Corpse flower isn't just my high school nickname; it's also a real flower, native to Indonesia! And right now there's one growing at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
The flower is 15 years old and about to bloom for the first time. When it does bloom, the 4 to 5 foot plant will smell strongly like rotting meat, which is meant to attract carrion-eating pollinators.
The staff at the gardens estimate the flower will bloom sometime today, and the local NBC affiliate has set up a livestream so that all of us can watch this marvel emerge in real time. Plus, you'll get to watch visitors to the Denver Botanic Gardens react to the flower's distinct scent.
Watch here:
If that's not exciting enough, the plant's Latin name is Amorphophallus Titanium, which translates to "giant misshapen penis." Nature!
Ethan Chiel is a reporter for Fusion, writing mostly about the internet and technology. You can (and should) email him at ethan.chiel@fusion.net