plants
Rooftop gardens can help alleviate heat in cities, study finds
An effect called the "urban heat island" means that temperatures are often 10 degrees higher in cities, according to NASA.
Simple is beautiful: Why evolution repeatedly selects symmetrical structures
Symmetrical objects are less complex than non-symmetrical ones. Perhaps evolution acts as an algorithm with a bias toward simplicity.
Redwood trees have two different kinds of leaves, scientists discover
Two types of leaves for two different drastic weather conditions.
What plants can teach us about human suffering
Plants are very sensitive to touch, with research showing that touching a plant can change its genome and launch a cascade of plant hormones.
Alien life: What would constitute “smoking gun” evidence?
Multiple lines of evidence — physical, chemical, and biological — must converge for scientists to conclude that alien life has been found.
How Venus flytraps give scientists insights on consciousness and anesthesia
Anesthesia causes animals and humans to lose consciousness. A study found it has a similar effect on Venus flytraps.
“Supermountains” may have influenced the course of life on Earth
Gigantic ranges called "supermountains" formed twice in Earth's history, and they may have had a profound influence on evolutionary history.
Miracle berry: The flavor-changing fruit that reveals the illusory nature of our senses
Bite into a miracle berry and you'll perceive intense sweetness — but only after you eat something acidic, too.
The ten greatest ideas in the history of science
The ten greatest ideas in science form the bedrock of modern biology, chemistry, and physics. Everyone should be familiar with them.
The invasion of Antarctica: Non-native species threaten the world’s last wilderness
With around 5,000 summertime residents, increased tourism, and a warming planet, it is becoming difficult to protect Antarctica from invasion.
What is life like elsewhere in the Universe?
Whether or not life exists elsewhere in the Universe, we can be assured of one thing: We are the only human beings in the cosmos.
Why “carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen” is the most important equation in biology
Life largely owes its existence to this equation. Be sure to hug your house plant today.
The world’s largest organism is slowly being eaten by deer
Pando, which is Latin for "I spread," is a single organism spanning some 106 acres.
Why technology often fails to replicate the “natural services” of ecosystems
When we try to recreate simpler versions of natural ecosystems, we invariably make mistakes, argues author and biologist Rob Dunn.
How scientists and artists resurrected the scents of extinct flowers
Using DNA from samples of extinct flowers, synthetic biologists managed to approximate long-lost floral scents.
Mistletoe and other parasitic plants are ecosystem engineers
Parasites aren’t limited to just worms and ticks. Even some plants like to feed off others — and they perhaps could help fight invasive species.
Sixth mass extinction: 23 more species declared extinct
The list includes eleven species of birds, eight species of freshwater mussels, two fish, a bat, and a plant from the mint family.
Food origins: Why Jesus never ate a banana
69 percent of the global diet is "foreign," says a study that pinpoints the origin of 151 food crops.
The spooky and dangerous side of black licorice
On Sept. 23, 2020, it was reported that black licorice was the culprit in the death of a 54-year-old man.
The unknown linguistic laws that apply to all life
Linguistic laws are remarkably versatile and have applications in ecology, microbiology, epidemiology, demographics, and geography.
Maple tree “helicopters” inspire flying microchips
Engineers borrowed the maple tree's "helicopter" to design tiny, flying microchips, which perform various tasks while in whirling free fall.
First-of-its-kind flower smells like dead insects
Life finds a way — in this case, by smelling like death.
Vertical farming: disrupting agriculture
A new agricultural revolution could forever change the planet.
The evolution of modern rainforests began with the dinosaur-killing asteroid
The lush biodiversity of South America's rainforests is rooted in one of the most cataclysmic events that ever struck Earth.
Study measures marijuana’s carbon footprint—and it’s high
Growing marijuana in large, climate controlled warehouses is good for production but has a massive carbon footprint.
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) won’t save the planet
Their success is based on us adopting a plant-based diet, too.
Here’s what happened when AI and humans met in a strawberry-growing contest
Do they really need the human touch?
Venus flytrap jaws create tiny magnetic fields when they snap shut
It's like a little magnetic "nom, nom."