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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.
The 170-Year-Old Experiment Hiding in This Field
For nearly 170 years, a simple patch of grass in England has been the site of the world's longest-running scientific experiment, revealing foundational truths about agriculture, evolution, and climate change.
Cave reveals 75,000-year-old Arctic world in Norway
A 75,000-year-old animal community discovered in a Norwegian cave reveals how ancient Arctic species responded to and ultimately failed to survive dramatic climate shifts.
As human teams get bigger, they get less efficient. But these ants have found a solution
Chris Reid Chris R. Reid, Macquarie University and Daniele Carlesso, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Have you…
Safe no more: off-the-charts marine heat has severely damaged Ningaloo and other pristine coral reefs
Safe no more: off-the-charts marine heat has severely damaged Ningaloo and other pristine coral reefs James Paton Gilmour, Australian…
Wolves carry pups miles to follow migrating elk herds
Challenging long-held beliefs, a new study reveals gray wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will migrate long distances with their young pups to hunt migrating elk.
Study: Potato is an ancient hybrid of tomato-like plant
A new genomic study reveals the potato's signature tuber originated from an ancient hybridization between tomato-like and potato-like species millions of years ago.
Deep-sea fish are ‘chemical engineers,’ study finds
Scientists have confirmed that deep-sea fish, which dominate global fish biomass, are major contributors to the ocean’s carbonate cycle, solving a long-standing mystery in marine science.
Mammals evolved to eat ants at least 12 separate times
A comprehensive analysis of 4,099 mammal species reveals that the rise of ant and termite colonies drove at least 12 independent origins of specialized ant-eating across the tree of life.
Rockabye baby: the ‘love songs’ of lonely leopard seals resemble human nursery rhymes
CassandraSm/Shutterstock Lucinda Chambers, UNSW Sydney and Tracey Rogers, UNSW Sydney Late in the evening, the Antarctic sky flushes…
Study: Early hominin males much larger than females
New research, utilizing a novel statistical method, reveals that males of the early hominin species Australopithecus were significantly larger than females, suggesting intense male competition among our ancient ancestors.