Articles for category: Ecology

Fibonacci pattern of sunflower seeds.

9 Times Nature Created Unbelievably Perfect Patterns

Maria Faith Saligumba

Nature has an extraordinary ability to leave us in awe with its intricate designs and harmonious arrangements. From the spirals of galaxies to the symmetry found in the tiniest snowflake, the world around us is full of patterns that seem almost too perfect to be real. These natural wonders not only captivate our imagination but ...

Brown sheep on grass land.

Cattle, Sheep, and Changing Habitats: How Livestock Shaped the Land

Maria Faith Saligumba

The story of how livestock, particularly cattle and sheep, have shaped the land is a tale as old as civilization itself. Our ancestors began domesticating these animals thousands of years ago, and since then, their presence has left an indelible mark on the Earth’s landscapes. Imagine vast grasslands transformed by the grazing patterns of herds, ...

3-D rendering of a tardigrade, showing off their cute and chubby features. Could they hold the secret to stop us from aging?

Evolution’s Greatest Mistakes: 10 Animals That Shouldn’t Exist, But Do

Trizzy Orozco

Nature is full of wonders, both awe-inspiring and bizarre. Through millions of years, evolution has molded life on Earth in sometimes unexpected and peculiar ways. While most creatures are perfectly adapted to their environments, some seem to defy logic with their absurd characteristics. Let’s explore ten such animals that, by the rules of common sense, ...

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro’s Botanical Anomalies: Nature’s Weirdest Mountain Flora

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine standing on a giant’s shoulder, gazing out across Africa’s rooftop, and discovering a world so strange it feels otherworldly. That’s what it’s like to venture up Mount Kilimanjaro—not just for its icy crown or sweeping savannas below, but for the bizarre, enchanting, and sometimes downright perplexing flora that clings to its slopes. Kilimanjaro isn’t ...

Bioluminescent Waves Return to Florida's Shores

Bioluminescent Waves Return to Florida’s Shores

Gargi Chakravorty

The warm summer nights of Florida’s Space Coast have brought back one of nature’s most spectacular light shows. Glowing waters that look straight out of a science fiction movie are lighting up along the Sunshine State’s eastern , creating an otherworldly experience that attracts thousands of visitors each year. This magical phenomenon occurs when microscopic ...

Close-up of vibrant red Berberis berries against rich purple leaves in autumn.

Don’t Plant These! US Native Alternatives to Common Invasive Ornamentals

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine walking through your neighborhood, admiring lush gardens full of color and life. But what if some of those beautiful plants are secretly wreaking havoc on local ecosystems, choking out native wildflowers and starving pollinators? It’s a surprisingly common problem: many of the ornamentals sold at garden centers are invasive species. They escape our yards, ...

The Ocean Current Shifts That Could Change U.S. Weather

The Ocean Current Shifts That Could Change U.S. Weather

Gargi Chakravorty

Scientists are tracking dramatic changes beneath the Atlantic Ocean’s surface that could reshape how Americans experience weather for decades to come. A warming climate doesn’t just affect dry land – it affects the ocean, too. For years, Earth’s ocean has acted as a heat sink for climate change: A large part of the heat generated ...

Some Volcanoes Create Their Own Weather — Including Lightning Storms

Some Volcanoes Create Their Own Weather — Including Lightning Storms

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’re watching a volcano erupt, and suddenly the sky above it starts crackling with lightning that has nothing to do with any storm clouds. The air itself seems to come alive with electricity, dancing around the towering column of ash and gas. It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but ...

The Race to Restore and Protect Glaciers

America’s Vanishing Glaciers—and the Communities That Depend on Them

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine standing on the edge of a vast, shimmering glacier—one that has carved mountains, fed rivers, and nourished life for thousands of years. Now, picture that same glacier shrinking, year after year, its ancient ice melting away into memory. This is not a distant story; it’s unfolding across America right now. Glaciers that once seemed ...