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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.
Finding the Largest Animal That Ever Flew
The evolution of powered flight has opened up various possibilities for animal lineages, enabling them to move over…
Why don’t female crickets chirp?
I feel a song coming on … Paul Starosta/Stone via Getty images Floyd W. Shockley, Smithsonian Institution Curious…
Our laser technique can tell apart elephant and mammoth ivory – here’s how it may disrupt the ivory trade
Johann Mader/Shutterstock Rebecca Shepherd, University of Bristol In recent years, the global trade in elephant ivory has faced…
Ancient Giant Salmon Unveiled: New Study Reveals ‘Spike-Toothed’ Species
(Header image: (Claeson et al., 2024)) At a Glance A recent study published in the open-access journal PLOS…
New Study Reveals Genetic Basis of Migratory Birds’ Navigation Abilities
At a Glance Migratory birds have long fascinated scientists with their ability to navigate vast distances precisely. A…
We Thought We Knew Everything About Speciation—Then These Three Showed Up
The text discusses the scientific mystery surrounding Beardtongue flowers, which are part of the Penstemon genus. These flowers,…
Africa is full of bats, but their fossils are scarce – why these rare records matter
Mariëtte Pretorius, University of the Witwatersrand Africa is home to more than 20% of the world’s bat population.…
Crucial building blocks of life on Earth can more easily form in outer space – new research
Life-affirming molecules can form in space. Yves Almecija/CNRS Christian Schroeder, University of Stirling The origin of life on…
How a teenager helped identify a new species of giant marine reptile
Artist’s impression of a washed-up Ichthyotitan severnensis carcass on the beach. Sergey Krasovskiy, CC BY-SA Dean Lomax, University of Manchester…
Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after dark
Mark Wong, The University of Western Australia and Raphael Didham, The University of Western Australia Have you ever…