June 2009

falcon series
Features

Talon Hunt

Updated by modern-day economics and science, the “sport of kings” retains its ancient fascination.

giraffe
Nature.net

Muscle Bound

An Internet guide to how muscles work

caecilian
Samplings

Special-Occasion Dress

Why would a tunnel-dweller sport flashy skin?

aphid
Samplings

Aphid Sandbag Brigade

Insects coax a plant to heal its wounds.

coral and brittle star
Samplings

Going Steady

A coral and a brittlestar pair up for life.

Foxtail
Samplings

Botanic Mechanics

Grasses make the simplest ratchets.

silk road
Samplings

Detour on the Silk Road

South Asians mastered silk-making independently from the Chinese.

Roe deer
Samplings

Misaligned by Power Lines

Electric fields test the magnetic alignment of cattle and deer.

Rhesus monkeys
Samplings

Mum’s the Word

Monkey moms give in to babies’ tantrums with an eye to who’s watching.

bowerbird nest
Samplings

Fireproofing for a Flame

Bowerbirds’ bachelor pads remain unburned after fires.

Dust
Samplings

Dust Up

Rising Atlantic temperatures are caused by a lack of dust in the overlying atmosphere.

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Recent Stories

The best way up a hill is steeper than the best way down.

A boxer who could jab like a mantis shrimp could win every match with a single blow.

The shape of the humpback’s flippers might hold the secret to more maneuverable submarines.

A rare bird’s elaborate mating habits help a tropical tree disperse its seeds.

Recent Interview

Xiaoming Wang

Hear author Xiaoming Wang interviewed by Vittorio Maestro, Editor in Chief of Natural History. (MP3, 17 minutes)