Yukai Du’s animations help answer the question: can plants communicate?

Commissioned by TED-Ed to accompany a lesson by Richard Karban about his study of plant communication, Yukai Du has created some simple, bright and cheery animations. Combining a primary colour palette with simple and clear depictions of plants, the work helps, along with the narration, convey a complex idea in an engaging and entertaining way. “My idea is to translate the lesson to a children-friendly and simple visual format,” says Yukai. “I also collaborated with sound designer and composer Angus MacRae to enrich the voiceover.” The animations maintain a steady pace without becoming a distraction from the lecture itself, a balance achieved by Yukai’s control throughout the whole creative process. We last featured Yukai in 2015 and her work continues to develop with confidence.