Over the span of 4.5 billion years, the Earth has formed colossal mountains, green valleys, leafy jungles, and vast forests, providing a home for countless plants and animals. On the 196,900,000 square miles of the planet’s surface,
scientists estimate that there are 390,000 plants—with new species being discovered all the time. The hundreds of thousands of plants actually perform a number of important functions for the planet. Plants help control the climate, process carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air to help us breathe, keep living organisms alive, and can be used for food and health solutions, among many other practical uses.