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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.
Houseplants don’t just look nice – they can also give your mental health a boost
Houseplants can be an essential link to nature – especially for those without access to a garden. Syda…
Nature’s GPS: how animals use the natural world to perform extraordinary feats of navigation
Tiny birds like robins are able to use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. Pxhere Richard Holland, Bangor…
Skyglow forces dung beetles in the city to abandon the Milky Way as their compass
A dung beetle climbs atop its precious ball to orient itself using the night skies. Chris Collingridge James…
Improving upon the sun: LED lights fuel plant growth in space
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used in medical devices and for growing plants, like potatoes seen here, are used by…
Mistletoe – famous for stolen holiday kisses – is a parasite that steals water and nutrients from other plants
American mistletoe’s genus Phoradendron means ‘thief of trees’ in Greek. Joe Decruyenaere/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA David Hillock, Oklahoma…
How do geese know how to fly south for the winter?
Geese fly day or night, depending on when conditions are best. sharply_done/E+ via Getty Images Tom Langen, Clarkson…
Five ways to help your pets cope with fireworks
Pixabay, CC BY-SA Jacqueline Boyd, Nottingham Trent University Fireworks can be a spectacular addition to many of our…
Reindeer: ancient migration routes disrupted by roads, dams – and now wind farms
Ilona Kater, Author provided Ilona Kater, Durham University; Robert Baxter, Durham University, and Simone Abram, Durham University Reindeer,…
Five ways reindeer are perfectly evolved for pulling Santa’s sleigh
Vladimir Melnikov/Shutterstock Louise Gentle, Nottingham Trent University We all know that Father Christmas would struggle to deliver presents…
Is Santa’s sleigh zero carbon? The answer lies in reindeer poo
Norman Tsui/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Mike Jeffries, Northumbria University, Newcastle Santa’s sleigh is famously pulled by eight reindeer, nine…