Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- Plants
Let’s learn about plant movement
Some plants use their powers of superspeed to spread spores, while others use it to snatch up prey.
- Animals
Butts of these fly larvae mimic a termite’s face
Young blowflies found in Morocco look — and smell — like the termites they hide amongst. These tricks help the larvae survive amongst the killers.
- Health & Medicine
Scratching an itch has both good effects and bad
Mice that scratch itchy ears trigger more redness and swelling — but also may combat harmful bacteria.
- Animals
Mosquitoes taste you before they decide to bite
Mosquitoes seem to prefer some flavors over others. Knowing what they like — and hate — could lead to better ways to prevent bites.
- Animals
Let’s learn about bumblebees
In the spring, queen bumblebees emerge from their winter hibernation to start new colonies.
- Animals
A changing Arctic current seems to be impacting bowhead whales
A teen researcher investigated bowhead whales and found their migrations may be responding to a changing sea current.
- Animals
Tiger beetles weaponize sound to ward off bat predators
Some beetles make ultrasonic clicks that camouflage them as toxic tiger moths, warning hungry bats to stay away.
- Animals
Analyze This: When do cats move like liquids?
Cats flow through narrow openings but hesitate before short openings. That may help them avoid unseen danger in the wild.
- Chemistry
Let’s learn about chocolate
Humans have been making chocolate for millennia. Now scientists are investigating how to make this tasty treat more abundant and nutritious.
- Animals
Meet some of the longest-lived animals
Think a 100-year-old person is old? Not compared to the world’s longest-lived animals — some of which have lifespans of thousands of years.
- Oceans
The world’s largest coral is longer than a blue whale
Scientists found the coral off the coast of the Solomon Islands.
- Ecosystems
Analyze This: In movies, wetlands often get a bad rap
Swamps in films are often linked to danger, death and strange things. But movies also highlight wetlands’ biodiversity and resources.
