Representative 16-bit confocal microscope image of an open Zea mays stoma. Credit: Plant Physiology, Volume 199, Issue 4, December 2025, kiaf600, https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf600 Scientists have long understood that plants take in air through tiny openings on their leaves known as stomata. These microscopic pores act like adjustable valves, letting carbon dioxide enter the leaf for photosynthesis while allowing water vapor to escape into the air. Until now, closely tracking this balancing