Hello and welcome to another CHRISTMAS episode of Lexx Education! Normally it's the comedy science podcast where comedian Laura Lexx tries to learn science from her nerdy younger brother Ron but this week and next it's the weeks where we take a break from the usual exam nonsense to focus on Christmas!

For the first of our two Christmas special podcasts this year we are discussing Christmas trees! Laura gets a much needed break from science and a chance to focus on something she's actually interested in: history. She looks at the development of the tradition of Christmas trees right through from the earliest use of winter greens for decoration in Egyptian and Roman culture up to the present day.

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💬 Show Notes

Hello and welcome to the first of two very special Christmas episodes of Lexx Education! This week, the festive spirit takes over as comedian Laura Lexx and her cheeky elf of a brother, Ron, delve into the world of Christmas trees. This isn't your usual science lesson; it's a merry exploration of the history and science behind those festive favourites.

Laura takes us on a journey through the ages, revealing how the tradition of bringing evergreens indoors predates even Christianity, with ancient Egyptians, Romans, Celts, and Vikings all having their versions of this winter custom. From the symbolic paradise trees of medieval German plays to the Victorian Christmas trees popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the evolution of decorating with evergreens is as rich as it is fascinating.

Meanwhile, Ron keeps it scientific, explaining the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees, and why conifers are the true giants of the tree world. Discover the science behind why conifers are so adept at surviving harsh conditions, and learn about the oldest, tallest, and thickest trees on Earth. Did you know the oldest non-clonal tree is over 4,700 years old?

Whether you're a fan of traditional Norway spruces or prefer a plastic tree, this episode is packed with festive facts and a sprinkle of sibling banter. So, grab a mince pie, sit by your decorated tree, and enjoy this yuletide edition of Lexx Education!

00:00:00 " Ron: Welcome to the first of two special Christmas episodes of Lex Education

00:02:11 " Ron, we're talking Christmas trees today. We are, yeah. You probably can't talk about one without the other

00:03:21 " All right. For some reason I thought we'd do yours first. In several different ways

00:03:42 " Conifers are the largest terrestrial carbon sink on planet Earth

00:05:51 " There's several different types that we associate with Christmas trees

00:09:05 " If you had to decorate your house with something to remind you of summer

00:11:44 " Ancient Egyptians used to decorate their house with evergreens

00:16:36 " All extant conifers are perennial woody plants, not extinct

00:21:45 " Deciduous trees grow slower during the winter, so they get denser

00:22:18 " Kissing bows and mistletoe first appeared in England during Tudor period

00:24:00 " It's widely held belief that Martin Luther first added lighted candles to trees

00:24:57 " Georgians had a tradition of kissing under the mistletoe

00:26:38 " Ron: I think deciduous trees would be the A list celebrities

00:28:54 " All of the world's tallest, thickest and oldest living trees are conifers

00:33:44 " A Chilean tree is believed to be more than 5,000 years old

00:35:38 " So actual Christmas trees probably began in Germany, according to Ron

00:40:58 " The earliest conifers appear during the late Carboniferous

00:44:28 " There's debate about how long it took for the dinosaurs to die...