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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.
More than half of life on Earth is found in soil – here’s why that’s important
Springtails (Fasciosminthurus quinquefasciatus) are found in any damp soil. Andy Murray/chaosofdelight.org, CC BY-NC-ND John Quinton, Lancaster University A…
Making the most out of boreal plant resources
Narrow-leaved kalmia is an invasive plant typical of boreal ecosystems. Its proliferation can hinder the reforestation of areas…
Fossil Discovery Challenges Assumptions About Pterosaur Ancestors
In a recent research endeavor, a collaborative team of paleontologists from Brazil, Argentina, and the U.S. has made…
Genetically engineered bacteria can detect cancer cells in a world-first experiment
Shutterstock Dan Worthley, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute As medical technology advances, many diseases could be…
Wallacea is a living laboratory of Earth’s evolution – and its wildlife, forests and reefs will be devastated unless we all act
A family of Spectral Tarsiers captured on a towering ficus tree in Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Ondrej…
Ancient pathogens released from melting ice could wreak havoc on the world, new analysis reveals
Shutterstock Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Flinders University and Giovanni Strona, University of Helsinki Science fiction is rife with…
Secrets wrapped in fabric: how our study of 100 decomposing piglet bodies will help solve criminal cases
Photo by Stevie Ziogos, Author provided Paola A. Magni, Murdoch University and Ian Dadour, Murdoch University Until the…
Meg 2: the truth about the extinct mega shark – and why even this ridiculous film could inspire future palaeontologists
Jack Cooper, Swansea University Otodus megalodon, the biggest shark of all time, has long captured the imaginations of…
How Did Sauropods Carry All That Neck?
Sauropods, or the long-necked dinosaurs, have long been the subject of intense research and imagining—and the mysteries surrounding…
In search of the world’s largest freshwater fish – the wonderfully weird giants lurking in Earth’s rivers
Alligator gar can grow to gargantuan sizes. Zeb Hogan Stefan Lovgren, University of Nevada, Reno Rivers have been…