Bioengineered Terrors: Killer Plants in Modern Fiction

The video explores the theme of dangerous flora in narratives, highlighting anxieties about bioengineering and the evolution of killer plant stories in pop culture. It discusses the unique biological systems of plants and how their otherness can heighten terror in horror and science fiction. The video concludes by reflecting on the quiet threat posed by plants in our everyday lives.

Which 19th-century premise involved a botanist accidentally creating a monster?

• A botanist proving plants can talk

• A botanist proving human life evolved from plants

• A botanist creating a plant-based medicine

• A botanist discovering a new plant species

What inspired the creation of Super Mario's Piranha plants?

• A fictional plant species

• Hydranora africana, a real-life invasive plant

• A popular science fiction novel

• A mythological creature

How have killer plant narratives changed in the 21st century?

• They have become more varied in appearance and origin

• They have become less varied in appearance

• They have focused solely on alien spores

• They have been limited to video games

What is a common theme in the portrayal of plants in horror narratives?

• Plants are always friendly and helpful

• Plants are depicted as harmless and passive

• Plants are transformed into something frightening

• Plants are shown as intelligent beings

Why is it challenging to draw similarities between flora and fauna?

• Because plants are less diverse

• Because plants are more colorful

• Because plants make their own food and breathe differently

• Because plants are more intelligent