Bizarre exoplanet clouds + Counting insects with weather radar
Astronomers have spotted clouds of vaporized sand on an exoplanet. And, weather radar data reveal insects in US skies—100 trillion of them.
Is that spooky old house full of ghosts, or just infrasound?
Low-frequency noises that humans can feel, but not hear, may be behind the spooky feeling of old houses—and serve as a warning to animals.
Beavers could be humans’ biggest ally, if we let them
Beavers and humans tend to clash over landscape management. Pixar’s “Hoppers” captures the struggle, and Oregon proves coexistence is possible.
The long history of birds, from velociraptors to pigeons
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future.
When a dolphin whistles, what does it mean?
Recordings from a decades-long research project in Florida are helping scientists decode the complexity of dolphin whistles.
Is your dog’s DNA hiding a wild secret?
Discover how genetic isolation transformed ancient gray wolves into today’s dog breeds and what their DNA reveals about humans’ best friend.
Is Punch the monkey really just like us?
A young macaque at a zoo in Japan has a fan base that can’t get enough of him. Why are we so invested in the social life of one cute monkey?
Why the magnolia is an ancient revolutionary
In “How Flowers Made Our World,” magnolia blossoms offer a glimpse into the evolutionary history and global takeover of flowering plants.
The secret powers of flowers
Flowers are known for their beauty, but biologist David George Haskell argues they are also critical to the diversity of life as we know it.
The heaviness and (not) hope of climate change
Elizabeth Kolbert has been writing about the environment for decades. And right now, she isn’t feeling optimistic.