You might assume that a leaf's vein patterns fork, like tree branches splitting into twigs as they get further from the trunk. But peer carefully and you'll see that the veins make innumerable closed ...

Vein density reflects how much energy and resources the leaf has invested in the network, while distance between veins shows how well the veins are supplying resources to the leaf. The number of loops ...

A straight line may be the shortest path from A to B, but it's not always the most reliable or efficient way to go. In fact, depending on what's traveling where, the best route may run in circles, ...