A Community of Trees
As it turns out, trees often signal to each other through the use of root and symbiotic fungal systems. This communication can be used to send out requests for nutrients, information on growth, and perhaps even help trees plan for the future. At the center of it all is the "Mother Tree," often the oldest and tallest plant in the forest which helps move valuable nutrients from photosynthesis to the younger trees that are lacking in sunlight on the forest bed.
What's most amazing is that these networks aren't limited by species. In fact, forests of many types of trees are able to work together to increase their prosperity. In the summer, birches might give excess sugars to fir trees, and come fall the firs help the birches out, covering the leafless months of each species! There's even more to learn about Dr. Simard's incredible findings and you can read her full interview with Scientific American here!
Featured Product
Trunk or Treat Woolly Mammoth T-Shirt
Cool Things!
Is “Paul is Dead” Dead?: Unpacking One Of Pop Culture’s Most Enduring Conspiracy Theories
Scientists Discover Hooves and Skin in Preserved Dinosaur "Mummies!"
A dinosaur discovery just in time for Halloween! In a new analysis of a group of fossils from Wyoming, Scientists have determined this group of fossils are dinosaur “mummies,” with preserved skin and even hooves.
Scientists Record a Bat Catching Birds Mid-Flight!
Bats, birds, screeches, oh my! In a reverse-Hitchcock twist, a new study reveals that a species of European bat catches and eats birds mid-flight.
Specimen Deep Dives
The House that Ruth Built: The Story of the Old Yankee Stadium
The Queen of the Skies: the Story of the Boeing 747
Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy
Long Form Articles
The Artist Behind the Macintosh: Susan Kare and Apple Computers
While the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, are the most well known faces behind Apple computers, equally important to the products and culture of the company were those who crafted the experience of using their computers through design. The most notable of these visual architects was Susan Kare, a designer responsible for “humanizing” Macintosh computers.
Can I Lick It? Yes You Can!
Have you ever been unable to tell if a fossil was really a fossil, but you were too embarrassed to admit it? Have you ever wanted to lick a fossil just because, but you didn’t want to risk judgment from your peers? Well, good news! You can kill two birds with one stone! Licking a fossil can actually help you determine if it’s the real deal or just another rock.
Is It Legal To Own a Meteorite: How to Start Your Outer Space Collection!
Meteorites are some of the rarest geological specimens to be found on Earth. Of course, since these stones are not of our world, purchasing them can sometimes be a confusing process. Is it legal to own a meteorite? In short, yes! Read on for help starting your cosmic collection!