Nature
Why do cats purr?
A purr can accompany comfort, a request for attention or even distress. Its meaning depends on the cat and the situation, which is why the rest of its behaviour matters.
Nature
The living world, the planet and our place in it.
Nature
How do birds know where to migrate?
Migrating birds do not follow a single invisible map. Depending on the species and journey, they use inherited tendencies, the sky, Earth's magnetic field, landmarks and experience.
Nature
Why Can Salamanders Regrow Limbs When We Cannot?
Regeneration requires the right wound response and a plan for rebuilding; humans are much better at repairing than replacing.
Nature
Why Waves Arrive at Beaches in Neat Parallel Lines
As incoming swells enter shallow water, the part of each wave nearest shore slows first and the crest bends.
Nature
Do Trees Really Communicate?
Plants can respond to neighbours’ chemical cues, but the popular ‘wood-wide web’ story outruns the evidence.
Nature
Why Is the Sea Salty?
Rocks, rain, rivers and seafloor vents have been feeding ions into the ocean for geological time.
Nature
What gives rain its smell?
The familiar scent after a shower comes from a surprising mixture of soil microbes, plant oils and the physics of falling drops.
Nature
Why Do Some Autumn Leaves Turn Red and Others Yellow?
Yellow pigments emerge as green fades; red pigments are often made during the farewell.
Nature
How Spiders Avoid Getting Stuck in Their Own Webs
Orb-weavers combine careful footwork, specialised hairs and a surface coating to cross a trap built for other insects.
Nature
Why do moths seem to fly towards lights?
A lamp can disrupt a flying insect's sense of which way is up. Recent flight-tracking research suggests that many insects turn their backs towards nearby light and end up circling or stalling around it.