For patches of sunflower plants, sharing is caring
A few weeks ago we introduced our readers to Monica Gagliano, the scientist who studies plant communication. This week, we delve deeper into the elusive lives of plants and bring you a story about resource sharing in sunflowers. Researchers at the University of Alberta have found that when Read More...
Dive into this photo gallery of Earth’s most alien landscapes
To really learn about how life emerges, evolves, and flourishes‚ and to improve our chances of detecting it elsewhere in the solar system, scientists look for life in Earth’s harshest environments. That means going to the extremes—to the hottest, darkest, driest, most acidic, saltiest places Read More...
"We're looking to be the Weather Underground of trees."
Trees can live thousands of years and are constantly adjusting to the environment around them. These monumental changes can take place over hundreds of human lifetimes, so they are difficult to perceive with the naked eye. However, with the help of sensors called precision dendrometers, researchers Read More...
The Amazon fires are disastrous, but not to our oxygen supply. Here’s why.
If you have been following the news about the fires in the Amazon, chances are you have heard the statistic that 20 percent of our oxygen comes from the Amazon Rainforest. Added to this observation, often in the conventional news media, is a panic-inducing statement that the lungs of the planet are Read More...
Meet the majestic “General Sherman,” resident of Sequoia National Park
General Sherman, a 2000-year-old giant sequoia, is not the largest tree in terms of height, but it does take the cake in total wood volume at an astonishing 52,500 cubic feet. The tree resides within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park and is a popular tourist destination for those who wish to Read More...
Tripping on nature: Could psychedelics save the environment?
Research into the mind-melding effects of psychedelics is becoming respectable again within the medical community, as therapeutic applications are being discovered. In addition to treating depression, PTSD, and other psychological disorders, tripping on magic mushrooms might serve another purpose - Read More...
The beautiful duet of science and photography
Photographer Yevhen Samuchenko took this image in the Himalayas in Nepal at Gosaikunda Lake Science and art are often seen as vastly different and even opposing fields. However, their overlap can produce harmonious works of utter brilliance. The Royal Photographic Society has started their Read More...
This man is on a mission to create silent, natural oases around the globe
Silence is at an all-time premium in this day and age. In fact, ninety percent of children are expected never to experience natural silence in their lives, and 97 percent of Americans are exposed regularly to highway and air traffic noise. It is so pervasive that many hardly notice it anymore, but Read More...
Researchers have developed the first visual model of the ‘wood wide web’
The first global map of the complex web of roots, bacteria and fungi beneath the ground known as the “wood wide web” has been built by researchers amid fears it is under threat by climate change. Using data from 1.2 million forest tree plots in more than 70 countries, scientists from Read More...
Want to discover the best campsite this summer? This guide will help you find it
If you want to spend your summer in the great outdoors, you have to act fast. The most popular campsites near metro areas or in picturesque national parks can book up months in advance, and there’s nothing worse than pulling up to your destination only to find the campground full. Luckily, Read More...