Life

Microbes

Let’s learn about microbial communities

Communities of bacteria and other single-celled critters are all around us, on us — even inside us.

Animals

Lots of frogs and salamanders have a secret glow

A widespread ability to glow in brilliant colors could make amphibians easier to track down in the wild.

Animals

Scientists Say: Echolocation

This word describes a method that some animals use to sense their environments by making sounds and listening for their echoes.

Agriculture

Let’s learn about trees

These long-lived woody plants provide shade for people, homes for animals — and help protect the planet against climate change.

Ecosystems

Check out the communities of bacteria living on your tongue

Bacteria scraped off the tongue offer a window into how the microbes structure their communities.

Earth

Let’s learn about the Arctic

The far North is a mix of vast tundra and icy waters, filled with interesting creatures, from tiny zooplankton to huge polar bears.

Brain

Sleep helps teens cope with discrimination

Good sleep helps teens better deal with racial and ethnic discrimination.

Fossils

This dinosaur was no bigger than a hummingbird

The skull of one of these ancient birds — the tiniest yet known — was discovered encased in a chunk of amber originally found in Myanmar.

Animals

Let’s learn about the creepy crawlies in your home

From ants to spiders to crickets to bed bugs — a whole host of insects and other arthropods may be hanging out with you at home.

Chemistry

Scientists Say: Enzyme

This word describes a molecule that speeds up chemical reactions in living things. Enzymes work by lowering the energy needed for a reaction to occur.

Environment

Greener than burial? Turning human bodies into worm food

Composting human bodies yielded good results — and good soil — in one small study. It could become an alternative to burial or cremation in one state.

Animals

Conservation is going to the dogs

Scientists are now training dogs to help track rare, elusive — and sometimes invasive — plants and animals.