Why Victorian Gardeners Loathed Magenta
For decades, British and American gardeners avoided magenta flowers. The color had associations with the unnatural and the poisonous.
The Mysteries of Crown Shyness
In some forests, trees grow in a manner that keeps their branches from touching one another. Despite decades of study, scientists aren't exactly sure why.
Bees and the World-Wide Farming Web
Connections between beekeepers in the 17th and 18th centuries created the early “world-wide farming web”—a way to share information across long distances.
Africa’s Mighty Baobabs
Sub-Saharan Africa's iconic baobab trees are experiencing die-offs at an alarming rate. What makes these distinctive trees so unique?
The Legacy of Koko the Gorilla
The jury is still out on whether or not Koko's signing skills proved that apes can learn language. But we certainly learned a lot from the famous gorilla.
The Incredible Phasmid Egg
Stick insects have eggs that look exactly like seeds. Scientists can't figure out why these masters of camouflage would lay eggs that resemble bird snacks.
Do Dolphins and Orcas Really Kill Their Young?
Stunned marine biologists watched a young mother orca desperately trying to save her baby.
The Busy, Beneficial Beaver
Americans have long viewed beavers as nuisances. But their dams are important for water management, helping to store and recharge depleted groundwater.
Megafauna Memories?
Some folklorists have hypothesized that the mythical beasts and monsters of legend were actually inspired by shadowy collective memories of megafauna.
How Poison Ivy Works
Where poison ivy comes from, why it gives some people such terrible reactions, and why—unfortunately for hikers and gardeners—its future is bright.