversity is lost.

As the Seed Bank marks its 25th anniversary, Cate discovers how its groundbreaking work is already shaping life on Earth — and why its mission has never mattered more.

You can support the vital work of the Millennium Seed Bank by donating here: www.kew.org/seeds

Instagram: @kewgardens

Facebook: @kewgardens

YouTube: @kewgardens

From the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Unearthed returns &mdash; celebrating 25 years of the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, the most biodiverse place on our planet.
Hosted by Cate Blanchett, Kew&rsquo;s ambassador for Wakehurst, this series explores the story of the world&rsquo;s largest wild seed bank &mdash; a vault and living laboratory where science and conservation meet. From restoring habitats to protecting biodiversity, these seeds hold the promise of our planet&rsquo;s future.
This is no distant insurance policy. It&rsquo;s one we&rsquo;re already relying on &mdash; and one that will only grow in importance as our climate changes and biodiversity is lost.
As the Seed Bank marks its 25th anniversary, Cate discovers how its groundbreaking work is already shaping life on Earth &mdash; and why its mission has never mattered more.
You can support the vital work of the Millennium Seed Bank by donating here: <a href="https://www.kew.org/seeds">www.kew.org/seeds</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kewgardens/">@kewgardens</a>
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kewgardens">@kewgardens</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNa8wJk6VYIRK78JuDSRnTQ">@kewgardens</a>

Unearthed - The need for seeds, with Cate Blanchett

Uncovering a multi-million pound smuggling trade

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2e9a850c-e6b9-48c2-afec-a8f8010f70f4/clips/9425dfa6-44d0-4285-9208-ac09010b2463/transcript

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