Are Insects Capable of Moral Behavior?
Some 19th-century naturalists believed that bugs could think and should therefore definitely know that biting is out of line.
Plant of the Month: The Sensitive Plant
This plant’s animal-like behavior and alleged love-provoking abilities have sparked the imagination of everyone from early modern yogis to today’s scientists.
How Safe Is BPA-Free Plastic?
With BPA gone from many plastic products, researchers are concerned about other environmental chemicals, which might cause reproductive harm.
Puffins Seen Using Tools, Breaking Dumb-Puffin Stereotypes
Reputed to be a less intelligent bird species, puffins have been observed scratching themselves with sticks.
Why Your Zodiac Sign Is Probably Wrong
The science of astronomy is at odds with the basic organizing principle in astrology: the dates of the zodiac.
The 1876 Map of the World’s Ecozones That Still Holds Up
The 19th-century naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace created a visualization that tied different species to specific regions of the world.
The Law and Coronavirus
Can environmental law help contain viruses that spill over from animal to human populations?
Take These Teenage Dinosaurs Seriously!
Paleontologists recently solved the riddle of whether two fossil specimens were young T. rexes or a whole different species.
The Vast Influence of Ibn Sina, Pioneer of Medicine
In the 11th century CE, science was rapidly advancing in the Islamic world. The scholar Ibn Sina (Avicenna) synthesized its medical wisdom.
We Consume a Spoonful of Plastic a Week
You've heard about all the microscopic plastic in our water supply. But did you know there are ways to limit how much you ingest?