Topic

Science & Nature

A collection of 181 issues

The Fleeting Lifetimes of a Single Night's Dream

During REM sleep, our perception of time can dramatically distort, making minutes feel like hours or even years. This occurs because the brain, free from external anchors like sunlight or clocks, processes memories and constructs narratives in a non-linear fashion.

General Sherman: The Story of Earth's Largest Living Thing

In California's Sequoia National Park, the General Sherman Tree stands as the largest living single-stem tree by volume on Earth. Estimated to be over 2,200 years old, this ancient titan's sheer scale represents a monumental symbol of nature's endurance.

The Immortal Jellyfish: Reversing Time Through Cellular Transformation

The jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii defies aging by reverting from its adult form back to a juvenile polyp when stressed. This biological process of transdifferentiation allows it to restart its life cycle, offering profound insights into cellular regeneration.

Antarctica's Ultimate Sacrifice: The Weddell Seal Mother's Starvation Strategy

In the Antarctic, Weddell seal mothers perform an incredible act of devotion. For up to seven weeks, they do not eat, converting their own body mass into milk that is over 60% fat. This allows their pups to gain massive weight and survive the harsh cold.

The Biological Immortality of the Turritopsis dohrnii Jellyfish

The Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish defies aging by reversing its life cycle through transdifferentiation, a process where its cells revert to their earliest form. This unique ability, a biological reset button, allows it to achieve potential immortality.

Romania's Movile Cave: An Alien Ecosystem Sealed for 5.5 Million Years

Deep beneath Romania, Movile Cave harbors an ecosystem sealed from the surface for 5.5 million years. In total darkness and a toxic atmosphere, life here is powered not by sunlight but by chemosynthesis, supporting a food web of over 50 unique species.

The Fungal Puppeteer: Inside the World of Real-Life Zombie Ants

The Ophiocordyceps fungus infects carpenter ants, controlling their bodies to find an ideal location for spore dispersal. After a final "death grip," the fungus consumes the host and erupts from its head, a chillingly precise cycle of parasitic replication.

The Birth of a Species A Process of Populations and Isolation

The creation of a new species is not a sudden event starring a single mutant. Instead, speciation is a gradual process where genetic changes spread through a population. Over time, reproductive isolation, often due to barriers, allows this group to diverge genetically.

How a Tooth Becomes a Window for the Blind

Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis is a rare surgical last resort for severe corneal blindness. The procedure uses a patient's own tooth and jawbone, implanted into the eye, to serve as a biological anchor for an artificial lens. This method minimizes tissue rejection.