According to journalist Zoë Schlanger, your garden isn’t just full of plants that are alive, but plants that can think—like the rice plant, which recognizes its own family members. Schlanger takes us inside a hotbed of scientific controversy: the study of plant intelligence. Plus, the Washington Post’s Joe Yonan masters the art of plant-based cooking; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette help us wrap our heads around food words; and we make a Greek White Bean Soup. (Originally aired November 1, 2024.)

Questions in this episode:

"I love Spanish tortilla, but it never turns out right when I make it at home. Do you have any advice?"

"How do I make perfectly cooked green beans that don’t squeak?"

"What are your favorite go-to vegetarian meals?"