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Nature
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As grandiose as we might think our civilizations have become, we are but the latest entry in the long chronicle detailing life on Earth. We humans share this planet with fellow organisms whose vast numbers completely tower over our own. We borrowed this planet from its previous inhabitants from eons ago and whose lives were written on the soil-turned-rock on which they were laid to rest. Modern Sciences urges its readers to contemplate our planetary co-inhabitants, both past and present.
Fern stems reveal secrets of evolution – how constraints in development can lead to new forms
The lacy frond of the intermediate wood fern (Dryopteris intermedia). Jacob S. Suissa, CC BY-ND Jacob S. Suissa,…
Lions have two types of roar – new research
SteffenTravel/Shutterstock Jonathan Growcott, University of Exeter The roar of an African lion is one of the most iconic…
Yes, shouting at seagulls actually works, scientists confirm
Stephen A. Waycott/Shutterstock Neeltje Boogert, University of Exeter Did you get through your beach picnics unscathed this summer?…
A new way to measure the age of dolphins opens a window onto the lives of these iconic animals
Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Evi Hanninger, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Emma Betty,…
75% of Kilimanjaro’s natural plants have been wiped out – and climate change isn’t the biggest threat
Andreas Hemp, Bayreuth University Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is sold to the world as frozen romance and pure…
Why do giraffes have such long legs? Animal simulations reveal a surprising answer
Roger S. Seymour, University of Adelaide and Edward Snelling, University of Pretoria If you’ve ever wondered why the…
How the first animals evolved – a new clue from a tiny relative
Max Telford, UCL The next time you go wild swimming, whether in a lake, river or sea, you…
What are climate tipping points? They sound scary, especially for ice sheets and oceans, but there’s still room for optimism
Meltwater runs across the Greenland ice sheet in rivers. The ice sheet is already losing mass and could…
Wolves have returned to Denmark, and not everyone is happy about it
Bjorn H Stuedal/Shutterstock Kristian Kongshøj, Aalborg University and Troels Fage Hedegaard, Aalborg University After centuries of near-extinction, Europe’s…
The climate crisis is fuelling extreme fires across the planet
Hamish Clarke, The University of Melbourne We’ve all seen the alarming images. Smoke belching from the thick forests…