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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.
Monarch butterflies join the Red List of endangered species, thanks to habitat loss, climate change and pesticides
Monarch butterflies cluster on a eucalyptus tree at Pismo State Beach’s Monarch Butterfly Grove in California. Ruby Wallau/Getty…
I spent a year squeezing leaves to measure their water content. Here’s what I learned
Tomás I. Fuenzalida, Author provided Tomás I. Fuenzalida, Australian National University How do you tell if your plants…
Double-check Your Cup of Coffee: The Evolutionary Story of Caffeine
Ever wake up in the morning holding your nearest cup of joe, and wonder how nature even came…
Meet Qikiqtania, a fossil fish with the good sense to stay in the water while others ventured onto land
An artist’s vision of Qikiqtania enjoying its fully aquatic, free-swimming lifestyle. Alex Boersma, CC BY-ND Thomas Stewart, Penn…
Mystery solved: when mammals’ ancestors became warm-blooded
Tritylodon, a therapsid, reconstructed as a night dwelling warm blooded animal. Note the steam coming out of its…
How forests lost 8,000 years of stored carbon in a few generations – animated maps reveal climate lessons for tree-planting projects today
Trees like these near Traverse City, Michigan, remove carbon dioxide from the air and lock it away. Owen…
How Do Experts Develop Antivenom?
Should you ever find yourself in a situation where you’ve been bitten by a venomous snake (and we…
When did the first fish live on Earth – and how do scientists figure out the timing?
Reconstruction of Haikouichthys ercaicunensis based on fossil evidence. Talifero/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Isaac Skromne, University of Richmond Curious…
Ancient salamander was hidden inside mystery rock for 50 years – new research
Marmorerpeton Brennan Stokkermans , Author provided Marc Emyr Huw Jones, UCL; Roger Benson, University of Oxford, and Susan…
Why pineapple leaves are a promising candidate to replace plastic materials used in single-use masks
(Istock) Dwi Umi Siswanti, Universitas Gadjah Mada and Tiara Putri, Universitas Gadjah Mada The COVID-19 pandemic has led…