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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.
Want to help our precious nocturnal bugs during Matariki’s longer nights? Turn the lights down low
Getty Images Janice Lord, University of Otago and Connal McLean, Te Papa Tongarewa In a world increasingly affected…
Researchers Challenge Assumptions on Animal Homosexuality with Groundbreaking Study
At a Glance A recent collaborative effort by anthropologists and biologists from Canada, Poland, and the U.S., in…
A ‘trilobite Pompeii’: perfectly preserved fossils of ancient sea critters found buried in volcanic ash
A. El Albani (University of Poitiers) John Paterson, University of New England If you’ve ever visited the fossil…
The Weird Case of Weird Ancient Deer
Mammals, especially deer, are incredibly diverse. They inhabit numerous ecological niches globally, including forests, where they are most…
We’re using drones to map the temperatures of lizards and this could boost reptile conservation
Emma Higgins, University of South Wales Forget pizza delivery, the latest use for drones may surprise you even…
World’s oldest termite mounds discovered in South Africa – and they’ve been storing precious carbon for thousands of years
Purple spring flowers growing on termite mounds in Namaqualand. A Potts, Author provided Michele Francis, Stellenbosch University The…
Elephants use the tips of their trunks to grasp things with great precision – how this can help robotic design
Pauline Costes, Sorbonne Université An elephant uses its trunk for eating, drinking water, communicating, exploring the environment, social…
We discovered Raja Ampat’s reef manta rays prefer staying close to home – which could help us save more of them
Edy Setyawan, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau The reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) is a tough swimmer.…
House of the Dragon: if dragons were real, how might fire-breathing work?
Mark Lorch, University of Hull In George R.R. Martin’s fantastical land of Westeros in Game of Thrones and…
Ferns and flowers bribe helpful ant defenders with nectar, but ferns developed this ability much later – our study shows why
Ants foraging for nectar on a Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Jacob S. Suissa, CC BY-ND Jacob S. Suissa,…