
Rethinking Easter Island’s Historic ‘Collapse’
Controversial new archaeological research casts doubt on a classic theory of this famous island's societal collapse

Rethinking Easter Island’s Historic ‘Collapse’
Controversial new archaeological research casts doubt on a classic theory of this famous island's societal collapse

Colorful Corals Beat Bleaching
Exposed to mildly warmer waters, some corals turn neon instead of bleaching white. The dramatic colors may help coax symbiotic algae back. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Malaria Mosquitoes Are Biting before Bed-Net Time
Mosquitoes that like to bite at night are being thwarted by bed nets, leading to the rise of populations that prefer to bite when the nets are not up yet.

Bumblebees Bite Plants to Force Them to Flower (Seriously)
The behavior could be an evolutionary adaptation that lets bees forage more easily

Pointy-headed Pygmies Evolved into Humans
Originally published in August 1906

Barn Owl Babies Can Be Helpful Hatch Mates
Food sharing is mainly found in adult animals as a part of social bonding. But in a rarely observed behavior in birds, older barn owl chicks will share food with younger ones.

A Failure of Imagination
Nature does not have to play fair with our puny human brains

100,000-Year-Old Human at Home on the Subway
Originally published in July 1948

Lemur Flirting Uses Common Scents
To entice female ring-tailed lemurs, males rub wrist secretions, which include compounds we use in perfumes, onto their tail and then wave it near the gals.

Flamingos Can Be Picky about Company
They don’t stand on one leg around just anybody but often prefer certain members of the flock.

A swimming dinosaur: The tail of Spinosaurus
New bones suggest Spinosaurus is the only known aquatic dinosaur.

Giant Volcano Rewrites the Story of Seafloor Formation
Tamu Massif and dozens of other seafloor volcanoes formed like sheet cakes, not layer cakes