Flower to Fork: Plant Research for Tomorrow's Food
It’s easy to forget that everything we eat starts with a plant…but how much do we really know about plant life?
Take a deep dive into fundamental plant science with the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University at the Science Museum Lates on Wednesday 11 February, which is focused on the Future of Foods.
Find out how our scientists are uncovering the rules governing how plants grow and develop using new genetic, imaging and computer modelling tools to break the ‘plant code’ and pave the way for sustainable food of the future.
Event:Science Museum Lates (Theme: Future of Foods)
Date: Wednesday 11 February 2026
Time: From 6.45pm
Location:Science Museum, South Kensington, London (South Kensington Tube Station)
Sainsbury Lab Stand Location: Level 2 (Flower to Fork)
Every bite begins with a flower
The Future of Food starts with plants. Pretty much everything we eat originally came from a plant. Every bite of food or sip of beer/wine you enjoy tonight is the result of a sexual revolution that occurred 140 million years ago. A single, prehistoric bloom ignited a botanical explosion resulting in more than 350,000 species of flowering plants (angiosperms) and the common ancestor to every fruit, grain and vegetable on your plate.
Flower morphology is intricately tied to yield and so if we want to improve our food we need to understand the flower. Despite this staggering diversity, humanity is hooked on just three specific flowers for an estimated ~50% of our calories – rice, corn and wheat. We are literally betting our survival on a tiny fraction of floral architecture.
At the Sainsbury Laboratory, we explore the fundamental processes of plant development that shape plant form and function.
Exhibit Activities
Do You Know What You’re Eating (or Drinking)?
Match foods and drinks to the plants they come from and explore how dependent our diets are on just a few species.
Flowers Feed the World
Discover how flowers underpin our food system — from wheat, rice and maize to the many other foods that come from various flowers.
Food in Focus
Get hands-on with microscopes, including a scanning electron microscope, to explore flower structures and see how they shape the foods we eat.
Zooming in on Petals
Learn how flowers attract pollinators and why pollination matters for crops like apples, strawberries and cacao.
Engineering a 4D Virtual Flower
See how scientists use AI, imaging and modelling to understand how plants control the architecture of flowers.
Future of Food Word Cloud
Share what you think matters most for the future of food via a live interactive display.
Take a Flower Home
Pick up a flower sticker and explore plant science career and education resources to learn more.