The Oldest Fossilized Reptile Skin Ever Found Predates the Dinosaurs
Permian period petroleum helped to preserve minute scraps of pebbly hide that probably belonged to a lizardlike creature
Emma Marris is an environmental writer who lives in Oregon.
The Oldest Fossilized Reptile Skin Ever Found Predates the Dinosaurs
Permian period petroleum helped to preserve minute scraps of pebbly hide that probably belonged to a lizardlike creature
Wildfires Are Becoming Increasingly Devastating in Hawaii
More traditional land use and better data dissemination could help to prevent future tragedies
Does Barbie Affect Body Image? What the Science Shows
A clinical health psychologist talks about Barbie’s influence on how women and girls view their body
Stressed Plants ‘Cry’—and Some Animals Can Probably Hear Them
Microphones capture ultrasonic crackles from plants that are water-deprived or injured
‘Mind Control’ Parasite Makes Wolves Effective Pack Leaders
The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can change the behavior of infected wolves in ways that make them more likely to be pack leaders
Watch Octopuses Throw Things at Each Other
Cephalopods living unusually close together have been filmed throwing shells, algae and silt—sometimes at another octopus
Animals Worldwide Stick Close to Home When Humans Move In
Baboons, grizzly bears and other species are giving up their wild ways as cities, farms and roads fracture habitat
U.S. March for Science Group Faces Growing Pains
Critics say the organization is unduly secretive
Trees in Eastern U.S. Head West as Climate Changes
Breaking from the general poleward movement of many species, flowering trees take an unexpected turn
Wolf Transplant Could Reset Iconic Island Study
US government proposes introducing wolves to Isle Royale as population dwindles
Is Donald Trump Pushing More Scientists Toward Political Activism?
Researchers are reaching out to the U.S. president-elect with science advice—and criticism
Underwater Archaeologists Find Ancient Butchering Site in Florida
Tools and bones add to evidence of pre-Clovis humans in America
Strange Seaweed Rewrites the History of Green Plants
An ancient alga developed large size and complex structure independently of other plants
Genetics Probe Identifies New Galapagos Tortoise Species
Known group of 250 animals found to be genetically distinct from their island neighbors
Secrets of Ant Rafts Revealed
The architecture of flash-frozen ant assemblages are offering inspiration for robot designers
Slime Molds Should Serve as Model for Climate Negotiations
Ecologist Simon Levin discusses his work, including the study of how cooperation is achieved in slime molds, bacterial films and small societies in nature
200-Year Drought Doomed Indus Valley Civilization
A monsoon hiatus that began 4,200 years ago parallels a dry spell that led to the collapse of bronze age civilizations in Egypt, Greece and Mesopotamia
Earth's Days Are Numbered
Researchers calculate that the planet will leave the sun's "habitable" zone in about 1.75 billion years
Mostly the Big-Brained Survive
Animals' brain-to-body size ratio predicts their likelihood of extinction, a new analysis finds
A Scientific Argument for Intervening in Nature
The science behind moving species under threat from climate change