Thursday, 9 February, 2012

As southwestern forests go up in smoke, we look at the long-term picture. Fighting fires has made fire the remaining fires more intense, but controlled burns have their own hazards. Are we already seeing the effect of climate change on forest fires?

Can we fix rivers? Dams, levees, and locks can harm rivers and wetlands. So can draining rivers dry, or encasing them in concrete. In a few places, conservationists are finding smarter ways to manage rivers and wetlands. Is a win-win solution possible for our wicked water woes?

Do new species arise because so many niches are available in a new habitat? Or do they arise because newcomers have multiple talents for survival? A new study points to traits that enable success in the new location.

Giant Australian cuttlefish cross-dresses to mate. Small males temporarily look like females, mating right under the noses of the big boys!

Flower power: Orchid makes a chemical that attracts wasps by mimicking female pheromone.

Giant crocodile relative raises question of why big animals go extinct faster. If an 11-meter croc can’t survive, what about a 2-meter Homo sapien?