Using high-resolution micro-computed tomography, or microCT, researchers have mapped the connections between leaf pores, internal air spaces, veins and photosynthetic tissue with unprecedented detail. Their findings suggest that sorghum leaves can compensate for having fewer stomata—the microscopic openings through which gases move—by reorganizing the ventilation system beneath the surface. The sorghum leaves were scanned in a way that preserved the spatial relationships among stomata, veins and internal air spaces. The study also uncovered an unexpected difference between the two surfaces of the sorghum leaf. A more complete understanding of the leaf’s internal “ventilation system” could help scientists design plants that capture carbon dioxide efficiently while limiting transpiration.