HS-LS2-8

Evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species' chances to survive and reproduce.

  1. Animals

    A panda stands out at the zoo but blends in the wild

    A panda may stand out among bamboo at the zoo, but in the wild, its black-and-white coloring camouflages it from predators. Learn more with this web comic.

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  2. Ecosystems

    Secret forest fungi partner with plants — and help the climate

    Forest fungi are far more than mere mushrooms. They explore. They move nutrients and messages between plants. They can even help fight climate change.

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  3. Animals

    Meat-eating bees have something in common with vultures

    Flesh-eating bees have acid-producing gut bacteria, much as vultures do. It lets them safely snack on rotting meat.

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  4. Climate

    Here’s how some sea-loving trees ended up far from the coast

    This “relict ecosystem” that’s more than thousands of years old moved inland due to warming and a rise in sea levels.

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  5. Oceans

    Scientists Say: Atoll

    Atolls form when coral reefs build up around underwater volcanoes.

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  6. Plants

    Scientists Say: Phloem

    Phloem is tissue that delivers food, made in leaves during photosynthesis, to the rest of a plant.

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  7. Animals

    Bloodthirsty vampire bats prefer drinking with friends

    Vampire bats were known to bond with others in their roost. Now, research suggests bonded bats often drink blood from animals together.

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  8. Animals

    Cockatoos learn from each other how to open garbage bins

    The bin-opening behavior is an example of social learning. It’s also the basis of a foraging culture. Learn more in this web comic.

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  9. Animals

    Scientists Say: Marsupial

    These mammals are known for riding around in a pouch on their mother’s belly, where they continue developing after they’re born.

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  10. Genetics

    Explainer: What is RNA?

    A partner to DNA, cells use this molecule to translate the instructions for making all of the many proteins that your body needs to function.

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  11. Plants

    Well-known wildflower turns out to be a secret meat-eater

    Look closely at Triantha occidentalis, and you’ll see gluey hairs — and a trail of insect corpses on its stem.

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  12. Animals

    Analyze This: Some female hummingbirds go undercover

    Some female white-necked jacobin hummingbirds boast bright blue colors similar to males. That may help females blend in to avoid attacks.

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