Imagine returning to a favorite hiking trail 15 years after your first visit and discovering that many of the plants and animals that once lived there are gone.
Blog
Butterfly that barely ages could help unlock longevity secrets
Scientists discovered that Heliconius butterflies have evolved an extraordinary lifespan, living several times longer than closely related species. Even more surprising, some show little sign of physical decline as they age. Their unusual pollen-feeding lifestyle may play a role, but the research suggests deeper evolutionary changes are also helping them...
T. rex took 40 years to reach full size, scientists find
Tyrannosaurus rex may have been a much slower grower than scientists realized. A new study of 17 tyrannosaur fossils found that the giant predator likely took about 40 years to reach its full size of roughly eight tons, extending previous estimates by 15 years.
As lakes turn brown, trout and bass decline while pike and walleye thrive
Freshwater lakes across North America and Europe are becoming noticeably browner, reducing underwater visibility and reshaping fish populations. Research found that several popular sport fish, including trout, bass, perch, and whitefish, tend to decline in darker waters. Meanwhile, walleye and northern pike often become more abundant because they are better...
Hidden geological process offsets carbon emissions from thawing permafrost
Scientists found that thawing permafrost can trigger increased rock weathering, a natural process that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. In some regions, this carbon uptake was strong enough to fully offset — or even surpass — river greenhouse gas emissions.
The secret language behind animal cooperation
Animals from different species often rely on surprisingly sophisticated communication to work together, whether finding food, cleaning parasites, or gaining protection. New research suggests these interspecies “conversations” are flexible, evolved, and far more important to life in nature than scientists once realized.
Chewing Sugary Gum After Eating Beetroot Lowers Blood Pressure
Chewing sugar-containing gum enhances the cardiovascular benefits of nitrate-rich vegetables.
Research Reveals Key Drivers of Heatwaves and Their Future Changes Under Climate Warming
Climate extremes such as heatwaves and droughts pose increasing threats to human safety, economies, and ecosystems in a warming climate.
Reforestation Effects on Water Resources Depend on Global Warming Level
Planting trees is widely promoted as a natural solution to climate change.
A Missing Piece in Climate Models: Nature’s Own Emissions
For decades, climate scientists have issued warnings about positive global warming feedbacks, vicious cycles in the Earth system in which rising temperatures from burning fossil fuels beget more warming.