The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Professor Hartley reveals how, despite animals' attempts to destroy plants by eating them, plants are winning the war

Plants are low in nutrients and can have formidable defences. Professor Sue Hartley reveals the different ways plant-eating animals have evolved to overcome these problems.

Professor Sue Hartley explains how plants communicate, sending warnings of danger to their neighbours and signalling for animals' help when they are attacked by herbivores

Professor Sue Hartley asks if humans are natural herbivores. How good are we at eating plants and overcoming their defences? And she tackles the hot potato of GM technology.

What goes wrong when herbivores devastate our forests and crops? Why do plant defences fail? Will climate change compromise the abilities of plants to defend themselves?